Egg intake improves carotenoid status by increasing plasma HDL cholesterol in adults with metabolic syndrome

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with reductions in plasma lutein and zeaxanthin, along with altered composition of their lipoprotein transporters which may affect disease risk. Egg yolk intake has been demonstrated to increase plasma lutein and zeaxanthin in other populations. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of whole egg feeding on plasma and lipoprotein carotenoids in participants with MetS. Participants consumed 3 whole eggs per day (EGG, n = 20) or the equivalent amount of yolk-free egg substitute (SUB, n = 17), as part of a carbohydrate-restricted diet (CRD) for 12 weeks. Post-intervention, the EGG group had significant increases in plasma lutein (+21%), zeaxanthin (+48%), and β-carotene (+24%), while the SUB group had increases in plasma β-carotene (+55%) only. Significant enrichment of isolated HDL and LDL fractions in lutein (+20% HDL, +9% LDL) and zeaxanthin (+57% HDL, +46% LDL) was observed in the EGG group after 12 weeks. Increases in the proportion of plasma carotenoids carried by HDL was seen for lutein (P < 0.01), zeaxanthin (P < 0.01), β-cryptoxanthin (P < 0.05), and lycopene (P < 0.05) for all participants after the 12 week intervention. Daily intake of 3 whole eggs, as part of a CRD, increased both plasma and lipoprotein lutein and zeaxanthin. Egg yolk may represent an important food source to improve plasma carotenoid status in a population at high risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

Carotenoid Deposition in Plant And Animal Foods and Its Impact on Bioavailability

“…While the post-prandial lutein response in the TRL fraction was similar after the consumption of a single dose of the test meals, the serum lutein response was significantly higher when subjects consumed eggs for 10 days as compared to the other test foods (Chung et al, 2004). Particularly, the consumption of zeaxanthin from egg yolk was shown to effectively raise its serum levels by various further studies previously (Wenzel et al, 2006, Kelly et al, 2014, Blesso et al, 2013.…”

Egg Intake during Carbohydrate Restriction Alters Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Inflammation and Cholesterol Homeostasis in Metabolic Syndrome

“…While egg whites contain a variety of bioactive proteins with anti-microbial, anti-hypertensive, and antioxidant properties, egg yolks contain various anti-inflammatory factors, including the antioxidant carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, and a wide range of bioactive phospholipid species. [34,35,36]. Therefore, we sought to determine whether whole egg intake during carbohydrate restriction could further modulate inflammatory properties of PBMCs in MetS, and whether any observed changes correspond to alterations in cellular cholesterol content and distribution in lipid rafts.…”

Hen egg carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin) and nutritional impacts on human health: a review

“…But a slow gradual increase in consumption started in 1996 due to a variety of factors including the introduction of designer eggs with omega-3 fatty acids and reached 20.5 dozens/capita in 2012 (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada [AAFC], 2013). Egg intake may improve carotenoid status by increasing plasma HDL in adults with metabolic syndrome (Blesso et al, 2013). Egg yolk may represent an important food source to improve plasma carotenoid level in a population at high risk for CVD and type 2 diabetes (Shin et al, 2013).…”

“…In addition to playing pivotal roles in ocular health, lutein and zeaxanthin are important for the prevention or reducing intensity of cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke, cancer (Mares-Perlman, Millen, Ficek, & Hankinson, 2002;Shin, Xun, Nakamura, & He, 2013), and neurodegenerative disorders (Nataraj, Manivasagam, Justin Thenmozhi, & Essa, 2015). They may also be protective in skin conditions attributed to excessive ultraviolet (UV) light exposure (Blesso, Andersen, Bolling, & Fernandez, 2013). It is now established that there is no association between egg consumption and risk of CVD (Shin et al, 2013), with the exception of familial hypercholesterolemia subjects (Ruxton, 2010).…”