GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Eggs have had the rebrand of the century when it comes to changing public perception of this protein. Historically, eggs were seen as unhealthy because of their negative association with cholesterol, but recently that has changed.
From being deemed “healthy” by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s updated definition of the word to getting the spotlight in the updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans, eggs have quickly become the “it” alternative source of protein.
Now, results from a new study are adding to this new positive perception of eggs. A team of researchers from Loma Linda University Health conducted this study to investigate the relationship between egg intake and Alzheimer’s disease risk, as there is a significant knowledge gap in the relationship between modifiable dietary factors and Alzheimer’s disease risk.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alzheimer’s is a progressive, irreversible brain disorder caused by damage to nerve cells in the brain. In the United States, it is a top 10 leading cause of death. The disease can be caused by a number of factors, including environmental exposures, such as diet.
Eggs are known to be a good source of key nutrients that strengthen brain health, including choline for memory and synaptic function, and lutein and zeaxanthin for improved cognitive performance, the study’s authors explained. Moderate egg intake has also been associated with a 10 percent reduction in mortality from neurodegenerative disease.
“Research supports eggs as part of a healthy diet,” Dr. Jisoo Oh, an associate professor of epidemiology at Loma Linda University School of Public Health and the study’s lead author, told the American Egg Board. “Seventh-day Adventists do eat a healthier diet than the general public, and we want people to focus on overall health along with this knowledge about the benefit of eggs.”
Loma Linda University is a private Seventh-day Adventist health science university. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant denomination know for observing Saturday as the Sabbath, maintaining a strong focus on health and education.
Oh et al. (2026) used data gathered from the Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2) cohort and linked with Medicare records to identify Alzheimer’s disease diagnoses to complete the study. Participants in the study were predominantly white and black with an average age of 59.
To begin the study, participants completed a comprehensive, validated 50-page food frequency questionnaire that assessed detailed dietary practices, as well as demographic information, anthropometrics, health and lifestyle behaviors, personal and family medical history and medication use.
For this specific analysis, the researcher team excluded any participants based outside of the United States, aged 65 or older at enrollment, and, to focus on incident cases, individuals with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis before or within six months of AHS-2 enrollment.
When it came to egg consumption, Oh et al. (2026) studied both visible and hidden sources of egg in a person’s diet. Visible egg consumption includes eating an omelet, egg salad or a boiled, deviled, scrambled, or fried egg. Hidden egg consumption includes eating an egg found in mixed dishes, recipes, and baked goods.
The research team also characterized visible egg consumption by frequency, ranging from never/rarely to more than five times a week.
To dive deeper into the relationship between eggs and Alzheimer’s disease, Oh et al. (2026) conducted two separate substitution analyses to examine the replacement of eggs with nuts/seeds and legumes, two nutrient-dense, commonly consumed plant-based protein sources in the cohort. This analysis was meant to provide insight into how substituting eggs with alternative protein-rich foods might influence Alzheimer’s disease risk.
In the end, the researcher team found that the consumption of eggs is associated with a lower risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease for those 65 years and older.
“Compared to never eating eggs, eating at least five eggs per week can decrease risk of Alzheimer’s [by up to 27 percent],” Dr. Joan Sabaté, a professor at Loma Linda University School of Public Health and the study’s principal investigator, told the AEB.
Additionally, Oh et al. (2026) found that eating eggs one to three times per month had a 17 percent decrease in risk, while eating eggs two to four times per week had a 20 percent decrease in risk. Overall, the study’s findings suggest a potential neuroprotective benefit to the nutrients found in eggs when incorporated into a balanced diet.
Despite the positive results that came out of this study, the authors realize that there are some limitations to the results, one of which being dietary intake.
“Dietary intake was assessed only at baseline,” Oh et al. (2026) explained. “It is possible that dietary changes occurred during the preclinical phase of Alzheimer’s disease, or following other diagnoses, potentially leading to reverse causation.”
In addition to the limitations, Oh et al. (2026) acknowledged that further research needs to be done to explore the relationship between eggs and Alzheimer’s risk in more diverse populations, evaluate whether long-term egg consumption earlier in life influences later risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and to investigate the role of specific egg-derived nutrients in relation to that risk.
Even with the limitations and the need for further research, this study provided another example to support the egg rebrand as a healthy and nutritious protein source.
