Aker BioMarine launches phospholipid technology that improves absorption of difficult ingredients: 2022 SupplySide West Report

Photo © AdobeStock.com/Mateusz

At this year’s SupplySide West, Aker BioMarine (Oslo, Norway) launched a new technology platform that utilizes phospholipids from krill to improve solubility and emulsification of ingredients that have otherwise poor bioavailability or absorption rates. The technology, called PL+, comes encapsulated in soft gels with challenging ingredients, namely: cannabidiol (PL+CDB), curcumin (PL+Curcumin), CoQ10 (PL+CoQ10), EPA and DHA combined (PL+EPA-DHA), and DHA on its own (PL+DHA).

PL+CDB contains 40% PL+ with 25 mg of CBD. PL+Curcumin contains 40% PL+ with 100 mg of curcumin. PL+ CoQ10 contains 40% PL+ with 100 mg CoQ10. PL+EPA-DHA contains 40% PL+ with 250 mg of EPA and DHA combined, while PL+DHA contains 40% PL+ with 250 mg of DHA. According to Aker BioMarine, PL+ can boost absorption by up to 25 times.

Fish oil omega-3s, for example, can suffer from poor absorption by the body. Ethyl ester forms requires high fat meals to be consumed in conjunction with supplementation in order to boost absorption in the body, while triglyceride forms rely on bile secreted into the small intestine to emulsify the fats in the oil, explained Thomas Repstad, Aker BioMarine’s global technical marketing manager, to Nutritional Outlook. Phospholipids improve solubility in water and help emulsify fats, both of which are important in the stomach. A well-known complaint with fish oil supplements is “fish burps” or aftertaste. This is a result of a concentration of fish oil floating on top of the water in the stomach. The phospholipids from krill used in PL+ would not only help the oil mix into the water in the stomach, but also emulsify the fats, breaking them down and making them easier to digest. PL+ eliminates the need to use large doses of EPA and DHA to compensate for poor absorption. This, of course, translates to the other ingredients in the range as well.

“Studies have shown that 70% of consumers taking an omega-3 supplement have an Omega-3 index which is less than 8%. This mean that you are not ‘only what you eat,’ you are ‘what you eat, digest and absorb’ and certain forms of omega-3 like the high concentrates with dosages like 1,000 mg of EPA-DHA are not well absorbed or utilized by the body,” said Repstad. “We’re launching a clinical trial to compare PL+ EPA-DHA with ethyl ester versus ethyl ester alone to actually see the difference in absorption.”

Among the other benefits of utilizing PL+, says Aker BioMarine, is the enhanced stability provided by astaxanthin, which reduces nutrient degradation, additional health claims from choline and omega-3, sustainable sourcing, and improved user experience.

Updated on November 10, 2022 at 4:16 PM