Fatty acidPart of: Omega-3 (fish oil, krill oil, algal oil)

Krill oil

Also called Antarctic krill oil, Euphausia superba oil, phospholipid omega-3, Superba krill oil

By Kymata Labs EditorialMedical review pendingLast reviewed October 11, 2026 · What changed

Kymata Health may earn a commission from the partner product links in the Where to buy section, marked where they appear. Educational reference, not medical advice.

Summary

Krill oil supplies EPA and DHA largely as phospholipids. In adults it raised blood omega-3 levels like fish oil at a lower EPA+DHA dose. Knee osteoarthritis trials disagree: a 2022 trial found modest pain relief, while a 2024 trial of 262 people found none (grade C). A krill-derived drug lowered very high triglycerides.

Top graded outcomes:B evidence grade Triglycerides in severe hypertriglyceridemiaC evidence grade Knee pain, stiffness and functionD evidence grade Blood omega-3 levels and lipids versus fish oil

Key facts

What it is
Oil from Antarctic krill with EPA and DHA partly bound to phospholipids[5]
Versus fish oil
Similar rises in blood EPA and DHA at about 63% of the fish-oil EPA+DHA dose in one trial[5]
Knee pain
Mixed: modest benefit in one 6-month trial, no benefit in a 24-week trial of 262 people[3][2]
Evidence base
4 graded human outcomes on this page
Last reviewed
October 11, 2026

How it works

EstablishedEPA and DHA are built into cell membranes and are precursors of signalling molecules involved in inflammation. In krill oil much of the EPA and DHA is bound to phospholipids rather than triglycerides.[1][5]

What the human research says

Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.

At a glance: strongest evidence per outcome

Evidence at a glance: strongest human evidence per outcome
OutcomeGradeEffectStrongest evidenceRows
Blood lipidsGrade BImprovedRCT · n = 520 · 2022Form tested: Krill-derived omega-3 phospholipid/free fatty acid drug (CaPre)1 rowIncludes this form
JointsGrade CImprovedRCT · n = 235 · 2022Form tested: Krill oil2 rowsIncludes this form
AbsorptionGrade DMixedRCT · n = 113 · 2011Form tested: Krill oil vs fish oil vs no supplement1 rowIncludes this form

Every graded row

Outcome
Grade
Form tested
Sort

Showing 4 of 4 outcomes. Human trials only.

OutcomeEffectGradeBest evidencePMID
Triglycerides in severe hypertriglyceridemiaImprovedGrade B

RCT · n = 520 · 2022

Adults with very high triglycerides (mean 701 mg/dL) in two pooled trials (TRILOGY 1 and 2)

Form: Krill-derived omega-3 phospholipid/free fatty acid drug (CaPre) · Dose: 4 g/day · Duration: 26 weeks (primary outcome at 12 weeks)

Triglycerides fell more than with placebo, with a safety profile similar to placebo.

34989797 (opens PubMed)Source [4]
Knee pain, stiffness and functionImprovedGrade C

RCT · n = 235 · 2022

Adults with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis

Form: Krill oil · Dose: 4 g/day · Duration: 6 months

Pain, stiffness and function improved modestly more than placebo; the Omega-3 Index rose from 6.0% to 8.9%.

35880828 (opens PubMed)Source [3]
Blood omega-3 levels and lipids versus fish oilMixedGrade D

RCT · n = 113 · 2011

Adults with normal or slightly raised cholesterol or triglycerides

Form: Krill oil vs fish oil vs no supplement · Dose: 3 g krill oil (543 mg EPA+DHA) vs 1.8 g fish oil (864 mg EPA+DHA) per day · Duration: 7 weeks

Plasma EPA, DHA and DPA rose similarly with both oils; serum lipids and oxidative or inflammatory markers did not differ between groups.

21042875 (opens PubMed)Source [5]
Knee pain in knee osteoarthritis with synovitisNo effectNo effect

RCT · n = 262 · 2024

Adults with knee osteoarthritis, significant pain and effusion-synovitis on MRI

Form: Krill oil · Dose: 2 g/day · Duration: 24 weeks

Knee pain did not improve versus placebo.

38776073 (opens PubMed)Source [2]

Forms

FormElemental %Absorption (human data)GI toleranceStudied for
Krill oil softgelsVariesNot applicable (whole compound or extract; no elemental fraction)Raised plasma EPA and DHA similarly to fish oil at about 63% of the EPA+DHA dose in one 7-week trial.[5]Safety markers did not differ from placebo over 6 months.[3]Knee osteoarthritis, blood omega-3 and lipid trials

Studied doses

Doses studied in human trials ranged from 2 g/day of krill oil for 24 weeks and 3 g/day (543 mg EPA+DHA) for 7 weeks to 4 g/day for 6 months.[2][3][5]

Intake reference: No RDA exists for EPA or DHA. The adult Adequate Intake applies to ALA only (1.1 g/day women, 1.6 g/day men).[1] NIH ODS fact sheet (updated August 22, 2025).

These are amounts used in research, not personal advice. Your clinician or pharmacist can say what fits you.

Interactions

Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.

Medicines

  • Anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugsNIH fact sheete.g. warfarinODS notes omega-3 supplements may have antiplatelet effects and could add to these medicines.[1]

Who should be careful

Seafood or shellfish allergy
Krill are crustaceans, and krill oil labels declare shellfish. NCCIH advises talking to a health care provider before taking omega-3 supplements if you are allergic to seafood.[6]
Blood thinners
Omega-3 supplements may add to the effect of anticoagulants.[1]

Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.

Where to buy Krill oil

Products from brands we partner with that contain Krill oil. Listing a product is not a claim that it works; check the amount per serving against the doses studied above, and the label for other ingredients.

  • SupersmartPaid linkKrill Oil2 softgels: 1,180 mg Superba Boost krill oil with 250 mg EPA+DHA, 660 mg phospholipids and 100 mcg astaxanthin; 30 servingsShop at Supersmart (opens in new tab)Price and label checked 2026-10-11 on the brand’s site.

    Partner links may earn us a commission. Learn more

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    15% off with code SMART026

    Enter code SMART026 at checkout on us.supersmart.com.

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    • Offer terms from Supersmart’s site and its affiliate program, checked Oct 8, 2026. Offers can change; the brand's checkout is final.

Frequently asked questions

Is krill oil better than fish oil?

In one trial krill oil raised blood omega-3 levels like fish oil at a lower EPA+DHA dose, but outcomes did not differ. Per gram of EPA+DHA, krill oil usually costs more.[5]

Does krill oil help knee pain?

Trials disagree: one found modest relief, a larger MRI-selected trial found none.[3][2]

Does krill oil lower triglycerides?

A krill-derived omega-3 drug lowered very high triglycerides at 4 g/day; retail krill oil supplies much less EPA+DHA.[4]

Is krill oil a shellfish product?

Krill are small crustaceans, so people with a shellfish allergy should read the label allergen statement.

Sources

  1. [1]Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, 2025. fact-sheet
  2. [2]Krill Oil for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.. JAMA, 2024. RCT PMID 38776073
  3. [3]Krill oil improved osteoarthritic knee pain in adults with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis: a 6-month multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.. Am J Clin Nutr, 2022. RCT PMID 35880828
  4. [4]Effectiveness of a Novel ω-3 Krill Oil Agent in Patients With Severe Hypertriglyceridemia: A Randomized Clinical Trial.. JAMA Netw Open, 2022. RCT PMID 34989797
  5. [5]Metabolic effects of krill oil are essentially similar to those of fish oil but at lower dose of EPA and DHA, in healthy volunteers.. Lipids, 2011. RCT PMID 21042875
  6. [6]7 Things To Know About Omega-3 Fatty Acids. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), 2023. fact-sheet

What changed

  1. October 11, 2026 · Who should avoid · Adversarial reviewAdded seafood/shellfish allergy.Writer: Kymata Labs Editorial · No credentialed reviewer yet
  2. October 11, 2026 · Evidence · Adversarial reviewCorrected the effect arrow (↑ improved, ↓ worsened for participants) on: Knee pain, stiffness and function; Triglycerides in severe hypertriglyceridemia.Writer: Kymata Labs Editorial · No credentialed reviewer yet
  3. October 11, 2026 · all · new page (encyclopedia expansion, A–L)First draft. Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities (title, journal and year taken from the PubMed record) and each evidence row written from its PubMed abstract.Writer: Kymata Labs Editorial · No credentialed reviewer yet

How we write, grade and correct these pages: editorial and evidence policy.

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