ANTARCTIC KRILL OIL AND SKELETAL-MUSCLE FUNCTION: HUMAN EVIDENCE FOR STRENGTH AND RECOVERY

Anas Ziraoui; Maya Sari; Shun Saito

doi:10.61796/jhsm.v1i4.38

Authors

Anas Ziraoui National Standards Laboratory SA, Switzerland
Maya Sari National Standards Laboratory SA, Switzerland
Shun Saito National Standards Laboratory SA, Switzerland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61796/jhsm.v1i4.38

Keywords:

Antarctic krill oil, Skeletal muscle, Muscle strength, Exercise recovery, Exercise , DHA, Phospholipids

Abstract

Objective: Krill oil supplies EPA and DHA in a phospholipid-rich matrix and has been studied in skeletal-muscle ageing and recovery from exercise. Method: We characterized optimized BCLC® Antarctic krill oil batches and examined randomized human studies reporting muscle outcomes. Results: EPA was 7.7–7.9%, DHA 3.8–4.0%, and total phospholipids 41.8–42.3%. In a 6-month trial of adults older than 65 years, 4 g/day krill oil increased knee-extensor torque, grip strength, and vastus lateralis thickness relative to control. A resistance-exercise study reported lower creatine kinase and faster recovery in several performance and oxidative-stress measures. A separate trial found no improvement in exercise performance despite differences in post-exercise immune responses. In an 8-week weight-loss intervention reported in 2025, krill oil attenuated losses of fat-free mass and handgrip strength. Population, exposure time, and the selected endpoint differed across the trials. Novelty: The reported measures provide practical outcomes for a formulation-specific study.

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