A new study of about 40,000 participants, 65 and older, over 15 years found a decrease in the chances of patients developing Alzheimer's disease based on the number of eggs that they eat.
KERA's Sam Baker talked with Dr. Ryan Cheung, medical director of the Stroke Program at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano, about what's in an egg that provides this protection.
Dr. Cheung: They cited three different chemicals, ingredients, and nutrients within the eggs.
Lutein seems to help reduce oxidative stress in the body and the brain, specifically in this case.
Choline is used in the manufacture of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine, which helps to send messages through synapses and connections within neurons and brain cells.
And then the phospholipids help to build up the cell membranes so that they can effectively send those messages more fluidly.
That's kind of the hypothesis of how they think eggs may be beneficial. These substances are found primarily in the egg yolks. And so that cognitive benefit is probably primarily in the egg yolks as opposed to egg whites.
Baker: Does it matter how that egg yolk is prepared? For instance, would boiled be more beneficial than, say, scrambled or fried?
Dr. Cheung: The study doesn't touch on the way it's prepared specifically. What we do know is that the different fats and saturated fats, if you fry your eggs versus boiling it, does seem to make a difference.
And the study also didn't look at how eggs are prepared with other ingredients, perhaps things like bacon or sausage or some of these other cheeses or things that are higher in saturated fats.
Baker: But I just wondered if that altered any of the beneficial portions of that yoke at all?
Dr. Cheung: It didn't talk about that specifically, but I think by having more fried ways of preparing eggs that it probably negates potentially some of the benefits or introduces other harmful things like heart disease or increasing extra oxidative stress through frying foods.
Baker: You said this study was conducted over what, about 15 years?
Dr. Cheung: There was about a 15-year average follow-up, so these patients were part of a Medicare study, so slightly older population, but what we know is that patients who do develop Alzheimer's, a lot of times this is something that develops over many decades, and so it is important to watch what you eat, especially earlier on, maybe in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, well in advance of patients who we typically see develop Alzheimer disease.
Baker: So, if you're 65 years or older now, and just hearing about this study, would eating eggs at this point help you?
Dr. Cheung: I think that this study shows that it could be beneficial and that it's something that I recommend to my patients for eating a well-balanced, healthy diet.
I think there's no magic bullet and part of healthy living is eating a balanced diet. I don't think we know exactly what the optimal diet is, but we are finding that some things are healthier options than some other things.
Baker: So a balanced diet makes a difference in the development of Alzheimer's?
Dr. Cheung: We don't know for sure, but that seems to be in part for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and reducing chances for Alzheimer's, but also heart disease and stroke risk.
Baker: So anything you can do to have a healthier lifestyle is what probably has to help somehow some way?
Dr. Cheung: Correct. And I think one of the takeaways is that this is the small piece of that.
But when we look at the overall brain health and dementia risk, especially in older patients, it's just a small part of that and it's a really systematic approach with exercise, healthy living, quality sleep, avoiding things like tobacco and smoking.
RESOURCES:
EEating eggs could cut Alzheimer's risk by 27%
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