Springfield NourSea Calanus Oil

Calanus oil is the natural, unrefined oil derived from the 3-5 mm small crustacean Calanus finmarchicus, belonging to the Copepods. This crustacean is part of the zooplankton and is found in large quantities in the Northern Ice Sea (Arctic Ocean). The naturally high content of the carotenoid astaxanthin gives the oil its characteristic deep red colour.

Calanus oil has a unique composition of fats and is rich in omega-3 fatty acids (over 20%). The uniqueness of Calanus oil is that the fatty acids are present in the form of wax esters for more than 86%, esters of fatty acids and fatty alcohols (fatty acids bound to fatty alcohols). This gives the oil specific, beneficial health properties that are not or less present in 'ordinary' fish oil or krill oil.

The difference in effect between omega-3 fatty acids from Calanus oil and fish oil is presumably because wax esters are digested more slowly than ethyl esters and triglycerides from fish oil. During the digestion of wax esters, the free fatty acids are likely released lower in the intestines, in the distal part of the small intestine and in the large intestine. These intestinal areas are richest in receptors that respond to free fatty acids, the fatty acid sensors FFA4 (also known as GPR120).