Regular egg intake may be linked to lower Alzheimer's disease risk. Digest
Eggs contain several nutrients tied to brain health, but whether egg intake relates to Alzheimer's disease risk is less clear. A large observational study examined whether egg intake was associated with later Alzheimer's disease diagnoses in older adults.
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Researchers analyzed data from 39,498 participants in the Adventist Health Study-2. In the main analysis, they grouped participants by how often they ate eggs as a standalone food, such as boiled, scrambled, fried; in omelets; or as egg salad, and compared each group with those who never or rarely ate eggs this way. A separate analysis treated egg intake as a total daily amount, also including eggs used in mixed dishes, recipes, and baked goods. Researchers then tracked Medicare-recorded Alzheimer's disease diagnoses from age 65 onward for an average of 15.3 years, during which 2,858 participants developed Alzheimer's disease.
- Compared with people who never or rarely ate eggs, those who ate eggs 5 or more times per week had a 27% lower rate of Alzheimer's disease diagnosis over the study period.
- Lower intake levels showed a similar pattern: Eating eggs 1 to 3 times per month, once per week, or 2 to 4 times per week was associated with a 17% to 20% lower rate of diagnosis compared with never or rarely eating eggs.
- In the separate analysis, people with no estimated egg intake had a 22% higher Alzheimer's diagnosis rate than those averaging about 10 grams of egg per day (about one egg per week). Higher intakes did not clearly add to that reduction.
- The pattern remained after the researchers excluded vegans: among non-vegan participants, eating eggs 5 or more times per week was again associated with a 27% lower rate of Alzheimer's diagnosis compared with never or rare intake.
Eggs contain several nutrients relevant to brain function, including choline, phospholipids, the omega-3 fatty acid DHA, vitamin B12, and the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin. These nutrients are involved in processes such as cell-membrane structure, chemical signaling between nerve cells, and protection against oxidative stress. Together, this gives biological plausibility to the idea that moderate egg intake could support long-term brain health.
In this observational study, diet was assessed only at the start, and the results from this health-conscious Adventist cohort may not fully apply to the broader older adult population. The analysis was also supported by an investigator-initiated grant from the American Egg Board. Although the authors reported that the funder had no role in the research, industry funding can still raise concerns about potential bias. Still, the findings suggest that moderate egg intake can fit within a brain-conscious diet. In Aliquot #90, you can learn more about dementia-prevention strategies, including inflammation control, exercise, and omega-3 intake.