Older adults who regularly eat eggs may have a significantly lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a large new study that is adding fuel to the debate over how everyday foods influence brain health.
Researchers at Loma Linda University Health in California tracked adults 65 and older and found that those who ate an egg a day at least five days a week had up to a 27 percent lower risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease than people who never ate eggs. “Compared to never eating eggs, eating at least five eggs per week can decrease risk of Alzheimer’s,” said Dr. Joan Sabaté, a professor at Loma Linda University School of Public Health and the study’s principal investigator.
Even modest egg intake appeared to offer some protection. Participants who ate eggs one to three times per month had about a 17 percent lower risk, while those who ate eggs two to four times per week saw about a 20 percent reduction, after accounting for age, sex, education, weight and other health conditions.
The findings, published in The Journal of Nutrition, do not prove that eggs themselves prevent Alzheimer’s, but they support a growing body of research suggesting that nutrients in eggs, particularly choline, may help protect the brain. “These findings suggest that frequent egg consumption is associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s dementia and that the association is at least partly mediated through dietary choline,” the study authors wrote.
Possible protective nutrients in eggs
Choline, found mostly in egg yolks, is used to make acetylcholine, a brain chemical essential for memory and learning that is disrupted in Alzheimer’s disease. “Eggs are a convenient source of choline, and choline is emerging as a key nutrient for lifelong brain health,” said Sabaté. Earlier research has linked moderate choline intake with lower odds of dementia and mild cognitive impairment, though very low and very high intakes may both carry higher risk.
Study design and limitations
Outside experts urged caution in interpreting the results. “This is an observational study, so it cannot show that eggs directly prevent Alzheimer’s,” said Dr. Claire Sexton, a neurologist and Alzheimer’s researcher who was not involved in the work. “People who eat eggs regularly may also have other healthy habits, like being more active or following a generally healthier diet, that contribute to their lower risk.”
The study relied on food questionnaires, which depend on participants accurately recalling what they eat, and the findings may not apply equally to all groups because genetics, lifestyle and typical diets differ across populations. There is also no official recommendation to eat eggs specifically to prevent Alzheimer’s, experts noted.
What it means for everyday diets
Still, the new research fits into a broader shift in how nutrition scientists view eggs, which were once widely discouraged because of their cholesterol content. “For most people, moderate egg consumption as part of an overall healthy eating pattern appears safe for the heart and may offer benefits for the brain,” Sexton said, adding that patterns such as the Mediterranean or MIND diet remain the strongest evidence-backed approaches for lowering dementia risk.
For now, researchers say the takeaway is not that older adults should overhaul their diets around a single food, but that simple, affordable choices may add up over time. “Our results suggest that including eggs regularly in a balanced diet could be one small step toward supporting brain health in later life,” Sabaté said.
