A new research paper finds that krill oil promotes healthy aging— which can bring lots of potential for our industry, as well as society at large, as we expect the age-related health care costs to increase massively over the following years.
Aging is a natural part of the biological process however, it is also the most significant risk factor for major lifestyle diseases such as dementia, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
“There is no question that we need more science to understand how we can impact and improve the life quality of an aging population,” said Johnsen. “We have invested in a new study that looks at how krill oil can influence many underlying mechanisms that contribute to aging.”
In a recent study published in Aging, research teams from the University of Oslo, Oslo University Hospital, and Akershus University Hospital used nematode worms and human cells to investigate if krill oil can slow down the aging processes.
Nematode worms (or C. elegance) as used in this study are common, well-researched organisms used in biomedical research as a model for human development, genetics, aging, and disease. They typically live for approximately 3 weeks and have bodily systems like humans.
The nematodes that received krill oil (Superba Boost) did not lose as many nerve cells in the brain as they got older. They therefore preserved both memory and neuromuscular function and were generally much more active.
“We have found that krill oil, a natural extract, inhibits many processes driving aging in nematodes. We have also seen this in human cells in culture. By using a so-called aging clock, we see that the speed of the processes slows down for the animals' given krill oil, says Hilde Loge Nilsen, Professor Department of Clinical Molecular Biology at the University of Oslo.
For the past few years, Aker BioMarine has focused on the scientific aspects of healthy aging. The recent study in Aging demonstrates how krill oil can help slow down the aging process and potentially improve one’s quality of life. Aker BioMarine’s krill oil was used in two additional studies examining krill oil’s effects in aging populations.
A recent breakthrough study published in the top-tier American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, concluded that krill oil improves knee pain, stiffness, and physical function in adults between 40 to 65 years old with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis. Furthermore, krill oil can have beneficial effects on skeletal muscle function and size in healthy, older people, according to a recent study led by scientists at the Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow.
The study was done in collaboration with Aker BioMarine.
Read more: Krill oil phospholipids work at the cellular level to promote healthy aging
About Aker BioMarine
Aker BioMarine is a biotech innovator and Antarctic krill-harvesting company, dedicated to improving human and planetary health. Listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, we develop krill-based ingredients for nutraceutical (Superba®) animal feed (QRILL® Pet), and aquaculture( QRILL® Aqua), applications. We also develop INVI™, a highly concentrated protein isolate, and LYSOVETA™, a product area targeting brain health. As a global leader in marine phospholipids, Aker BioMarine’s fully transparent value chain starts with sustainable krill harvesting in pristine Antarctic waters before traveling through the company’s Montevideo based logistics hub and Houston based production plant, before product is shipped to customers around the world. The company’s strong focus on sustainability inspired the launch of AION by Aker BioMarine, a circularity company dedicated to helping companies to recycle and reuse waste.