With so many krill oil products on the market and so many sources telling us that it’s a better source of essential omega-3 fatty acids, it can be an overwhelming experience trying to find the best product amongst the throng. To help out a little, we’re going to be taking a look at a current krill oil option and how it stacks up. Stay tuned till the end because once we’ve discussed the pros and cons of Schiff’s MegaRed Krill Oil, we’ll briefly analyse some market leading alternatives for you to compare it with.
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Things to consider before buying MegaRed Krill Oil
First, we need to know what krill oil is and what it can do. If you’re on this article you probably already know the juicy details but here’s a quick run-down:
Here’s a few quick benefits krill oil can provide:
- Lowers cholesterol and blood fat (triglycerides)
- Improves brain function
- Reduces arthritis and joint pain
- Decreases inflammation
- Helps manage symptoms of PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome)
- Can fight cancer cells
- Protects your heart health
- Combats high blood pressure
Who shouldn’t be taking a krill oil supplement?
Anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding, has a bleeding disorder, diabetes, obesity, seafood allergies or is scheduled to undergo surgery in the near future should stay away from krill oil altogether. It’s been known to slow blood clotting so this should be kept in mind whilst considering and using this supplement. Generally though, krill oil is not known for any serious side-effects in healthy individuals.
Minor side effects of krill oil for those who are intolerant to it can include an upset stomach, decreased appetite, heartburn, gas and bloating. Speak to a doctor if this occurs and cease use of the product unless advised otherwise.
MegaRed Krill Oil – An in-depth guide
Now for the good stuff! We’re going to get up close and personal with MegaRed Krill Oil so you know what to expect when purchasing a krill oil supplement.
Who are Schiff?
This company has been around since day dot. They were formed in 1936 by Eugene Schiff, a pharmacy owner with a passion for natural food. Since then, the company has grown but remained committed to using high quality ingredients and science to help their customers thrive and live their best, healthy lives. Their MegaRed Krill Oil is just one of their products but they create everything from the humble Vitamin C tablet to complex digestive enzymes and probiotic products.
What is MegaRed Krill Oil?
MegaRed is an extensive range of krill oil products from Schiff:
- MegaRed Ultra Strength Krill Oil
- MegaRed Ultra Concentration Krill Oil
- MegaRed Advanced 4in1 Concentrated Fish & Krill Oil
- MegaRed Superior Krill Oil
- MegaRed Extra Strength Krill Oil
With this kind of range it’s hard to tell which product is best as each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Each one has different amounts of krill oil and one of these products even combines fish and krill oil for extra benefit. For this article we’re going to keep it simple and focus on their top product containing 1000 mg of krill oil per serving: MegaRed Ultra Strength Krill Oil.
Here’s a quick list of MegaRed Ultra Strength Krill Oil’s key features, the good and the bad. We’ll explore these in more depth below:
PRO’S
- Good levels of EPA and DHA
- No unnecessary fillers
- Affordable
- One softgel a day
CON’S
- Only 0.05 mg of astaxanthin (antioxidant)
- Less phospholipids than other brands (affects absorption)
- Does not meet recommended daily minimum krill oil intake (1200 mg)
- Softgel is quite large
Let’s look at the facts
Per serving (1 softgel) MegaRed Ultra Strength Krill Oil provides:
- 1000 mg of krill oil (200 mg short of the daily recommended minimum)
- 230 total omega-3’s
- 128 mg of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)
- 60 mg of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)
- 0.05 mg of astaxanthin
- 334 mg of phospholipids
Omega-3 are essential fatty acids that the human body cannot produce on its own, you’d need to get around 8 ounces of fish into your diet a week to get the required amount and notice the health benefits. With this once daily softgel from MegaRed, you can get 1000 mg of omega-3 – made up of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and alpha-linolenic acid (you won’t see this last one on the nutrition labels as it’s not as important). Whilst it may fall a little short of the 1200 mg minimum recommended a day, you should be able to easily make that up with your diet.
Lacking in phospholipids and astaxanthin
Due to its smaller volume, this krill oil contains less phospholipids and astaxanthin which are both important to the performance of krill oil. Phospholipids are thought to be absorbed better by the human body than triglycerides, which carry the omega-3 in fish oil. There isn’t a significant deficit of phospholipids in this product that would cause any serious flaws, but it may be something to consider when looking at the market as many other products contain more.
Similarly, it would be good to keep in mind the low amount of astaxanthin (0.05 mg) – nature’s most powerful antioxidant that’s found in the algae that krill and many other sea life ingest. Antioxidants, as the name suggests, prevent your cells from oxidizing and have been shown to boost immune defense to ward off cancer and other degenerative diseases.
One softgel a day
Unlike a lot of other krill oil brands, MegaRed’s suggested serving is 1 softgel daily to keep things simple. They claim that their krill oil is 3 times more pure than regular krill oil and have formulated their softgels to dissolve within 1 hour – meaning less risk of a fishy aftertaste or burps. Schiff advises that MegaRed Krill Oil has been seen to increase your omega-3 index significantly within just 30 days, which is a fairly short time period in the scheme of things.
So what are the reviews saying?
Now that we’ve explored what the company is saying and all the plain facts about this product, let’s get first-hand opinions from the customers who’ve been using it. This will give you an idea of if Schiff’s claims can be backed up with its performance.
Cholesterol reduction
As one of krill oil’s best benefits, it’s great to see that customers using this product are experiencing lowered cholesterol after consuming it consistently for only a short time. Most of the reviews for this product confirm that it’s got magic healing powers when it comes to bad cholesterol.
Softgel size
Some users have reported that the size of the capsule is bigger than pictured on the box. This is something to keep in mind if you have difficulty swallowing large pills – we don’t mean to alarm you, but several users said this pill got stuck in their throat! The reason they’re so large is most likely because of the amount of krill oil contained in each softgel. Schiff has decided to cram it into one instead of splitting the serving size into two capsules like most krill oil supplements.
No fishy aftertaste
This seems to be a recurring theme amongst reviewing customers. Many of them experience no fishy aftertaste or burps that can sometimes be experienced with krill oil (much less often than fish oil). This may be due to the amount of time it takes these softgels to dissolve in the stomach.
Price
Due to the satisfaction among customers, many of them are happy with the price of this MegaRed Krill Oil. It comes in around the low to mid-range pricing bracket when compared with other similar products on the market. One bottle will get you around a month’s supply, you can view the price here.
Alternatives for MegaRed Krill Oil
Now that you’ve gotten acquainted with the krill oil from MegaRed, let’s take a look at a few of your other options from high to low range budgets:
#1 1MD Antarctic Krill Oil Platinum
Exceeds expectations
This krill oil from 1MD is an excellent choice if you’re wanting to meet and exceed the daily recommended amount. At 1600 mg of krill oil per serving of 2 softgels, this packs a punch. It’s also got an excellent amount of phospholipids and astaxanthin respectively so you’ll get extra absorption and antioxidant benefits. The compromise of taking an extra softgel a day, as opposed to the one you’d have to take for a MegaRed product, is worth it in our opinion.
Blows out the budget
When it comes to health, you need quality, but quality comes with a price tag. This product is in the higher price range of those in the market right now but it’s also got the highest levels of omega-3 goodies, so it really comes down to how much you can afford to spend on your krill oil. If you can splurge a little then this could be a great product for you!
Price: (60 softgels) on Amazon
PRO’S
- 1600 mg krill oil per serving of 2 softgels (174mg EPA, 120mg DHA and 2mg astaxanthin)
- Softgels with natural lemon flavour to stop fishy aftertaste/burps
- 550 mg of phospholipids per serving
- No fillers
- Bio-availability boosted through 1MD technology
CON’S
- More expensive than other brands
#2 Viva Naturals Premium Antarctic Krill Oil
Bang on target
This is another product that recommends 2 capsules for each serving, it’s a great product that covers all bases. Each serving has 1250mg of krill oil with 165mg EPA, 95mg DHA, 500mg of phospholipids and 1.6mg astaxanthin. There’s no overreaching from Viva Naturals here, it simply gives you what you need to feel all the great health benefits that krill oil can provide.
Price point
This product is one of the cheaper ones on the market whilst still being awesome quality and giving you exactly what you need, as mentioned above. 1MD Krill Oil Platinum might be a little out of your budget but not to worry, this product is around half the price and even cheaper than MegaRed Ultra Strength Krill Oil whilst giving you more bang for your buck!
Price: (60 capsules) on Amazon
PRO’S
- 1250 mg krill oil per serving of 2 capsules (165mg EPA, 95mg DHA and 1.6mg astaxanthin)
- Easy to swallow capsules
- Includes technology to prevent fishy burps/aftertaste
- 500 mg of phospholipids per serving
- Affordable
CON’S
- Capsules have been reported to burst/leak
#3 Sports Research – Antarctic Krill Oil (Double Strength)
One softgel per day
Same as MegaRed Ultra Strength Krill Oil, this krill oil also boasts the advantage of one softgel a day. It’s also got the same amount of krill oil per serving that MegaRed does but beats them on the phospholipid and astaxanthin count by a significant amount. Just like with MegaRed, this would suit anyone who’s already getting some omega-3 in their diet and wants a boost to reach the daily recommended minimum.
Backing up their product
Unlike Schiff’s MegaRed products, Sports Research offers a 90 day money back guarantee if you’re not satisfied – a great indicator that they have faith in the quality of their product and a great motivator if you want to try this product risk-free! And with over 3,000 reviews on Amazon with a 4.5/5 star average, odds are that this product will help you reach your krill oil health goals.
Price: 60 softgels) on Amazon
PRO’S
- 1000 mg krill oil per serving of 1 softgel (128mg EPA, 60mg DHA, 400mg phospholipids and 1mg astaxanthin)
- One softgel a day
- Money back guarantee
CON’S
- EPA, DHA, phospholipids and astaxanthin levels aren’t as high as other brands
- Doesn’t meet daily recommendation for krill oil intake
Conclusion
If you’re on the market for a great, basic krill oil with no frills and you’re someone who’s getting some omega-3 in their diet anyway, this could be your extra supplement to boost your daily intake. Schiff’s MegaRed range of krill oil products are crowd-pleasers at a great price point, you can take a look at their Ultra Strength Krill Oil here.
Adele Taylor
Writer, Product Tester.
Adele is a budding content writer with a passion for all things health and fitness related. In her time off Adele enjoys reading, travelling and exploring Sydney’s culinary delights.
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