Krill Oil

Euphausia superba · a single-source marine oil — animal-derived, and a crustacean

All articles checked for accuracy against the GB NHC Register and all sources have citations with verified links to their relevant studies.

Krill oil comes from Antarctic krill, a shrimp‑like crustacean, and it’s an animal‑derived ingredient with a shellfish allergen risk. This page summarises what krill oil contains, how WellsparQ labels it, and the regulatory position on claims.

This article explains what krill oil is, its key components, and why WellsparQ presents it as an explicitly animal‑derived, crustacean product. It covers composition, labelling, sustainability concerns and the strict rules around health claims for the omega‑3 nutrients it contains.

Ingredient Snapshot

What it is

Oil extracted from Antarctic krill, a small shrimp‑like crustacean.

Where from

Euphausia superba (Antarctic krill); harvested in the Southern Ocean

Known for

A marine animal‑derived oil containing EPA and DHA, phospholipids and astaxanthin; a crustacean allergen.

In WellsparQ

• Krill 500 OilAntarctic Krill Oil — 500 mg (*Euphausia superba*)

Krill oil is the oil pressed from Antarctic krill — Euphausia superba, a small, shrimp-like crustacean that swarms in vast numbers in the Southern Ocean and sits near the base of the Antarctic food web. Like fish oil, it is a source of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA; unlike fish oil, it carries those fats in a different chemical package and comes with a natural red pigment. It is also, plainly, an animal-derived ingredient and a crustacean shellfish allergen — two facts this page states at the top, because they matter more than anything else for who should and should not use it. This is a knowingly non-plant ingredient in a plant-forward range, and we flag that openly.

Read this first: source, suitability and allergen

• Animal-derived. Krill oil is extracted from a marine crustacean. It is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans, and there is no plant equivalent that is truly "krill oil".
• Crustacean allergen. Krill is a crustacean shellfish. Crustaceans are one of the 14 allergens that must be declared under UK food law, and anyone with a shellfish or crustacean allergy must not take krill oil ^¹.
• Not of UK origin. The krill is harvested in the Southern Ocean; the finished oil is not a UK-origin material, and WellsparQ states so on the card.
• Kosher/halal status is not assured for a marine crustacean oil and must not be assumed; it depends on certification that would have to be confirmed separately.

With those facts established, the rest of the page describes what krill oil is and what the research and regulators actually say.

What is in the oil

Krill oil's composition is what distinguishes it from ordinary fish oil.

The phospholipid form has generated research interest on the question of whether it changes how the omega-3s are absorbed compared with the triglyceride form in fish oil. Some studies suggest differences in absorption or blood-marker response; reviews describe the comparative evidence as mixed and not settled, and note that studies are often small and industry-linked ^². We report that as evidence with limitations, not as a WellsparQ advantage claim.

How WellsparQ declares it

Krill oil is the entire product in one WellsparQ formula — a single-source oil, not a blend.

Source: WellsparQ Supplements Database. As the card puts it, this is "the whole capsule in one line" — a single marine oil, honestly labelled as to species, amount and the fact that it is not of UK origin. The capsule itself, being an oil, is typically a softgel; softgel shell material (often fish or bovine gelatine) is a further reason the product is not vegetarian or vegan, and should be confirmed per specification.

Sustainability — a fair question to ask

Because krill are a keystone Antarctic species — food for whales, penguins and seals — the sustainability of krill harvesting is a legitimate concern. The Antarctic krill fishery is managed by an international body (CCAMLR), and a portion of the industry is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, though environmental groups continue to debate the pressure on the ecosystem ^³. We raise this not as a selling point but because it is a real and reasonable question for a wellness buyer, and honesty is the house standard.

The evidence and the claims position

The omega-3s in krill oil, EPA and DHA, are among the better-studied nutrients, and — importantly — they carry authorised health claims in the retained EU Register (for example EPA and DHA contributing to normal heart function at a specified daily intake, and DHA to normal brain and vision function at defined intakes) ^⁴. In principle a krill oil product providing enough EPA/DHA could carry one of those authorised lines.

The constraint is procedural. A health claim may be used only in its exact authorised wording, and no EPA/DHA claim text was supplied in the claims dataset for this batch. Just as importantly, those claims require specific daily amounts of EPA/DHA (for instance 250 mg/day for the heart claim), and whether a 500 mg krill oil dose delivers enough EPA/DHA depends on the oil's actual fatty-acid content, which must be verified per batch. Rather than paraphrase the wording or assume the dose, this page states no claim. When the exact authorised wording is supplied and the EPA/DHA content is confirmed to meet the condition, a compliant benefit line can be added; until then, the honest course is to defer.

Where it fits

Krill oil is a single-source marine omega-3 oil with a distinctive phospholipid chemistry and a natural red pigment — and it is, unambiguously, an animal-derived crustacean product, flagged as such at the top of this page. In the WellsparQ range it stands slightly apart from the plant-based majority, honestly labelled as to species, origin and allergen. Backed by research, told straight, and clearly marked for who it is — and is not — for.