Aker Biomarine, a krill oil provider for the nutraceutical market, has released novel results that highlight the benefits of krill oil in slowing down the ageing process.
The study roundup is available in Aging.
The study
The trial, which was conducted by research teams at the University of Oslo, Oslo University Hospital and Akershus University Hospital, observed the impacts of krill oil supplementation on both a nematode and human in vivo model of Parkinson’s disease.
The researchers then observed how the gene expression and phenotypic markers of ageing were influenced by krill oil supplementation, specifically looking at mitochondrial dysfunction, neuronal degeneration, neuroinflammation and oxidative stress.
The results
From the study, researchers concluded that krill oil can protect dopaminergic neurones from degeneration associated with natural ageing, as well as enhancing behaviour and cognition through dopamine-dependent routes.
It appears that krill oil has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions, which is likely through its ability to rewire the expression of genes associated with both oxidative stress and age-related inflammation.
There was also a significant increase in dopaminergic neuronal survival in the C. elegans model through the modulation of synaptic transmission, which highlights the functional ingredient’s ability to slow the ageing process.
Promoting healthy ageing with krill oil
These findings could have significant implications for those looking to age healthily, providing further clinical evidence that supplementation with krill oil can target the hallmarks associated with natural ageing.
“We have found that krill oil 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." Said Professor of the Department of Clinical Molecular Biology at the University of Oslo, Hilde Loge Nilsen.