Who Is Contraindicated to Eggs and Why?
Eggs are one of the most common foods in the world. They are available, tasty and a source of protein, lecithin and fatty acids. Many people consider eggs to be a healthy food and eat them on a par with other foods. However, it is not as simple as it may seem at first glance. Eating eggs can be dangerous for some people.
Historically, eggs have been criticized for their high cholesterol levels, but today their health benefits are recognized by many. But at the same time, there are facts that few people know about that may be critical to some people’s health. In this article, we will look at who eating eggs can be dangerous for and why.
Why the Presence of Cholesterol in Eggs Can Be Dangerous to Health
Indeed, eggs are a source of complete protein, lecithin, multiple vitamins and fatty acids. However, it is important to note that one egg yolk contains about 186 milligrams of cholesterol, which is most of the daily cholesterol requirement that a person gets with food (about 200 milligrams). Some people believe that eating eggs is not a problem because 80% of cholesterol is produced by the liver and eating an egg raises blood cholesterol only slightly, by 10%. However, this is not the only aspect to look out for.
If you eat eggs alone, for example, when following a plant-based diet, and do not combine them with animal fats (such as bacon), you will not have a problem with your blood cholesterol levels. But many people prefer to fry eggs on bacon and eat them with sandwiches greased with butter and wash it down with fatty milk or sour cream. This can lead to elevated levels of oxidized low-density lipoproteins in the blood a few hours after consumption.
Although cholesterol is important for many functions in the body, high levels of cholesterol in the blood, especially oxidized bad cholesterol, can be dangerous to cardiovascular health. Cholesterol in the blood does not float on its own, but binds to proteins to form complexes called lipoproteins. Lipoproteins come in different types and densities, but most commonly cholesterol bound to low-density lipoproteins (LDL) is considered bad, and cholesterol bound to high-density lipoproteins (HDL) is considered good.
But this does not mean that bad cholesterol itself causes problems. Problems occur when LDL becomes oxidized, leading to inflammation in the blood vessels and the growth of atherosclerotic plaques, which can block blood flow or cause blood clots that can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
Eggs are an excellent source of complete protein and other nutrients, but they also contain significant amounts of cholesterol, especially in the yolk. If you eat eggs along with other animal fats, such as bacon or butter, it can lead to higher levels of oxidized bad cholesterol in your blood, which can be dangerous to your cardiovascular health. So if you are concerned about your blood cholesterol levels, it is worth limiting your consumption of eggs and other foods rich in cholesterol, especially when combined with animal fats.
Cholesterol in Eggs: Why Is It Dangerous For People with Diabetes?
Many people with diabetes think that eating eggs is a healthy food, especially if they follow a low-carb diet such as the keto diet. But that’s not always the case. Recent studies show that even eating one egg in people with type 2 diabetes can increase their risk of cardiovascular disease by a factor of two or more. This is because eggs contain cholesterol, which can increase “bad” cholesterol levels in the blood and increase the risk of heart disease.
Also the risk of cardiovascular disease in people with diabetes can increase fivefold when they eat eggs. This may be because people with diabetes usually have elevated levels of inflammation, which can be exacerbated by eating eggs.
Therefore, people with diabetes are advised to limit their consumption of eggs and watch their diet. Instead, they can eat plant-based proteins, such as legumes, nuts and seeds, and eat fruits and vegetables to get the nutrients they need.
Lecithin – Dangers of Eggs Worth Knowing
When consuming eggs, there may be another danger associated with their lecithin content. Although lecithin is good for our health because it prevents the formation of gallstones, is essential for the brain and participates in the synthesis of acetylcholine, the main neurotransmitter in our nervous system, its conversion in the intestine by intestinal bacteria can lead to the formation of a substance called trimethylamine.
Once absorbed into the bloodstream, trimethylamine oxide, the oxidation product of trimethylamine in the liver, can harm blood vessels by causing inflammation and damage. As a result, atherosclerotic plaques and thromboses can form, which can pose health risks. Thus, it is necessary to consider all possible risks when consuming eggs and watch their consumption, especially if you have a predisposition to cardiovascular disease.
There are studies that show that the level of trimethylamine oxide in the blood has a direct linear relationship with the amount of consumed eggs. That is, the more eggs you consume, the higher your levels of trimethylamine oxide in the blood. Although this may not be dangerous for young people because their kidneys function well and eliminate such products from the body through the urine, as they age, kidney function deteriorates, which can lead to an accumulation of harmful products such as trimethylamine oxide in the blood.
Kidney function can be assessed by the glomerular filtration rate, which is the amount of blood that the kidneys can clear in a minute of time. If the filtration rate is 100 milliliters per minute, this is considered an excellent result. However, if the filtration rate is only 60 milliliters per minute, it is already a poor result.
Another study, which examines the relationship between egg consumption and blood levels of trimethylamine oxide, emphasizes the importance of kidney function in eliminating this toxic substance from the body. The glomerular filtration rate is a measure of kidney function, which is the amount of blood our kidneys can clear in a minute. In humans, as long as they are young, this is not a threat, as their kidneys function well and excrete trimethylamine oxide and other toxic substances with the urine.
However, as people get older, their kidneys begin to function less well. This can be measured by the glomerular filtration rate, which is the amount of blood the kidneys can clear in a minute. Studies show that the older a person gets, the lower the glomerular filtration rate becomes. The kidneys begin to filter the blood slower and therefore do a worse job of removing toxic substances such as trimethylamine oxide.
The study table shows that people with decreased kidney function have higher blood levels of trimethylamine oxide. This has particularly serious implications for people over the age of 40 to 50, when kidney function begins to decline significantly, and by the age of 60 to 80 can lead to a marked decrease in the rate at which trimethylamine oxide is eliminated from the body.
And there was also a study at the Cleveland Clinic in the United States on 4,000 people with the same risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as blood sugar and cholesterol levels. However, the only difference between them was the level of trimethylamine oxide in the blood. People whose levels of this compound were in the upper quarter of the values suffered heart attacks and strokes 2.5 times as often over three years, and they also had 2.5 times the mortality rate from cardiovascular disease.
This study confirms a direct link between trimethylamine oxide levels and risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. That said, eating eggs can increase trimethylamine oxide levels in the body. However, this level depends not only on gut microflora, but also on kidney function. Because of this, older people who have decreased kidney function are advised to pay attention to the level of trimethylamine oxide in the body and take steps to reduce it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can say that eating eggs has its pros and cons. For young people without risk factors and with normal kidney function, eggs are a safe product. However, for older people, with kidney problems, diabetes or hypertension, it is recommended to limit the consumption of egg yolks to 5 pieces per week.
At the same time, egg white is a valuable and useful product, without any restrictions on consumption. As with any other product, a moderate and balanced consumption of eggs is recommended to get all their benefits, avoiding possible negative effects.