A recent study published in The Journal of Nutrition indicated that consuming eggs may be associated with a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's dementia in older adults. The findings suggested that eating at least one egg per week could reduce the risk by up to 47%.
Eggs are among the richest dietary sources of choline, with one large egg providing approximately 150 mg, which is 25% of the recommended daily value. Other nutrients in eggs that may support brain health include omega-3 fatty acids and lutein.
The study, led by principal investigator Taylor C. Wallace, PhD, analyzed data from 1,024 older adults (mean age = 81.38 [standard deviation; SD = 7.20] years) who participated in the Rush Memory and Aging Project. During a mean follow-up period of 6.7 (SD = 4.8) years, 280 participants (27.3%) were clinically diagnosed with Alzheimer's dementia.
Using multivariable adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models, which adjusted for potential confounding factors, the researchers found that consuming more than one egg per week (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.53; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.34-0.83) and two or more eggs per week (HR = 0.53; 95% CI = 0.35-0.81) were both associated with a decreased risk of Alzheimer's dementia compared with consuming one egg or less per week.
In a subgroup analysis of brain autopsies from 578 deceased participants, intakes of more than one egg per week (HR = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.35-0.76) and two or more eggs per week (HR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.44-0.90) were associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease pathology in the brain.
The researchers also conducted a mediation analysis to examine the role of dietary choline in the relationship between egg intake and incident Alzheimer's dementia, and found that 39% of the total effect of egg intake on Alzheimer's dementia risk was mediated through dietary choline.
This observational study's findings suggest that frequent egg consumption may be associated with a reduced risk of both Alzheimer's dementia and Alzheimer's disease brain pathology in older adults. The association with Alzheimer's dementia risk appears to be partially mediated by dietary choline intake from eggs. However, the study relied on self-reported dietary data, which could introduce potential errors.
With Alzheimer's dementia prevalence projected to increase as the population ages, identifying modifiable lifestyle factors that may reduce risk is a public health priority. By 2030, the number of people aged 65 and older with Alzheimer's dementia may grow to a projected 12.7 million. This study adds to the growing body of evidence that dietary choices may influence cognitive health during aging.
The research study was supported in part by funds from the American Egg Board's Egg Nutrition Center.
