Eating This Food 2 Times a Week Reduces Alzheimer’s Risk By 47%, New Study Finds
Eating right isn’t just about weight loss or maintaining cardiovascular health; research has long supported the theory that a proper diet can also provide significant brain health benefits. Whether it’s tasty cheeses that can boost your memory or nutrients that can help stave off dementia, what you put on your plate could have a positive impact.
Now, scientists say that eating just a couple of eggs a week could significantly reduce Alzheimer’s risk in older adults.
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Recent research explored the connection between eggs and brain health.
The latest information comes from a study published in The Journal of Nutrition. The team of researchers set out to examine emerging evidence that suggests nutrients such as choline, omega-3 fatty acids, and lutein found in eggs could help improve brain health and lower the risk of serious cognitive conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
To test their hypothesis, the researchers analyzed data collected from 1,024 adults as part of the Rush Memory and Aging Project. In this case, the participants had an average age of 81.4 years and had not been diagnosed with dementia or cognitive decline at the beginning of the study.
The participants were then given a food questionnaire that carefully covered their daily diets (including egg consumption), with an average follow-up period of about seven years. Ultimately, 280 participants (or just over a quarter) were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease when the study concluded.
The team then used statistical models to help accurately compare Alzheimer’s risk, taking other factors such as age, physical fitness, level of education, genetic predisposition, and other eating habits into consideration, PsyPost reports.
They found that participants who ate eggs at least twice a week were 47 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease compared to those who at them less frequently.
The findings were also backed up the nearly 600 participants who agreed to donate their brains for examination after death, with autopsy data showing frequent egg eaters had fewer signs of the disease.
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A specific nutrient in eggs could be the key.
The research team believes that, of the nutrients they focused on, choline was likely responsible for the protective brain health benefits, pointing to a nearly 40 percent association in reduced Alzheimer’s risk. For reference, just one large egg contains 25 percent of the daily suggested intake of dietary choline (which is largely found in the yolk).
While it might not be a household name when it comes to nutrition, choline plays an important role in brain health, especially as we get older. The nutrient is a required precursor to the body’s production of acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in cognitive function and helps maintain the structure of brain cell membranes, per PsyPost.
“Eggs are one of the few commonly consumed foods that are naturally rich in choline, a nutrient that we are researching to further understand its role in supporting both cognitive development in infants and young children and maintenance during the aging process,” Taylor Wallace, PhD, the study’s lead researcher, said in a press release. “This study adds to the growing body of evidence that dietary choices can have a significant impact on reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s dementia and supporting lifelong cognitive health.”
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More research is required to understand the findings better.
Despite the results, the team admitted there were a few limitations to the study. Besides the self-reported nature of data collection that could allow for recall bias, one significant consideration was the demographic makeup of the participants, most of whom were highly educated women over the age of 80.
The questionnaire was also only administered once, and didn’t account for egg intake when used as ingredients in other dishes, PsyPost reports.
Still, the researchers concluded that further research using a more diverse participant pool could help reveal more about the potential connection between brain health and eggs. They emphasized that more studies were warranted based on how simple it is to incorporate eggs into one’s diet.
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The takeaway:
Eggs might be more than just a great way to start your day. A recent study found that participants who ate eggs at least twice a week were 47 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease later in life.
The researchers concluded that choline (an essential nutrient provided mostly by egg consumption) was the most likely reason for the association. Still, the scientists said that further research was needed to better understand the connection.