Document Detail


Dietary cholesterol and egg yolks: not for patients at risk of vascular disease.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  21076725     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
A widespread misconception has been developing among the Canadian public and among physicians. It is increasingly believed that consumption of dietary cholesterol and egg yolks is harmless. There are good reasons for long- standing recommendations that dietary cholesterol should be limited to less than 200 mg/day; a single large egg yolk contains approximately 275 mg of cholesterol (more than a day's worth of cholesterol). Although some studies showed no harm from consumption of eggs in healthy people, this outcome may have been due to lack of power to detect clinically relevant increases in a low-risk population. Moreover, the same studies showed that among participants who became diabetic during observation, consumption of one egg a day doubled their risk compared with less than one egg a week. Diet is not just about fasting cholesterol; it is mainly about the postprandial effects of cholesterol, saturated fats, oxidative stress and inflammation. A misplaced focus on fasting lipids obscures three key issues. Dietary cholesterol increases the susceptibility of low-density lipoprotein to oxidation, increases postprandial lipemia and potentiates the adverse effects of dietary saturated fat. Dietary cholesterol, including egg yolks, is harmful to the arteries. Patients at risk of cardiovascular disease should limit their intake of cholesterol. Stopping the consumption of egg yolks after a stroke or myocardial infarction would be like quitting smoking after a diagnosis of lung cancer: a necessary action, but late. The evidence presented in the current review suggests that the widespread perception among the public and health care professionals that dietary cholesterol is benign is misplaced, and that improved education is needed to correct this misconception.
Authors:
J David Spence; David J A Jenkins; Jean Davignon
Related Documents :
22230815 - Impact of estradiol, er subtype specific agonists and genistein on energy homeostasis i...
1561225 - Research note: utilizing hazelnut kernel oil meal in layer diets.
16377225 - Effects of diet on the carotenoid pigment and lipid content of pomacea bridgesii as det...
6524745 - Calcium in the turkey yolk sac during late development and postembryonic involution.
416185 - Effect of nta and edta on calcium metabolism of chickens and coturnix.
9446845 - Decreased serum total cholesterol concentration is associated with high intake of soy p...
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Review    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Canadian journal of cardiology     Volume:  26     ISSN:  1916-7075     ISO Abbreviation:  Can J Cardiol     Publication Date:  2010 Nov 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-11-15     Completed Date:  2010-12-31     Revised Date:  2011-11-01    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8510280     Medline TA:  Can J Cardiol     Country:  Canada    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  e336-9     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Stroke Prevention & Atheroschlerosis Research Centre, Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario. dspence@robarts.ca
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Biological Markers / blood
Cardiovascular Diseases / etiology
Cholesterol, Dietary / administration & dosage*,  adverse effects*
Coronary Artery Disease / blood,  etiology*,  prevention & control
Diabetes Complications / etiology
Egg Yolk / adverse effects*
Health Promotion
Humans
Lipid Peroxidation
Lipoproteins, LDL / blood
Practice Guidelines as Topic
Risk Factors
Vascular Diseases / etiology
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Biological Markers; 0/Cholesterol, Dietary; 0/Lipoproteins, LDL
Comments/Corrections
Comment In:
Can J Cardiol. 2011 Mar-Apr;27(2):264.e3; 264.e7-8   [PMID:  21459287 ]
Can J Cardiol. 2011 Mar-Apr;27(2):264.e1; author reply 264.e7-8   [PMID:  21459286 ]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Prevalence of dyslipidemia in statin-treated patients in Canada: results of the DYSlipidemia Interna...
Next Document:  Single-chamber, rate-responsive pacemaker-mediated tachycardia.