According to a study published in the Lancet late last year, musculoskeletal (MSK) diseases represent the second greatest cause of disability globally, resulting in diminished productivity, poor quality of life and billions of dollars in treatment and lost pay each year. In the US alone, treatment and lost wage costs associated with MSK diseases were estimated to be US$950bn in 2006, equal to 7.4% of gross domestic product (GDP). Today’s assessments, however, put this burden well into the trillions of dollars.
There are more than 200 different MSK conditions, which range from long-term conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, which are painful, life-long conditions that often fluctuate in severity, as well as short-term problems such as sprained joints. MSK conditions such as arthritis and back pain are shown to affect more than 1.7 billion people worldwide, and have the fourth greatest impact on human health, considering both death and disability. This burden has increased by 45% during the last 20 years.
Although pharmaceutical drugs bring in billions of dollars each year, treating mostly the symptoms of MSK diseases (that is, pain, mobility, etc.), there is another category of substances with the potential to naturally alleviate these symptoms and, at the same time, correct the imbalance of inflammation in the body that so often occurs in those suffering from bone and joint issues. In this regard, many health experts believe omega-3s could have a crucial role to play because of their anti-inflammatory benefits.
Getting to the Root of the Problem
Phospholipid omega-3 fatty acids produce hormones that are anti-inflammatory in nature, as opposed to omega-6 fatty acids, which produce hormones that are inflammatory. Both are necessary in terms of keeping the body’s cells, tissues and organs healthy and “balanced” from an inflammation standpoint. However, the “Western diet” has invaded many parts of the world, bringing with it way too much omega-6 in the form of vegetable oils, grains, etc., and not enough marine omega-3s in the form of fatty fish. As a result, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids compete for attention in the body, with omega-6s usually winning out. This relative imbalance creates too much inflammation, which can cause an array of problems for the body.
Krill’s phospholipid omega-3s support a healthy inflammatory response, helping to normalise C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and reduce arthritis symptoms. Overall, krill oil is thought to strengthen the integrity of articular cartilage and aid joint comfort.
Krill’s phospholipid omega-3s support a healthy inflammatory response, helping to normalise C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and reduce arthritis symptoms
In one study, a collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice model was used to compare the effects of krill oil and fish oil on the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the animals fed diets supplemented with either fish oil or krill oil, disease incidence increased more slowly and was not observed at all in the mice fed a krill oil supplemented diet until day 54 when it was only 15% (compared with the mice fed the control diet, for which the incidence was 43%). This is consistent with the clinical arthritis scoring, which was found to be significantly lower in mice fed the diet supplemented with krill oil compared with that observed in mice fed the control diet on study days 54–68.
Furthermore, supplementation with krill oil significantly reduced the magnitude of cell influx, significantly reduced the thickening of the synovial membrane and reduced the cartilage erosion seen in the control animals. Krill oil exerted these effects at a level greater than that seen with fish oil and was the only supplemented diet able to reduce inflammatory cell infiltration into the joint.
Krill oil is thought to strengthen the integrity of articular cartilage and aid joint comfort
One hypothesis to explain this difference is that phospholipid omega-3 fatty acids from krill oil and triglyceride-based omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil have different effects on inflammation. These mechanisms are only left to speculation, but can for example be related to a different uptake of omega-3 fatty acids in neutrophils and, consequently, an altered lipid composition and function of neutrophils. The presence of EPA, DHA and arachidonic acid in neutrophil phospholipids after krill oil and fish oil administration should be investigated in future studies.
The researchers in this study concluded that krill oil helps to reduce the severity of the arthritis score and joint pathology in the CIA model. Thus, they believe this source of omega-3 fatty acids deserves more investigation as a food supplement for patients suffering from not only RA, but also osteoarthritis and other inflammatory conditions.
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Becky Wright is the communications and marketing manager for Norway-based Aker BioMarine Antarctic. She helps execute the company’s marketing and PR initiatives around Superba Krill phospholipid omega-3s in the US and abroad.
