Neptune Krill Oil (NKO) 500mg by Designs For Health (DFH) 

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Krill Oil is extracted from shrimp-like crustaceans in the sea and has become the most sought after marine oil on the market today. Krill's nutrient rich content supercedes that of simple fish oil. Not only does it contain the essential Omega 3s EPA and DHA, but also contains phospholipids, vitamins, and antioxidants. Even more impressive, the Omega 3s in Krill Oil are free of heavy metals and more stable than any other marine oil making it safe and ideal for infants, pregnant or nursing mothers, and the elderly who use it for its ability to aid brain function and development.

It is not until recently that this amazing oil has gotten publicity. One of Krill Oil's most talked about recent studies was on its ability to effectively relieve PMS symptoms naturally (see details below) and click here to read an Adobe PDF doc summarizing the research on PMS, skin cancer, pregnancy, delayed speech development, and depression.

Just a little warning, these tiny gel caps are stinky and smell of fish. This is normal! 

Read Customer questions and answers about Women's Health in our FAQ.

Krill oil also naturally contains several other antioxidants including, canthaxanthin, beta carotene, Vitamin E and all trans-retinol Vitamin A. These antioxidants protect this nutrient dense oil from oxidation. Designs for Health’s Krill Oil was made using a unique cold-extraction process that converts it into a stable oil. This process protects the lipids from alteration and avoids peroxidation. It is free of heavy metals and organohalide pollutants. It is extremely pure. This product does not cause reflux or regurgitation seen with common fish oil supplements

Krill are tiny crustaceans found in the sea. They are the world’s largest biomass and feed the largest animal, the whale. Krill oil extracted from Krill is a unique source of Phosphatidyl Choline with EPA and DHA bound to it and at the same time a superior delivery of EPA and DHA inside a phospholipid as opposed to a regular triglyceride. This combination confers a faster and more effective delivery of EPA and DHA in the body and specifically to the brain through better absorption and transport. The phospholipids are also bound to a powerful antioxidant, astaxanthin, known to cross the blood brain barrier.

NKO™ (Neptune Krill Oil) is extracted from the hardy Antarctic krill, a traditional food. NKO™ is rich in cell membrane building blocks: highly unsaturated phospholipids co-functionalized with Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) and kept remarkably stable by its natural astaxanthin and flavonoids.

Research Review

Krill are the world's largest animal biomass. They feed the largest animal in the world, the blue whale. Krill Oil extracted from these shrimp-like crustaceans contains many nutrients essential to living creatures. Krill Oil contains three important phospholipids; phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, and phosphatidylethanolamine. These phospholipids contain a high proportion of EPA and DHA, and resemble human brain phospholipids. DHA is so essential to infant brain development that it is now being added to infant formulas. It is no wonder that Krill Oil is the most sought after marine oil on the market today. This nutraceutical oil should be a staple for old and young alike.

Krill Oil Has Many Benefits
Remember that the human brain contains the most phospholipid rich membranes in the body, especially high in DHA for membrane fluidity. Krill Oil's phospholipids naturally contain EPA and DHA, anti-inflammatory fatty acids that hold the membranes in healthy balance against toxic, oxidative, and inflammatory attack. As a matter of fact, the phospholipids are bound to astaxanthin, known to cross the blood-brain barrier! Since the phospholipids in Krill, including phosphatidyl choline, are natural emulsifiers, they facilitate the digestion and absorption of the healthy lipids in Krill Oil. While practically all choline supplements are derived from plant sources such as soy, choline from Krill is animal based.

Is Krill Oil Easily Oxidized?
Omega 3 Fatty Acids are known to be sensitive to oxidation, however because nature provided Krill with many powerful antioxidants, Krill Oil is remarkably stable. In addition to its high omega 3 to omega 6 profile, Krill Oil contains a rich network of antioxidants including Vitamin E, all trans retinol Vitamin A, beta carotene and the carotenoid relatives, canthaxanthin and astaxanthin. These antioxidants work synergistically with other bioactive compounds in Krill Oil to support peak functioning of the brain, liver, skin, and other organs. One comprehensive study found astaxanthin to be extremely effective at quenching singlet oxygen radicals in membranes. [11] In another study, astaxanthin was approximately as effective as canthaxanthin and about 50% more effective than beta-carotene and zeaxanthin in preventing fatty acid peroxidation. [12] A research study performed at Tufts University in Boston found that when astaxanthin or canthaxanthin were added to rat liver microsomes, these antioxidants greatly inhibited radical-initiated lipid peroxidation, equal to that of alpha-tocopherol and to a greater extent than beta-carotene. [13] Astaxanthin has also been shown to protect LDL from oxidation. [1]

Designs for Health's Krill Oil is made using a unique cold-extraction process that converts it into a stable oil. This process protects the lipids from alteration and avoids peroxidation. Our own independent third party testing showed this claim to be accurate - its peroxide value is 0.00, P-Anisidine is 0.1 and its oil stability index is 16! It even proved itself to be free of heavy metals and organohalide pollutants. It passed our test with flying colors! According to the ORAC test, Krill Oil is 300 times higher in antioxidant capacity than Vitamins A and E alone.

Improving Allergic and Inflammatory Conditions
Studies consistently demonstrate that marine oil improves morning stiffness and joint tenderness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers believe this therapeutic benefit stems from omega-3's ability to reduce levels of hormone-like compounds called prostaglandins and leukotrienes that aggravate the inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis. [5,6,7] In addition to rheumatoid arthritis, studies indicate omega-3 essential fatty acids can improve other inflammatory diseases as well including ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, eczema, acne, psoriasis and asthma.

New Exciting Research on Krill Oil
A recently published double-blind, controlled, randomized trial on 70 women showed that Krill Oil dramatically improved all emotional PMS symptoms including feeling overwhelmed, anxiety, stress, irritability, and depression. After 45 and 90 days the NKO™ Krill Oil group on 2 g per day, had statistically significant differences in both emotional and physical symptoms including breast tenderness, joint pain and dysmenorrhea. The fish oil group after 90 days only had statistically significant reduction in weight gain, swelling and abdominal pain. [14] Study subjects reported using 50% fewer analgesics on a dose of 2 Krill Oil gelcaps daily. A recent study on 120 human subjects (results to be published) compared the effects of Fish oil vs. Krill Oil on hyperlipidemia. Krill Oil at a dose of 1.5 grams per day was more effective than fish oil at reducing glucose levels, total cholesterol, LDL, Chol:HDL ratio and at raising HDL levels. A 3 g dose of Krill Oil daily lowered triglyceride levels as well. A mice study showed that Krill Oil can significantly prevent the incidence of skin cancer caused by chronic exposure to UV radiation.

As if that's not enough, Krill Oil also contains sphingomyelin, a component of myelin sheath that surrounds nerve cells. Research on Krill Oil's ability to improve MS and mercury's damage to nerve cells is surely needed.

Safety
A recent review on the safety of omega-3 fatty acids by the US FDA concluded that a daily intake of EPA and DHA of up to 3 g is GRAS (generally recognized as safe). Dosages as high as 3-8 g of omega-3 fatty acids per day show virtually no significant adverse effects. [15,16,17] Safety studies on mice reveal no adverse effects from Krill Oil when given the human equivalent of 9 g of EPA and DHA per day, or 7-11 times the recommended dose for 6 months. 25 adult human volunteers were given 2 gelcaps of Neptune Krill Oil™ three times per day for 2 months. Each gelcap contains 1 gram of Krill Oil. No serious side effects or negative changes in blood chemistry occurred. Some of the observed benefits include increased ability to concentrate, decreased seasonal allergy symptoms, increased skin hydration, improved hair texture, decreased joint discomfort and minimized PMS emotional and physical symptoms. Krill Oil has been proven safe even at dosages as high as 10 grams per day. [9]