Eggs & blood cholesterol

[Mark_Corbyn]

Hey guys,

In the video above, at around 24:40, one of the doctors states: "If you eat an egg, roughly 50% of that will end up in your bloodstream..."

Is this true? If not, should it be made illegal to misinform the public through YouTube?

What are the latest scientific evidence suggesting regarding eggs raising blood cholesterol? Also, have done a quick google search and it says that eggs don't raise cholesterol but I suppose cholesterol could be taken up into the bloodstream without our cells taking it up ??

 

Thanks,

Edited December 29, 2023 by Mark_Corbyn

[exchemist]

9 hours ago, Mark_Corbyn said:

Hey guys,

In the video above, at around 24:40, one of the doctors states: "If you eat an egg, roughly 50% of that will end up in your bloodstream..."

Is this true? If not, should it be made illegal to misinform the public through YouTube?

What are the latest scientific evidence suggesting regarding eggs raising blood cholesterol? Also, have done a quick google search and it says that eggs don't raise cholesterol but I suppose cholesterol could be taken up into the bloodstream without our cells taking it up ??

 

Thanks,

There are people here better qualified than me to answer this but, to get the ball rolling, my understanding is that cholesterol in the diet is not particularly well absorbed by the body. A lot is esterified (cholesterol is an alcohol) and not absorbed. The body makes a lot of its own cholesterol. The main bad actors seem to be elements in the diet that elevate levels of low density lipoproteins. These are emulsified droplets with fatty (lipid) cores and water-soluble outer layers. The low density ones have a big core and a small outer layer, i.e. carry a lot of lipid per unit protein. The lipid cores can dissolve cholesterol and transport it around the body for tissue synthesis and so on. (There are also VLDLs, IDLs and HDLs as well, all with different ratios of fat to protein.)

What I have read is that eggs in the diet (egg yolks, specifically, as those are where the cholesterol is found) are not a problem in moderation. It is chiefly eating saturated fat,  leading to creation of an excess of low density lipoprotein particles in the blood, that is the problem. 

Actually, from what I read it is not clear to me that the cholesterol molecule itself is a problem at all! It seems to be the breakdown of these excess LDL particles - which contain a great deal besides cholesterol -  that leads to arterial plaque. But perhaps someone more knowledgeable will swing by and clarify this. 

 

Edited December 29, 2023 by exchemist

[Mark_Corbyn]

On 12/29/2023 at 11:49 PM, exchemist said:

What I have read is that eggs in the diet (egg yolks, specifically, as those are where the cholesterol is found) are not a problem in moderation. It is chiefly eating saturated fat,  leading to creation of an excess of low density lipoprotein particles in the blood, that is the problem.

 

What about if I were to eat 12 eggs each day? Would this be a problem? Would this increase my cholesterol or would it still not increase my cholesterol if I were to eat this many eggs?

[exchemist]

22 minutes ago, Mark_Corbyn said:

What about if I were to eat 12 eggs each day? Would this be a problem? Would this increase my cholesterol or would it still not increase my cholesterol if I were to eat this many eggs?

"Not particularly well absorbed"  ≠  "not absorbed at all".  You can draw your own conclusions.  

Edited January 4 by exchemist

[Luc Turpin]

4 hours ago, Mark_Corbyn said:

What about if I were to eat 12 eggs each day? Would this be a problem? Would this increase my cholesterol or would it still not increase my cholesterol if I were to eat this many eggs?

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/does-dietary-cholesterol-eggs-raise-blood-cholesterol/

Maybe this can help!

[TheVat]

A dozen eggs a day would pose some problems for men in middle age or later - eggs are one of the foods, like cheese, meat, strong spices, and Nightshade family plants like bell peppers, that are to be minimized in a prostate-friendly diet.  Choline content is high in eggs, and the primary protein, casein, is also implicated in BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia).  

There's a fascinating monograph on this  topic by the British physician I.P. Freely.

[exchemist]

32 minutes ago, TheVat said:

A dozen eggs a day would pose some problems for men in middle age or later - eggs are one of the foods, like cheese, meat, strong spices, and Nightshade family plants like bell peppers, that are to be minimized in a prostate-friendly diet.  Choline content is high in eggs, and the primary protein, casein, is also implicated in BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia).  

There's a fascinating monograph on this  topic by the British physician I.P. Freely.

Wouldn’t the nightshade family (solanum) also include potatoes and tomatoes? And even aubergines?

[TheVat]

Yes, and it's a good question as to which of those pose problems.  I have approached this empirically (corresponding with Dr. Freely on a daily basis), and for me peppers seem to be the primary offender, while tomatoes are okay in moderation.  I think Solanum members like potatoes are less a problem as you are just eating the starchy rhizome, mostly just carbs.  The worst foods, from what I've gleaned from literature, are ones like egg yolks or red meat which are high in arachidonic acid, which elevates inflammatory markers.  

So much variation in personal chemistry that it seems like an experimental approach is good with some of these.  My dad insisted chocolate was a menace to the prostate, but I don't seem to have a problem with moderate intake.  And some inflammatory response can happen as a sort of "perfect storm" of several inflammatory foods in concert - e.g. a lasagna loaded with red meat, ricotta cheese, tomatoes, spices, and peppers.  Spread all those triggers through multiple meals and dishes and maybe one would have no problems.

[exchemist]

7 minutes ago, TheVat said:

Yes, and it's a good question as to which of those pose problems.  I have approached this empirically (corresponding with Dr. Freely on a daily basis), and for me peppers seem to be the primary offender, while tomatoes are okay in moderation.  I think Solanum members like potatoes are less a problem as you are just eating the starchy rhizome, mostly just carbs.  The worst foods, from what I've gleaned from literature, are ones like egg yolks or red meat which are high in arachidonic acid, which elevates inflammatory markers.  

So much variation in personal chemistry that it seems like an experimental approach is good with some of these.  My dad insisted chocolate was a menace to the prostate, but I don't seem to have a problem with moderate intake.  And some inflammatory response can happen as a sort of "perfect storm" of several inflammatory foods in concert - e.g. a lasagna loaded with red meat, ricotta cheese, tomatoes, spices, and peppers.  Spread all those triggers through multiple meals and dishes and maybe one would have no problems.

Hmm. I've recently been seeing a consultant urologist for BPH after I got a urinary infection (citrobacter) out of the blue a couple of months ago (one of @John Cuthber's "wee burns" but nasty enough to go to A&E on a Saturday night). The consultant has not said anything about diet, in spite of my asking. He has however given me a trial course of Tamsulosin hydrochloride, which opens things up quite a bit, though he says nothing he does will lesson the risk of future UTIs very much.  I'm not sure I need this drug. Things are OK without. So I may stop. It's the UTI that I want to avoid getting again and I'm not getting much to reassure me on that front.   

[Luc Turpin]

11 hours ago, Mark_Corbyn said:

What about if I were to eat 12 eggs each day? Would this be a problem? Would this increase my cholesterol or would it still not increase my cholesterol if I were to eat this many eggs?

I don't think that its a good idea to have 12 eggs a day. For a summary on eggs and cholesterol, please see nutritionfacts link provided above. Other issues with eggs are choline (as mentioned by TheVat) as well as TMAO (trimethylamine oxide).

2 hours ago, TheVat said:

A dozen eggs a day would pose some problems for men in middle age or later - eggs are one of the foods, like cheese, meat, strong spices, and Nightshade family plants like bell peppers, that are to be minimized in a prostate-friendly diet.  Choline content is high in eggs, and the primary protein, casein, is also implicated in BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia).  

There's a fascinating monograph on this  topic by the British physician I.P. Freely.

BPH - Agree that casein is not good; contrary to popular thinking though, saw palmetto does not appear to work, but you can try a teaspoon a day of powdered cranberries (no sugar added) and or pumpkin seeds; some data available on their efficacy. If those do not work, then no harm to your health and pocket book. Also, " a 6000 IU dose a day of vitamin D analogs can reduce the prostate volume of BPH patients"   https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0261561420306099#:~:text=It has been reported that,successful treatment for BPH symptoms.

52 minutes ago, exchemist said:

Hmm. I've recently been seeing a consultant urologist for BPH after I got a urinary infection (citrobacter) out of the blue a couple of months ago (one of @John Cuthber's "wee burns" but nasty enough to go to A&E on a Saturday night). The consultant has not said anything about diet, in spite of my asking. He has however given me a trial course of Tamsulosin hydrochloride, which opens things up quite a bit, though he says nothing he does will lesson the risk of future UTIs very much.  I'm not sure I need this drug. Things are OK without. So I may stop. It's the UTI that I want to avoid getting again and I'm not getting much to reassure me on that front.   

 UTI - mixed results on the use of cranberry juice, so not sure if it would be helpful. I think that it might be good at prevention, but not when the infection has set in. There is some evidence of a link between UTI and chicken consumption. Also, doctors are not trained in nutrition. Finaly, vegans appear to have less UTI. You can investigate that one if you wish to do so.

[exchemist]

34 minutes ago, Luc Turpin said:

I don't think that its a good idea to have 12 eggs a day. For a summary on eggs and cholesterol, please see nutritionfacts link provided above. Other issues with eggs are choline (as mentioned by TheVat) as well as TMAO (trimethylamine oxide).

BPH - Agree that casein is not good; contrary to popular thinking though, saw palmetto does not appear to work, but you can try a teaspoon a day of powdered cranberries (no sugar added) and or pumpkin seeds; some data available on their efficacy. If those do not work, then no harm to your health and pocket book. Also, " a 6000 IU dose a day of vitamin D analogs can reduce the prostate volume of BPH patients"   https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0261561420306099#:~:text=It has been reported that,successful treatment for BPH symptoms.

 UTI - mixed results on the use of cranberry juice, so not sure if it would be helpful. I think that it might be good at prevention, but not when the infection has set in. There is some evidence of a link between UTI and chicken consumption. Also, doctors are not trained in nutrition. Finaly, vegans appear to have less UTI. You can investigate that one if you wish to do so.

Thanks but I’ll stick with the consultant’s advice. There’s always a slightly irrational temptation to think one can do something to take control by means of diet, when it may be largely wishful thinking.. The cranberry business seems to be mainly a marketing stunt by the Canadian agricultural industry, so far as I can see.  The UTI may just have been an unlucky one-off event. If I get more of them then further action may be appropriate. He may give me an MRI for the sake of good order, depending how my next PSA comes out. So we’ll see.

[Luc Turpin]

17 minutes ago, exchemist said:

Thanks but I’ll stick with the consultant’s advice. There’s always a slightly irrational temptation to think one can do something to take control by means of diet, when it may be largely wishful thinking.. The cranberry business seems to be mainly a marketing stunt by the Canadian agricultural industry, so far as I can see.  The UTI may just have been an unlucky one-off event. If I get more of them then further action may be appropriate. He may give me an MRI for the sake of good order, depending how my next PSA comes out. So we’ll see.

Thought you wanted to try out something more-different.

Sticking with your consultant's advice is a good idea!

Good luck!

[exchemist]

26 minutes ago, Luc Turpin said:

Thought you wanted to try out something more-different.

Sticking with your consultant's advice is a good idea!

Good luck!

No, just intrigued by @TheVat's remarks about solanum and BPH. It was he that introduced the subject, which happens to have salience for me right now. 

[Luc Turpin]

7 minutes ago, exchemist said:

No, just intrigued by @TheVat's remarks about solanum and BPH. It was he that introduced the subject, which happens to have salience for me right now. 

Ok, still wishing you good health.

Let me know if you need more info

[TheVat]

4 hours ago, exchemist said:

Hmm. I've recently been seeing a consultant urologist for BPH after I got a urinary infection (citrobacter) out of the blue a couple of months ago (one of @John Cuthber's "wee burns" but nasty enough to go to A&E on a Saturday night). The consultant has not said anything about diet, in spite of my asking. He has however given me a trial course of Tamsulosin hydrochloride, which opens things up quite a bit, though he says nothing he does will lesson the risk of future UTIs very much.  I'm not sure I need this drug. Things are OK without. So I may stop. It's the UTI that I want to avoid getting again and I'm not getting much to reassure me on that front.   

I would speculate that many doctors steer clear of dietary recommendations because there is such a welter of ambiguous data, so many foods that have both positive and negative aspects.  Potatoes, for example, are fairly high glycemic which is mildly linked to prostate swelling and cancer incidence, but they also have nutritional elements supportive of prostate health.  Tomatoes, similar thing, are rich in lycopene which is associated with reduced PSA levels and lower cancer incidence, but are also acidic which can be a bladder irritant.   Almost every food is a mixed blessing, with different effects traveling different biochemical pathways.  Cranberries are diuretic, not great for a full night's sleep, but also inhibit bacterial attachment to bladder wall and further infection.  They can also aid better draining during the day and so, if not consumed after say 2 pm, actually ease bladder issues in the wee hours (NPI).  (that was my experience ) I agree agri business will often make inflated, bordering on ridiculous, claims about foods based on cherry picking from the research findings.  Same as it ever was.  

It's unfortunate that many overlook habits which do gain some control over health issues, viz. sustained physical activity, noise reduction, and less sitting (western chairs, esp.) are examples.  Americans seem particularly fond of panacea thinking - kale smoothies changed my life!  Either that, or absolute restrictions - I never pollute my body with dairy! (gluten!)(corn!)(anything from an animal!) etc. A shift to more holistic medicine with more face time between doctors and clients could bring some balance, but I'm not sure if that's going to happen with health being so dominated by mass marketing forces.  

Sorry, am veering way offtopic.  

 

 

.

[Luc Turpin]

11 hours ago, TheVat said:

I would speculate that many doctors steer clear of dietary recommendations because there is such a welter of ambiguous data, so many foods that have both positive and negative aspects.  Potatoes, for example, are fairly high glycemic which is mildly linked to prostate swelling and cancer incidence, but they also have nutritional elements supportive of prostate health.  Tomatoes, similar thing, are rich in lycopene which is associated with reduced PSA levels and lower cancer incidence, but are also acidic which can be a bladder irritant.   Almost every food is a mixed blessing, with different effects traveling different biochemical pathways.  Cranberries are diuretic, not great for a full night's sleep, but also inhibit bacterial attachment to bladder wall and further infection.  They can also aid better draining during the day and so, if not consumed after say 2 pm, actually ease bladder issues in the wee hours (NPI).  (that was my experience ) I agree agri business will often make inflated, bordering on ridiculous, claims about foods based on cherry picking from the research findings.  Same as it ever was.  

It's unfortunate that many overlook habits which do gain some control over health issues, viz. sustained physical activity, noise reduction, and less sitting (western chairs, esp.) are examples.  Americans seem particularly fond of panacea thinking - kale smoothies changed my life!  Either that, or absolute restrictions - I never pollute my body with dairy! (gluten!)(corn!)(anything from an animal!) etc. A shift to more holistic medicine with more face time between doctors and clients could bring some balance, but I'm not sure if that's going to happen with health being so dominated by mass marketing forces.  

Sorry, am veering way offtopic.  

 

 

.

Nutrition is a powerful health modulator. However, as you indicate, physical activity, sleep, stress management, less sitting also contribute positively to good health. Agree that kale alone will not save you, that you will not die from eating any form of animal once in a while and that a holistic approach is a better avenue than single interventions.  On the matter of "so many foods that have both positive and negative aspects" and 'almost every food is a mixed blessing" there are nonetheless better foods and less better foods and there are better diets and less better diets. For example, there is strong evidence that a whole-foods plant-based diet is superior to the Standard American Diet (SAD). 

As you are very knowledgeable on nutrition, may I propose a reading: "How not to Age' by Dr. Micheal Greger"; plus 13,000 references! You might find the reading at times controversial but oftentimes interesting.

[TheVat]

Thanks @Luc Turpin I will have a look.