Egg Yolks May Reduce Risk Of Macular Degeneration

Media Release
1 December 2009

Egg Yolks May Reduce Risk Of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Regular egg yolk consumption may reduce the risk of dry, age-related macular degeneration according to a report in the November issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.(1)

Eating egg yolks - which contain the nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin that can help preserve the ageing eye - raised macular pigment concentrations in study subjects who were all older adults taking statins.

At the same time, the subjects’low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol levels were unaffected even when eating as many as four yolks per day.

"Two eggs per day is probably all that is needed to maximize blood levels of lutein and zeaxanthin as well as macular pigment optic density (MPOD) status," says senior author Dr. Robert J. Nicolosi from the University of Massachusetts.

The 5-month study had 4 phases. A 4-week baseline phase was followed by a 5-week 2 yolks per day phase, then a 4-week washout phase, and finally a 5-week 4 yolks per day phase.

In the 52 participants (mean age 69 years), serum lutein increased by an average of 16% after the 2-yolk phase and 24% after the 4-yolk phase compared to baseline, and serum zeaxanthin increased from baseline by 36% and 82% after the 2- and 4-yolk phases, respectively.

Macular pigment optic density increased significantly after both regimens (more so after the 4-yolk phase), but only among individuals with low baseline density values.

Researchers noted that serum HDL-cholesterol increased during both phases of the study but there were no significant changes from baseline in total cholesterol, low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, or triglyceride levels.

"Although this was only a 5-week study and the 1-year data are not ready for comment, it would seem to me that physicians could consider that those patients on statins, who have early stage age-related macular degeneration, could be prescribed 2 egg yolks per day," Dr. Nicolosi said.

He added, "Our evidence and those of others indicate that increases in blood levels of lutein and zeaxanthin and MPOD correlate well with risk for age-related macular degeneration. So the egg yolk appears to enhance the bioavailability of nutrients that have been shown to reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration, and at 2 egg yolks per day for individuals on statins, does not raise LDL and significantly raises HDL."

(1) Am J Clin Nutr 90: 1272-1279, 2009. First published September 16, 2009; doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.28013
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.28013
Vol. 90, No. 5, 1272-1279, November 2009

Story from peacefmonline.com News: http://news.peacefmonline.com/health/200911/31572.php

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