If I had to guess, I’d say that nearly every person in the USA knows someone (parent, grandparent, friend) who has suffered from some form of memory loss. My family, in particular, has had an unfortunate relationship with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). My father was diagnosed with early onset AD at age 55 and passed at age 63. Shortly afterward, his next oldest brother and father were also diagnosed. And just this past winter, my mother’s male companion/friend and youngest sister were also diagnosed with AD.
Needless to say, I pay attention to things concerning brain health, especially since I am female (statistics cite an increased incidence of AD in women), I just turned 50 (dad was diagnosed at 55) and have reached the menopause years which is when many endogenous hormone levels drop. As I abandon traditional medicine practices more and more, I find that practitioners of alternate modalities (functional, naturopathic etc) are treating AD patients and successfully reversing symptoms. This is not just slowing or stopping disease progression, but rather observing and measuring improvement in memory and brain size/structure. These improvements are made by treating the body as an ecosystem, much like regenerative agricultural practices :) by eliminating toxins and replenishing nutritional deficiencies through dietary changes. It is truly a renewing of the mind! In addition, researchers are discovering that brain tissue has a remarkable capacity to heal. How exciting is that!
Brain Health Factors
In a recent podcast (1), functional medical doctor Mark Hyman listed some of the most important nutritional elements of a healthy brain:
MCT (medium chain triglyceride) oil such as palm kernel, coconut
Fats (avocado, olive oil)
Omega 3 Fatty Acids (small fatty fish like sardines, mackerel)
Vitamin D
Vitamin B’s (B6 or pyridoxine, B12 or cobalamin)
Choline
Wondering how eggs are related to all this information? Just say yes, because eggs contain all of these nutrients!
Of all the nutritional elements listed above, choline caught my attention in particular since I don’t hear that much about it. Here are some interesting facts about choline:
It was only very recently recognized as a nutrient by the Institute of Medicine in 1998
It is neither a vitamin or mineral but a compound similar in structure to vitamin B complex
It is important for proper function of the brain, nervous system, liver, muscle control and for regulating mood and metabolism
It plays important roles in modulating gene expression, cell membrane signaling, lipid transport and metabolism, and early brain development (3)
Choline is a precursor to acetylcholine (ACH) which is an important neurotransmitter in the brain for memory
It is synthesized by the body, but in lower quantity as we age. People groups at highest risk for deficiencies are: alcoholics, post-menopausal women and pregnant women.
Choline levels are reduced in people with AD
In a recent study, choline intake was positively correlated with the performance of verbal and visual memory tasks (4)
75% of Americans consume less than the recommended dietary intake levels (4)
The recommended daily intake of choline is:
Women (425mg/d)
Men (550mg/d)
Pregnant women (930 mg/d)
One single large egg contains 147 mg of Choline! (second only to beef liver)
In his book entitled, “The Marvelous Pigness of Pigs,” regenerative agriculture guru Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm, published a nutritional analysis comparison of his pastured eggs to the standard US egg. The results were astounding:
Nutrient Standard Egg Pastured Egg at Polyface
Vitamin E 0.97mg 7.37mg
Vitamin A 487 IU 763 IU
Beta-Carotene 10 mcg 76.2 mcg
Folate 47 mcg 1,200 mcg
Omega 3 FA 0.033 g 0.71 g
Cholesterol 423 mg 292 mg
Saturated Fat 3.1 g 2.31 g
Although unfortunate that choline was not specifically measured in the above profile, my inkling is that choline levels would also likely be higher in a pastured egg than in eggs from a conventional farm.
There are currently many over-the-counter supplements may contain choline either alone, with B-complex or included in a multivitamin. The amounts may range from 10-250 mg and be found in the following forms: choline bitartrate, phosphatidylcholine, and lecithin. It is important to note, however, that there are no studies that have compared the bioavailability of these different types. (3) This is a fancy way of saying that scientists are not sure whether these synthesized compounds are able to be utilized by the body, which is simply another reason it’s important to include real, whole foods in our diet. So go ahead and have your eggs! (My rooster dares you!)
(1) podcast “The Doctor’s Farmacy” with Mark Hyman episode 688, March 13,2023
(2) The Marvelous Pigness of Pigs, Joel Salatin, Hachette Book Group, 2016 p.96
(3) https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Choline-HealthProfessional/
(4) Nutrients, 2017 July 28, Neuroprotective Actions of Dietary Choline, Jan Krzysztof Blusztajn, Barbara E. Slack and Tiffany J. Mellott. (PMID: 28788094)
Other: www.healthline.com, What Is Choline? An essential nutrient with many benefits, Mary Jane Brown, PhD, RD (UK), December 7, 2018