The 12-week examine, partially funded by Zooca Lipids, concerned 266 overweight members with various insulin resistance (IR) ranges and examined completely different doses of calanus oil, each alone and alongside life-style interventions like food regimen and train. The examine’s findings are revealed in Marine Medicine.
“With the rising use of steady glucose screens and elevated shopper consciousness of metabolic well being, there’s a powerful alternative to supply a scientifically supported product that matches into early-stage interventions akin to when dysglycemia is simply starting,” Marianne Mæhlum, chief advertising and marketing and innovation officer at Zooca, instructed NutraIngredients USA “That is when Calanus oil is prone to be best, as an early intervention software.”
Sourced from copepods
Calanus oil is extracted from the copepods of the identical title Calanus finmarchicus. In response to Salma et al. (Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids , 2016, Vol. 108, pp. 13-21), C. finmarchicus is “probably the most considerable crustacean within the North Atlantic Ocean with annual manufacturing of a number of hundred million tonnes.
“The full annual harvest quantities to lower than 0.01% of the annual development in accordance with laws by Norwegian fisheries administration.”
Calanus oil comprises the omega-3s EPA and DHA predominantly within the wax ester type (the oil is barely viscous). The oil additionally comprises astaxanthin, which supplies its ruby shade.
Wax esters are traditionally related to penguin, seal and whale oil, however are being produced by Norwegian firm Zooca (previously Calanus AS) from C. finmarchicus.
Research particulars
The researchers reported that CO led to measurable enhancements in glucose regulation, notably in people with gentle insulin resistance.
“CO supplementation improved glucose homeostasis, with results various by dose, mixture with [lifestyle intervention] and IR phenotype,” the examine famous.
One of the vital important outcomes got here from the group that took 2 g of CO each day mixed with life-style adjustments, which resulted in “a statistically important discount in HOMA index.”
As outlined by the researchers, the Homeostatic Mannequin Evaluation (HOMA) index “is a mathematical mannequin that gives a software for estimating IR primarily based on fasting blood glucose and insulin ranges,” and is a key marker used to estimate insulin resistance.
The examine additionally discovered that CO alone—at a better dose of 4 g per day—produced a significant impact in a selected group. In response to the authors, there was “a big discount within the HOMA index” in members with gentle insulin resistance, outlined as a HOMA rating between 2.5 and 5.0.
Nonetheless, no clear profit was noticed in individuals with extra extreme insulin resistance, and the authors cautioned that dietary methods like CO supplementation might have a restricted impression in these circumstances.
“In extreme IR, CO had no additional profit, as no therapeutic method will be anticipated from dietary dietary supplements,” they wrote.
The examine emphasised the significance of figuring out who’s more than likely to reply to such interventions.
“This discovering is important for scientific issues because it highlights the variability in intervention results and underscores the significance of tailoring CO interventions to particular person affected person profiles,” the researchers added.
Though the examine didn’t instantly measure how CO works within the physique, it pointed to the oil’s distinctive nutrient profile as a attainable clarification for the metabolic enhancements. The researchers prompt these parts may fit collectively to assist insulin sensitivity, particularly together with life-style efforts.
Business perspective: Focusing on metabolic danger earlier than it progresses
Zooca’s Mæhlum defined that the examine’s findings reinforce a key message: Timing issues.
“A key takeaway is that Zooca Calanus Oil seems to be best in bettering insulin sensitivity in people with gentle insulin resistance,” she stated, which “underscores the significance of early-stage intervention—in different phrases, introducing supplementation earlier than extra superior metabolic dysfunction units in.”
That early window—when blood sugar ranges start to shift however haven’t but tipped into sort 2 diabetes—is the place Mæhlum sees the best potential.
“It highlights the worth of figuring out people within the pre-diabetic vary the place nutrient-based interventions like Zooca Calanus Oil can have significant metabolic results—notably in the course of the window the place life-style and dietary elements are nonetheless modifiable,” she stated.
Mæhlum sees a rising alternative for complement manufacturers to fulfill the wants of a inhabitants that’s more and more conscious of metabolic well being—particularly with extra individuals utilizing steady glucose screens and monitoring private information.
“The examine opens the door to positioning Zooca Calanus Oil as a proactive metabolic assist technique—not only a complement, however a part of a broader lifestyle-oriented method to optimizing insulin sensitivity,” she stated.
Past the information, the oil’s distinctive composition might provide an edge in formulation and differentiation. Whereas the examine didn’t discover the organic mechanisms intimately, Mæhlum pointed to what makes the ingredient distinct.
“Marine policosanols are acknowledged for his or her potential position in supporting mobile and muscular operate, vitality expenditure and metabolic well being,” she stated, including that “astaxanthin is a potent antioxidant proven in preclinical research to scale back irritation and oxidative stress.”
She additionally highlighted the significance of the oil’s construction.
“The wax ester construction of Zooca Calanus Oil gives distinct benefits over different marine oils,” she defined. “Not like triglycerides or phospholipids, wax esters resist preliminary digestion, permitting the fatty acids to achieve the distal gut the place they’ll activate GPR120—a nutrient-sensing receptor concerned in metabolic, inflammatory and immune regulation.”
Future outlook
With rising curiosity in metabolic well being options, Mæhlum stated the findings may form new product growth.
“This examine provides to a rising physique of proof of a novel marine oil that goes past conventional omega-3 dietary supplements,” she stated.
“With demonstrated results on HOMA-Index, fasting insulin and HbA1c, the findings assist a extra focused method to complement formulation within the metabolic well being class.”
Trying forward, extra analysis is on the horizon.
“We’ve extra information from this scientific examine that can be revealed within the close to future, which gives scientific proof on improved diastolic operate,” Mæhlum stated. “We’re additionally planning extra research to discover the oil’s position in additional supporting metabolic well being and wholesome physique composition.”
Finally, she sees Zooca Calanus Oil as a part of a broader shift towards earlier, extra individualized approaches to metabolic assist.
“Our long-term imaginative and prescient is to place Zooca Calanus Oil as a science-backed, next-generation marine oil for metabolic assist for wholesome growing older,” she stated.
Supply: Marine Medicine, 2025, 23, 139. dot: 10.3390/md23040139. “Calanus Oil and Life-style Interventions Enhance Glucose Homeostasis in Overweight Topics with Insulin Resistance”. Authors: Kerlikowsky, F. et al.
