Narrative review of krill oil in human nutrition and healthy aging
This narrative review examines how krill oil's phospholipid-bound omega-3 fatty acids, nutrient matrix and low contaminant levels might relate to nutrition and healthy aging within an intrinsic capacity framework. It reports no new trial results. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
About 30–65% of krill oil's fatty acids are bound to phospholipids, a structure the authors link to enhanced bioavailability. [1]
Krill oil contains about 25% total omega-3 PUFAs, including about 14% EPA and about 6.5% DHA, plus choline and astaxanthin. [1]
The review is structured around intrinsic capacity, covering locomotion, vitality, sensory, cognition and psychological dimensions. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Narrative review (abstract)
- Population / context
- Human nutrition and healthy aging, discussed conceptually rather than in a study sample.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- August 11, 2026
Krill oil composition and proposed bioavailability
The review describes krill oil as a marine nutritional ingredient in which roughly 30–65% of fatty acids are bound to phospholipids. The authors link this structure to enhanced bioavailability and efficient tissue incorporation of omega-3 fatty acids, even at relatively low doses. The oil contains about 25% total omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, including about 14% EPA and about 6.5% DHA, plus choline and astaxanthin. The source presents these as compositional features and proposed mechanisms, not as demonstrated clinical effects.
Supporting source [1]
Intrinsic capacity as the review's conceptual frame
The analysis is organized around intrinsic capacity, a conceptual model for healthy aging covering locomotion, vitality, sensory, cognition and psychological dimensions. The review states that krill oil's compositional synergy may modulate inflammatory pathways, redox balance, membrane dynamics and cellular signaling, thereby influencing physiological systems implicated in aging biology. These are described as possible influences, not established outcomes. Bioavailability, tolerability and sustainability are also discussed as considerations for nutritional strategies promoting healthy longevity.
Supporting source [1]
Safety profile and scope of this narrative review
Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) comes from minimally impacted marine ecosystems, which the authors associate with inherently low levels of environmental contaminants such as heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants. The review says it critically examines how krill oil's characteristics translate into clinically relevant outcomes, but the abstract reports no specific trials, participants, doses or results. It is a narrative review, so its claims about aging-related benefits remain proposals rather than demonstrated effects.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. This is a narrative review without reported trials, participants, doses or results, so proposed aging-related benefits are not demonstrated.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Vasconcelos AR, Dias DD, Souza ACR, de Abreu-Silva EO, Marcadenti A, Name JJ. · europepmc.org · August 11, 2026