Krill Oil and Knee Osteoarthritis: What the Combined Research Shows

This meta-analysis pooled results from six randomized controlled trials involving 971 people with knee osteoarthritis to see how krill oil supplementation affected their symptoms. Researchers looked at pain, stiffness, physical function, and several blood markers.

Across the studies, krill oil was associated with meaningful improvements in pain and physical function scores after about four weeks, with a smaller but still noticeable effect on joint stiffness. Blood levels of HDL cholesterol (often called ‘good’ cholesterol) and omega-3 fatty acids increased with supplementation, while LDL cholesterol and CRP, a marker of inflammation, did not change significantly.

Importantly, no significant safety concerns were reported across the combined trials, suggesting krill oil was generally well tolerated in these study populations. The authors note that the improvements may relate to krill oil’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, though the exact mechanisms in joint tissue are still being explored.