Verdict
Not enough evidence
Krill oil delivers DHA to the brain better than fish oil.
1 source: 1 positive
By Arun AgrahriLast reviewed 2 timecoded sources
Short answer
For brain DHA delivery, possibly. Krill oil provides DHA in the phospholipid form that the brain's MFSD2A transporter recognizes, as Rhonda Patrick explains. But krill capsules are often low-dose, and high-EPA triglyceride fish oil is the more common pick. Salmon roe may be the best DHA source of all, with 40-70% of its omega-3s in phospholipid form.
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The verdict on Omega-3 overall. 17 sources: 7 positive, 10 partly
positive partly neutral negative Each researcher and each study counts once per claim, however often they come up.
Krill oil delivers DHA to the brain better than fish oil.
1 source: 1 positive. Fewer than 3 sources so far.
Researchers say
1 positive
Rhonda Patrick, on FoundMyFitness, at 01:53
Positive Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 01:53 →“the variety of DHA found in krill oil is preferred by the brain”
Studies show
No study counted yet.
Rhonda Patrick, on FoundMyFitness, at 01:53 Video · positive · Opinion
“the variety of DHA found in krill oil is preferred by the brain”
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Krill oil may deliver DHA to the brain better than fish oil, but it is not the clear winner for everyday use.
Rhonda Patrick, on her own show, makes the strongest case for omega-3 bound to phospholipids. The brain pulls DHA across with a transporter called MFSD2A, which wants DHA in lysophosphatidylcholine form. Krill oil and salmon roe carry it that way, and standard fish oil does not.
She cites human data in which krill oil at a lower dose produced the same blood EPA and DHA as fish oil. She rates salmon roe the best DHA source of all: 40-70% of its omega-3s sit in phospholipid form, against only 1-3% in standard fish.
Andrew Huberman picks triglyceride fish oil over krill, because krill capsules tend to be low-dose and often rancid. Peter Attia works from the blood test rather than the label, treating to an omega-3 index of 12% with high-EPA fish oil. Form matters less to him than the number.
Whatever form you buy, skip ethyl esters, which absorb worse. Buy something third-party tested: NSF, IFOS or USP certified. Vegetarians do better with algal oil.
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