Omega-3 Krill Oil and Breast Feeding: Brain Food for Babies and Moms

Krill oil is the richest-ever source of the omega-3 essential fatty acids that are seriously deficient in the breast milk of most American women. Many authorities believe there's a connection between the omega-3-deficient American diet and the alarming rise of immune system, emotional and learning disorders in Americans. (Also suspect: way too much omega-6 fatty acid, an inflammation trigger found mostly in vegetable oils.)

And so, Mayo Clinic researchers have suggested that every pregnant woman supplement with omega-3 while avoiding all refined and hydrogenated fats. The National Institutes of Health and the United Nations' Food Agricultural Organization agree. Even the addition of omega-3 to baby formula has been endorsed by the World Health Organization and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as well as Health Canada.

• The most critical time for development of baby's brain begins in the womb and continues during the first two years after birth
• Omega-3 appears to play a key role in baby's brain function, immune system function, and growth throughout adolescence
• Omega-3 could have a positive effect on mother's postpartum depression because it appears to provide relief from anxiety and depression

From womb to tomb, the brain is hungry for omega-3 and needs as much as it can get. But the body can't make omega-3, so you must get it from diet and/or supplementation.

The Two Kinds of Omega-3 Marine Oil Supplements

Both fish oil and krill oil contain omega-3 EPA and DHA fatty acids. But there are major differences between them, and krill oil is the clear winner.

Why Krill Oil is Your Best Choice

Krill are tiny deep-water crustaceans comprising the world's largest animal biomass and a renewable resource of gigantic proportions. They're called "The Perfect Recipe" for human health because they're the only source of three substances upon which all of life depends:

• omega-3 EPA and DHA essential fatty acids
• phospholipids
• antioxidants

The leading brand, Neptune Krill Oil (NKO™) is made of the choice Euphausia superba species found in pristine Antarctic waters. It's made by Neptune Technologies and Bioresources: the first company to bring krill oil capsules to consumers, and the only company with the patented technology for exploiting the krill's fullest possible nutritional potential. Just a few of the amazing differences making NKO™ superior to every fish oil on the market:

• Highest Nutritional Value. Krill oil is the richest form of omega-3 there is. Because unlike the triglyceride fats in fish oil, its omega-3 fatty acids are in the form of phospholipids. These are the very building blocks of human cells and they are essential to brain health.
• Highest Bioavailability. Not only is NKO™ the richest form of omega-3; it's the most thoroughly absorbable, with 98% bioavailability vs. about 65% for fish oil. Giving you the most for your money, and in lower doses!
• Strongest Antioxidant Protection. Krill oil is the only animal source of esterified astaxanthin, a super-antioxidant that's 48 times more powerful than fish oil for protecting cells against free radical oxidative damage and disease.
• Best Ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6. It's an unheard-of 15-to-1, vs. 2-to-1 in the best of the fish oils, ensuring you won't be overdosed with inflammation-producing omega-6.
• Preservative-Free and Always Fresh. NKO™ requires no preservatives because unlike fish oil, it stays fresh naturally and won't turn rancid.
• Toxin-Free and Always Safe. Krill are at the bottom of the food chain, completely free of mercury and all the other dangerous toxins found in fish.
• No Side Effects. None of that "fishy reflux" and other negative side effects common to many fish oils.

Neptune Biotech is as picky about its products as you could hope for. It's one of the few nutraceutical companies to back its products with science, and it has made NKO™ the highest quality krill oil you'll find anywhere. And NKO™ is the only krill oil with worldwide U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval as a new dietary supplement.

So if you're pregnant, breast feeding, or plan to be, talk to your doctor about omega-3 supplementation. And if the answer is "yes," you've just found The Perfect Recipe for superb brain food and more for both baby and you. NKO is sold under the private labels of several different companies. Look for the NKO trademark on any label as your assurance of getting the best: genuine Neptune Krill Oil.