- New research suggests eating one simple type of protein may lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
- This isn’t the first study to make the connection.
- Experts say there could be a few reasons for this.
While scientists are still trying to discover exactly what causes Alzheimer’s disease, research is slowly uncovering new ways to lower your risk. The latest is surprisingly accessible: eating eggs.
A new study published in The Journal of Nutrition linked regular egg consumption in people aged 65 and up with a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. For the study, researchers analyzed data from nearly 40,000 people who participated in the Adventist Health Study 2 cohort, a long-term study in the U.S. and Canada that looks at the link between lifestyle, diet, and diseases.
Participants were followed for a little more than 15 years. During that time, 2,858 of the participants developed Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers discovered that people who ate eggs one to three times a month had a 17% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. But those who ate eggs two to four times a week had a 20% lower risk of developing the disease.
“Moderate egg consumption was associated with a significantly lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease,” the researchers wrote in the study conclusion. “These findings suggest a potential neuroprotective benefit of nutrients found in eggs when consumed as part of a balanced diet.”
Why might eggs help to lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and how does this compare to other risk-lowering efforts? Here’s what experts want you to know.
Meet the experts: Clifford Segil, D.O., a neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California; Jessica Cording, R.D., author of The Little Book of Game Changers; Sandra Zhang, R.D.N., L.D.N., dietitian at the Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts Medical Center.
How might eggs lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease?
The study didn’t dive into that—instead, it simply found a link between people who eat more eggs and a lower risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. But the research lines up with a study published in 2024 that had similar results.
That study, which was also published in The Journal of Nutrition, analyzed data from 1,024 older adults and found that those who ate more than an egg a week had a 47% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Participants who ate two or more eggs a week had a similar drop in risk. Some participants had brain autopsies after their deaths, which also showed a lower risk of having markers of Alzheimer’s disease.
While there’s a link between eating eggs and a lower risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, the exact reason for this isn’t clear. However, there are a few theories.
One is that choline content in eggs, which is found almost entirely in the yolk, contributes to the lowered risk. “Eggs are a great source of choline, an essential nutrient that supports memory and cognition,” says Jessica Cording, R.D., author of The Little Book of Game Changers. (The 2024 study we mentioned above suggested that nearly 40% of the lowered risk of Alzheimer’s disease from eating eggs was from choline.)
Choline “is used to make acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in memory and brain function,” says Sandra Zhang, R.D.N., L.D.N., dietitian at the Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts Medical Center.
The choline content seems to be especially important, according to Clifford Segil, D.O., a neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. “Medications which increase acetylcholine in the brain are tried and proven medications to treat Alzheimer’s dementia,” he says. That includes the medication Aricept (donepezil), Dr. Segil says.
Eggs also provide vitamin B12, which supports cognitive function, Cording says. “Some varieties also contain vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which are important for supporting brain function,” she says. “Most of those nutrients are in the yolk.” Meaning, you’re unlikely to get the same benefits if you have an egg white omelet.
Eggs are a good source of lutein, too, which is linked with better cognitive function, Zhang says.
How does it rank with other ways to lower Alzheimer’s risk?
The study didn’t directly compare eating eggs with other Alzheimer’s disease prevention strategies. But experts say it’s likely one more thing you can do to lower your risk. These are some other strategies to add to the mix, according to recent research:
- Avoid smoking.
- Do moderate to vigorous exercise for at least 150 minutes a week.
- Limit alcohol use to no more than one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men.
- Do brain-stimulating activities, like reading and playing games.
- Follow the MIND diet, or a variation of it.
“The strongest evidence for lowering Alzheimer’s risk still centers on overall lifestyle patterns—regular physical activity, managing blood pressure and blood sugar, good sleep, and dietary patterns, like the Mediterranean or MIND diet,” Zhang says. “Eating eggs can fit into a healthy pattern, but it’s not a standout intervention on its own.”
The bottom line
There’s no official recommendation right now to eat eggs to lower your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. However, they’re technically already considered part of a brain-healthy diet, given that they’re included in the MIND diet.
Still, adding eggs to your diet may be supportive of brain health—it’s just not clear by how much. “Eggs won’t magically prevent Alzheimer’s,” Cording says. “But what I hope people will take away from this is not to be afraid to eat the whole egg.”
Dr. Segil agrees that eggs alone are unlikely to wipe out your Alzheimer’s risk. “Eat eggs if you like them, but don’t expect an egg a day to keep the neurologist away,” he says.
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