Krill oil reduces choline decline during exercise, says recent study

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A recent study¹ found that supplementation with krill oil (SuperbaBoost from Aker BioMarine Antarctic AS, based in Lysaker, Norway) helped support choline levels during long-distance, high-intensity exercise. Participating in the study were 12 females and 35 males between 25 and 61 years of age participating in either the Ironman-distance Norseman Xtreme triathlon and the Sprint/Olympic-distance Oslo Triathlon. Of the athletes, 24 were randomly given four grams of krill oil daily for five weeks prior to the race, and 23 athletes were randomly given placebo. Blood samples were taken before the race, immediately after the race, and the day after the race to analyze choline content and its metabolites.

Results showed that compared to baseline, choline levels significantly decreased following completion of both athletic events. Reductions in betaine were also observed, while dimethylglycine (DMG) concentrations remained stable. Compared to placebo, athletes taking krill oil saw significantly higher concentrations of choline (9.4% on average) as well as DMG (21.4% on average). Serum choline levels also showed significantly greater increases the day after competition.

“There has been a worldwide increase in the number of people participating in endurance events over the past decade,” said Andreas Berg Storsve, MSc PhD, director research and development, Aker Biomarine Antarctic AS, in a press release. “Therefore, it’s imperative that we continue to explore nutrients like krill oil and their impact on sports nutrition. As demonstrated in this first of its kind study, supplementation with krill oil over time increases overall levels of circulating choline in endurance athletes participating in a wide range of competition formats with varying levels of difficulty. This means that the study is also good news for novice athletes and general consumers alike, and the bottom line is that anyone engaging in physical activity can benefit from krill oil.”

Previous findings show that krill oil is a safe and effective source of choline.

Reference

1. Storsve AB et al. “Effects of Krill Oil and Race Distance on Serum Choline and Choline Metabolites in Triathletes: A Field Study.” Frontiers in Nutrition, vol. 7 (2020): 133