Do eggs lower cholesterol? - High Cholesterol Message Board

genxsis · 02-25-2006, 12:51 PM

My Dad is about to prescribed cholesterol lowering medication because he has high readings. My uncle is already taking them, and has reported serious and painful side affects. It would be great if he could avoid taking them.

I've heard lately that eggs have alot of cholesterol, but now it's supposed to be the good kind. Is it true? Will eating eggs lower a person's cholesterol?

JJ · 02-25-2006, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by genxsis

My Dad is about to prescribed cholesterol lowering medication because he has high readings. My uncle is already taking them, and has reported serious and painful side affects. It would be great if he could avoid taking them.

I've heard lately that eggs have alot of cholesterol, but now it's supposed to be the good kind. Is it true? Will eating eggs lower a person's cholesterol?

Eggs will not lower cholesterol, in usually makes it higher, but there has been reports it ups the HDL (good cholesterol) also, but I wouldn't go overboard on them. I usually have 3 hard boiled eggs a week.

I'm sure other's will give their opinions as well. Good luck....

NHone · 02-25-2006, 01:40 PM

Eggs yolks have choline in them which has been shown to lower cholesterol

Uff-Da! · 02-25-2006, 02:16 PM

I've read research reports which indicated that the cholesterol in eggs on average raised blood cholesterol only very modestly. As I recall, it was only on the order of 1% or so. (Saturated fats in the diet tend to raise serum cholesterol far more.) I've also read references to indicate that some people (like 8% or so) were "super-responders" to dietary cholesterol, and for that minority, it raised cholesterol a lot. I haven't seen the research to indicate this, so don't know how valid that claim is, but it is certainly possible that some people might be affected far more than others. I personally eat about 7 eggs a week, but with a TC/HDL ratio of only 2.8, I don't feel the necessity to get my cholesterol down as much as many others do. Incidentally, my TC last time was 239.

If your dad wants to try dietary approaches to lowering his cholesterol, there are far better ways to do it than to increase eggs in the diet. Eating more soluble fiber is one way.

Lenin · 02-25-2006, 05:27 PM

No, they won't lower your cholesterol; they will instead raise serum cholesterol. The amount of increase is small...but not insignificant.
Eggs are the largest source of dietary cholesterol.

Getting good information is hard because eggs are a BIG business but even the U.S. Egg Board recognizes the increase.

If you are looking to lower your cholesterol with diet, limiting your eggs to two or 4 a week is a goood idea.

If you are taking a statin, there's less need to be so fastidious.

I came upon this:

Quote:

Eggs are the undisputed, highest source of cholesterol. Of cholesterol consumed, 20% comes from dairy products, 35% comes from meat, and 45% comes from eggs. The Lancet Medical Journal conducted a test to determine the effect of cholesterol from eggs. One group received an egg each day with their meals while the other didn't. In three weeks, the egg-eating group had a 12% rise in cholesterol levels over the group that had no eggs. This may not seem too alarming until you realize that this 12% rise is equal to a 24% increase in the risk of a heart attack.

The Egg Board has been taken to court for falsely advertising that eggs did not increase the risk of a heart attack. Judge Earnest G. Barns ruled: There exists a substantial body of competent and reliable scientific evidence that eating eggs increases the risk of heart attack. Our body produces less cholesterol to compensate for the cholesterol eaten, but the blood-level cholesterol will still increase. Every milligram of dietary cholesterol consumed will elevate blood cholesterol.