The controversy about eggs and their relationship to heart disease has been ongoing for decades due to conflicting studies. Are eggs problematic in terms of heart disease risk?
A new study has shed light on this subject. Published in the journal eLife, researchers conducted a much more thorough analysis of eggs on the risk of cardiovascular disease. The study included 4,778 adults from China, of which 3,401 had known heart disease while 1,377 did not (control group). Researchers monitored 225 metabolic blood markers of the participants. These markers included the more advanced factors of cardiovascular disease that go beyond the typical lipid panel (Total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, Triglycerides), which is limited in its ability to predict heart disease. These advanced markers included the size and density of cholesterol particles and transporters of cholesterol, which are highly associated with cardiovascular disease.
Researchers found that egg consumption was associated with positive changes in several advanced cardiovascular biomarkers associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. The moderate consumption of eggs also increased good HDL cholesterol levels. The researchers reported that egg consumption was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and ischemic stroke.
Egg yolks contain about 186 mg of cholesterol which is higher than many foods. Examples of foods with higher amounts include fast foods:
The fact is that most cholesterol in your blood is produced by your liver. An article by Harvard Health Publishing reports that an egg a day does not increase the risk for cardiovascular disease for most people. The same report notes that saturated fat and trans fats in the diet stimulate the liver to make cholesterol, not dietary cholesterol.
There is no reason to be phobic about eggs and your risk of heart disease. An egg a day seems to ward off cardiovascular disease based on this and several other modern studies. Your body requires cholesterol for several normal body functions, including making hormones, normal cell membranes, transporting nutrients around your bloodstream, and others. In other words, cholesterol has a designed purpose in your body.
Some people have genetic abnormalities with very high lipid levels, or their liver does not metabolize cholesterol properly. Treatment with an integrative doctor can help address the root causes and best treatments of these problems. The reality is that there are many risk factors for cardiovascular disease that go well beyond the traditional lipid testing. We conduct extensive cardiovascular blood biomarkers at the Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine. Then a tailored nutritional and supplemental program, and occasionally pharmaceuticals, are recommended based on your profile.
Dr. Mark Stengler NMD, MS, is a bestselling author in private practice in Encinitas, California, at the Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine. His newsletter, Dr. Stengler’s Health Breakthroughs, is available at www.markstengler.com and his product line at www.drstengler.com
Reference
Are eggs risky for heart health? - Harvard Health. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/are-eggs-risky-for-heart-health.
Pan L, Chen L, Lv J et al. Association of egg consumption, metabolic markers, and risk of cardiovascular diseases: A nested case-control study. Elife. 2022;11. doi:10.7554/elife.72909
Whitbread D. Top 10 Foods Highest in Cholesterol. myfooddata. https://www.myfooddata.com/articles/foods-highest-in-cholesterol.php#high-cholesterol-foods.
