Last year I released a blog that revealed the health risks of taking fish oil. No, that’s not a typo. You can read about the risks here.

Today I want to talk about krill oil and cod liver oil because I still get a lot of questions about these. There’s a lot of confusion about harmful versus helpful supplements and I’d like to shed some light on this today for you.

Part of what determines if an Omega-3 supplement is going to be helpful or harmful has to do with the current state of health of your gut.



As you know, your gut healthy is extremely important. Your gut is where you take all the good stuff you eat and drink and transform it into the many building blocks your body needs to make energy, sleep well, maintain a healthy weight, build muscle, and clear out toxins that need clearing out daily so you can thrive. 

It’s also where short-chain fatty acids, like those found in flax, chia, and hemp seed get converted into longer fatty acids that impart the health benefits we are looking for (reducing inflammation, improving brain function, etc). But this conversion doesn’t happen when your gut isn’t function properly.

It is my passion is to work with people like you whose health symptoms–like gut/digestive issues, excess weight, low energy, mood imbalance, and skin & sleep problems–are getting in the way of you living life fully and with a sense of freedom in your body. I help you to regain your health so you can feel great and free to enjoy life fully.
 

Krill Oil

Krill are small crustaceans that lives in all the oceans. They are excellent sources of Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA (the long chains that your gut doesn’t need to convert). What’s also really cool about krill oil, unlike fish oil, is that it’s naturally protected from damage by something called astaxanthin (an antioxidant superhero) AND phospholipids. Phospholipids are fatty layers that not only protect the oil from getting damaged before you can absorb it, they’re a primary building block of your own cells!
Ensuring that the oils you bring into your body aren’t already damaged or prone to damage the moment they get into your body is hugely important–otherwise you’re just adding to your inflammation and damaging your cells (which is the opposite of what you’re trying to accomplish!).
The research supports that krill is a better option than other types of fish oil for high-quality, undamaged Omega-3’s.

Cod Liver Oil

Without overloading your brain, I want to add that if you are looking for a fish oil that is a good source of Vitamin A and Vitamin D, cod liver oil is superior to krill oil. Krill oil has some, but cod liver oil has more.

Most brands of cod liver oil have the same health risks as fish oil as far as their likelihood of being heated and damaged during manufacturing. If you’re going to take cod liver oil, you want extra-virgin, cold-processed, and unrefined. Here is an example. 

Summary

So if you are looking for Omega-3 fats that are safer and least likely to add to your inflammation, eat good quality fish several times per week! Next best way is a high quality krill oil supplement.

If you are looking for natural sources of Vitamins A and D along with (lower amounts of) Omega-3’s, unheated virgin cod liver oils are better than krill oil.

Regardless of these supplements, supporting your gut health with a high quality diet, clean water, enough sleep and rest, stress management, and addressing hidden sources of gut stress like infections is the path to regaining your health so you can enjoy your life fully.

If you need support, email me at rebecca@choosinghealthnow.com or apply for a complimentary Unstoppable Health Discovery Session. http://bit.ly/schedulinghealth (subject to availability).

Until next time, I’m wishing you unstoppable health!

~Rebecca