Krill oil supplementation found effective against age-related brain degeneration

25 Nov 2022 --- A new research paper is suggesting that krill oil supplementation might serve as a possible approach for healthy brain aging interventions. Lipid extracts from Antarctic krill are rich in long-chain omega 3 fatty acids choline and astaxanthin.

In the study, researchers from the University of Oslo, Oslo University Hospital and Akershus University Hospital used C. elegans and human cells to investigate whether krill oil promotes healthy aging. 

“In a C. elegans model of Parkinson’s disease, we show that krill oil protects dopaminergic neurons from aging-related degeneration, decreases alpha-synuclein aggregation and improves dopamine-dependent behavior and cognition,” they explain.

The paper entitled “Krill oil protects dopaminergic neurons from age-related degeneration through temporal transcriptome rewiring and suppression of several hallmarks of aging” was published in the journal Aging.

Understanding molecular mechanisms
The researchers highlight there is accumulating evidence that interfering with the basic aging mechanisms can enhance healthy longevity and that interventional or therapeutic strategies targeting multiple aging hallmarks could be more effective than targeting one hallmark.

However, while health-promoting qualities of marine oils have been extensively studied, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood.Krill oil has been shown to improve healthspan (Image credit: 2022 SenGupta et al.).

Krill oil rewires distinct gene expression programs that contribute to attenuating several aging hallmarks, including oxidative stress, proteotoxic stress, senescence, genomic instability and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Mechanistically, krill oil increases neuronal resilience through temporal transcriptome rewiring to promote anti-oxidative stress and anti-inflammation via healthspan regulating transcription factors such as SNK-1.

Moreover, krill oil promotes dopaminergic neuron survival through the regulation of synaptic transmission and neuronal functions via PBO-2 and RIM-1. 

“Collectively, krill oil rewires global gene expression programs and promotes healthy aging via abrogating multiple aging hallmarks, suggesting directions for further pre-clinical and clinical explorations,” the researchers note.

Krill in the news
In recent news, Aker BioMarine signed new strategic partnerships with 18 Chinese organizations from the human health and nutrition and pet food industries at the China International Import Expo this month.

The producer of Antarctic krill-based products for human health and nutrition, aqua and pets conducted signing ceremonies to mark the new partnerships before an official Norwegian delegation representing the Norwegian Consulate General in China.

Meanwhile, a damning report by the Changing Markets Foundation accused the krill oil industry of greenwashing consumers and using marketing techniques to cover up the ecological impact of their operations. According to the authors, krill harvesting in the Antarctic may accelerate the effects of climate change in the region and around the globe.

Edited by Joshua Poole