- A large cohort study found that older adults who ate eggs more often had a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease over time.
- People eating eggs five or more times a week had up to a 27% lower risk than those who never ate them, with smaller amounts also linked to lower risk.
- The findings are interesting, but this was an observational study, so it does not prove eggs themselves prevent Alzheimer’s.
A new study suggests egg intake may be linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease in older adults.
Researchers followed around 40,000 people aged 65 and over and linked dietary data with Medicare records over an average of more than 15 years.
They found that people who ate eggs regularly were less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
The strongest association was seen in those eating eggs at least five times a week.
That group had up to a 27% lower risk compared with people who never ate eggs.
Even smaller amounts were linked to lower risk, which makes the result a bit more plausible than a simple all-or-nothing effect.
Why might eggs matter?
They contain several nutrients relevant to brain health, including choline, lutein, zeaxanthin, omega-3 fats and phospholipids.
- Eating two eggs a day can lower cholesterol and risk of heart disease
- High intake of eggs and red meat make your farts smell worse
Choline is especially important because it helps make acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in memory and communication between nerve cells.
All that said, this is not proof that eggs protect the brain.
People who eat eggs regularly may differ in other ways too, including their overall diet and lifestyle.
The researchers themselves stress that eggs should be seen as part of a broader healthy eating pattern, not as a magic food.
That is the right note to end on.
This is a useful and interesting association, but it is not a reason to oversell eggs as a stand-alone dementia prevention strategy.
