Egg-citing Study Finds No Harm to Heart Health in High-Risk Population

A new study led by Dr. Nina Nouhravesh at the Duke Clinical Research Institute in Durham, North Carolina, has found that it is safe to eat eggs for people concerned about their heart health. The study examined the cholesterol levels of participants who consumed 12 or more fortified eggs per week compared to those who did not.

Participants in the study were 140 patients with a high risk of cardiovascular disease who ate fortified eggs for four months. Fortified eggs contain less saturated fat and additional vitamins and minerals like vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, which are typically added through enriched feed for the hens producing the eggs.

The study was funded by Eggland’s Best, one of the largest egg producers in the U.S. Participants were over the age of 50 and had to have had one prior cardiovascular event with two cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

Researchers measured participants’ LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, also known as “bad” cholesterol, and HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, known as “good” cholesterol, along with other biomarkers after the four-month period. The results showed that there was no adverse effect on the cholesterol levels of those who consumed 12 eggs per week compared to those who did not.

Dr. Nouhravesh stated that while this was a small study, it provides reassurance that eating fortified eggs is safe in terms of lipid effects over a four-month period, even among a more high-risk population. This study suggests that consuming eggs may not negatively impact heart health contrary to previous beliefs.