Research Reveals a Surprising Anti-Alzheimer’s Effect of Eggs

A recent study looked at links between different environmental exposures and Alzheimer’s risk, based on a sample of around 500,000 people in the UK. Oddly, consuming eggs had one of the strongest protective effects out of everything covered in the study. But is this just an odd result, or does something as simple as eating eggs really have a protective effect?

Eggs Consistently Reduce Alzheimer’s Risk in Studies

Based on available research, it really does seem like egg consumption is associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer's and cognitive decline. Firstly, the UK-based study had a huge sample size, so it’s pretty compelling on its own, suggesting a 76% increase in risk for people who never ate eggs.

But that is far from the only result:

• A 2024 study followed 1,024 older adults over 6.7 years on average, and analysed their risk based on their egg consumption at baseline. The results showed that consuming more than one egg per week was associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s, 47% lower than people who ate less than one egg per week.

• A 2026 study used a large cohort of Seventh-day Adventists in the US, looking at a sample of 39,498 people (who were aged 65 or older during follow-up) over an average of 15.3 years. Risks decreased with greater egg consumption. For instance, there was a 17% reduction in risk for people who ate eggs once a month to once a week, and a 27% reduction for people who ate eggs five or more times a week, compared to people who never or rarely consumed eggs.

• A meta-analysis looking at 13 longitudinal and 8 cross-sectional studies on egg consumption found that consuming 1 egg per day was associated with a 9% decrease in the risk of cognitive decline. More precisely, the benefits peaked at 50 to 60 g of egg per day.

Why Are Eggs Good for Your Brain?

As well as containing omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, tryptophan, vitamin B12 and other potentially beneficial ingredients, many authors point to choline as a key factor. This essential nutrient is a precursor to acetylcholine, which is crucial for memory and synaptic function. Choline levels in the body have been independently linked to changes in cognitive function with aging and Alzheimer’s disease – so there are also other options if you don’t like eggs!