“Current epidemiological studies have shown a strong association between high levels of LDL and low levels of HDL and premature coronary heart disease. According to industry reports 107 million patients suffer from high LDL; however, the number of patients with low HDL exceeds 107 million," explained Dr. Tina Sampalis, vice president of R&D and business development at Neptune Bioresources & Technology.

According to the American Heart Association, 34.2 percent of Americans (70.1 million people) suffered from some form of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in 2002. The direct costs of CVD from hospital, doctors, home care, and medication in the US is a staggering $258 billion, with a further $145 billion as indirect costs from lost productivity.

The double-blind, randomized clinical trial compared the effects of Neptune Krill Oil, fish oil, or placebo, with or without statins - a total of six experimental groups. After 90 days of usage, the researchers, at McGill University and the University of Montreal, found that Neptune alone (1 to 1.5 grams per day) lowered LDL-cholesterol by 34 percent, and increased HDL cholesterol levels by 43.5 percent.

Active placebo fish oil supplements produced a decrease in LDL levels of only 4.6 percent, and increases in HDL levels of 4.2 percent. Participants taking the placebo experienced increases in LDL levels of 13 percent and decreases in HDL levels of four percent.

Statins alone (10 mg) were associated with a reduction in LDL levels of 29 percent and increases in HDL levels of 13 percent, showing that low dose krill oil performed better than low doses of the most commonly used statin drugs.

Interestingly, when statins and krill oil were combined the effects were even more pronounced, resulting in LDL decreases of 37 percent and HDL increases of 51 percent.

“These results justify a future multicenter/multinational pivotal study of NKO versus statins to further evaluate the effects," said Dr. Sampalis.

The effects observed were easy to explain, said Dr. Sampalis, since krill oil contains the phospholipids DHA and EPA which are substrates for apolipoprotein A1 (Apo-A1) which is required by the body to produce HDL-cholesterol.

Neptune krill oil is derived from the plankton family of crustacean and, unlike fish oil, it is also rich in phospholipids and antioxidants.