Krill Extract: a New Anti-Aging Remedy?

Supplements based on krill, a group of tiny marine crustaceans, could help prevent aging. In mice, the powder from these Antarctic organisms appears to counteract weight loss and loss of energy associated with aging. This effect is due to the regulation of important metabolic processes. The discovery, published in the Journal Of Functional Foods, was made by a group of researchers from the University of Bergen, Norway.

Properties of Krill

Krill is a group of very small marine invertebrates belonging to the zooplankton, and it is at the base of the food chain. It is rich in vitamins E and A and in Omega-3 fatty acids, known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The Omega 3 found in krill are mainly EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). According to recent studies, krill oil provides protective effects against cardiovascular diseases and hypertension, and it also reduces inflammation and joint pain. Because of these properties, the use of dietary supplements based on krill oil has been spreading in recent years. Compared to fish oil supplements, krill oil supplements are characterized by having Omega-3 bound to phospholipids rather than triglycerides.

Krill slows the catabolism of amino acids, fats, and sugars

In this study, researchers evaluated the effects of Antarctic krill powder (Euphasia superba) on the metabolism of laboratory mice. The compound is made up of 40% protein and 60% lipids, of which 34% are Omega-3. During the study, the animals were divided into two groups of 10. One group was fed a low-fat diet supplemented with 3% krill powder, and the other with a control diet, also low in lipids. After 3 months of treatment, liver tissue analysis showed that the diet supplemented with krill powder modulated, compared to the control diet, the expression of genes involved in many metabolic processes. Specifically, there was a downregulation of lipid oxidation, glucose metabolism, and amino acid catabolism. Meanwhile, the electron transport chain was stimulated, causing increased mitochondrial energy production.

Krill powder slows aging

According to the researchers, krill powder could be effective in slowing aging by both stimulating energy production and slowing the catabolism of fats, sugars, and amino acids to preserve body weight. In particular, a diet supplemented with krill powder, unlike one with krill oil, appears to act on many metabolic processes involving proteins and amino acid degradation. This result suggests the need for further research to understand whether supplements containing both proteins and fatty acids might be more effective than those made only of Omega-3.

Source: Bjørndal, B., Berge, K., Barger, J. L., Berge, R. K., and Burri, L. (2013) “A krill powder-diet reduces fatty acid and amino acid catabolism while increasing mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, a study of the hepatic transcriptome in mice”. J Funct Foods, 6 pp 623–630