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Consumption of 2 and 4 egg yolks/d for 5 wk increases macular pigment concentrations in older adults with low macular pigment taking cholesterol-lowering statins^1,2,3

¹ From the Department of Clinical Laboratory and Nutritional Sciences, Center for Health and Disease Research, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA (RV, EFG-K, TAW, and RJN), and the Department of Psychology, Brown University, Providence, RI (BRW).

² RJN was supported by the American Egg Board, Egg Nutrition Center, Washington, DC, and the Massachusetts Lions Eye Research Fund Inc, New Bedford, MA.

³ Address correspondence to RJ Nicolosi or R Vishwanathan, 3 Solomont Way, Suite 4, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854-5125. E-mail: nicolosi.robert{at}yahoo.com; v_rohini{at}hotmail.com.

Background: Lutein and zeaxanthin may reduce the risk of dry, age-related macular degeneration because of their photo-oxidative role as macular pigment.

Objective: The present study evaluated serum lutein, zeaxanthin, and macular pigment optical density (MPOD) responses at 0.25°, 0.5°, and 1° retinal eccentricities to the consumption of 2 and 4 egg yolks/d by older adults taking cholesterol-lowering medications.

Design: Subjects consumed foods containing 2 followed by 4 egg yolks/d for 5 wk each with a 4-wk egg-free period at baseline and between the 2 interventions.

Results: Changes in MPOD (n = 37) with egg yolk consumption were inversely associated (P < 0.05) with baseline MPOD. Subjects with low-baseline MPOD (defined as MPOD 0.5 at 0.25°, 0.4 at 0.5°, and 0.35 at 1°) showed increases of 50% (P < 0.05) with 4 egg yolks at the 3 retinal eccentricities. MPOD increased by 31% (P = 0.059) at 0.5° with 2 egg yolks. Serum lutein increased by only 16% and 24% (P < 0.05) compared with increases of 36% and 82% (P < 0.001) in serum zeaxanthin (n = 52) after consumption of 2 and 4 egg yolks, respectively. Serum HDL cholesterol increased by 5% (P < 0.05) after consumption of 2 and 4 egg yolks. Serum LDL cholesterol did not change with either egg yolk treatment.

Conclusions: Consumption of 4 egg yolks/d, and possibly of 2 egg yolks/d, for 5 wk benefited macular health in older adults with low MPOD. Serum HDL cholesterol increased without an increase in LDL cholesterol in this study population, most of whom were taking cholesterol-lowering statins.