Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Disease
Conditions
Brief summary
Eggs contain an essential nutrient called choline and adequate levels of choline are required for good health. Studies in mice have demonstrated that high levels of choline may increase risk of heart disease through a process that involves the breakdown of choline by gut bacteria. Previous research did not show that human consumption of eggs increases risk of heart disease. This study is designed to investigate whether the number of eggs in the diet affects blood and urine markers for heart disease.
Detailed description
Diets low in choline have adverse health consequences, while observations in humans and experiments in mouse models suggest that a diet containing too much choline or phosphatidylcholine may activate inflammatory pathways and increase cardiovascular disease risk through bacterial conversion of choline to trimethylamine (TMA) and its subsequent oxidation to trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) in the liver. What is unclear is whether choline and phosphatidylcholine in eggs is a source of TMAO formation, and if so how many eggs must be eaten before enough TMAO is generated to cause increased oxidized LDL (a biomarker for atherosclerosis mechanisms). We hypothesize that TMAO will only be formed from eggs when very large quantities are ingested and that TMAO formation will vary greatly between individuals for any given dietary exposure. This variability will be determined by 1) the dose at which dietary choline or phosphatidylcholine exceeds the absorptive capacity of the volunteer's small intestine and therefore spills into large intestine where gut bacteria have access to it and 2) the bacterial populations that constitute the volunteer's microbiome.
Interventions
OTHEREgg Dose
Different quantities of eggs
Sponsors
American Egg Board
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 75 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Healthy * non-smoker * Body mass index between 20 to 39 kg/m²
Exclusion criteria
* History of chronic system disease/s (e.g., hepatic, renal, cardiovascular, intestinal) * Diabetes controlled by insulin * Alcohol or illegal drug misuse/abuse * Use of antibiotics or choline-containing supplements within three months of study * Allergies to soy, eggs, wheat or other food * Use of drugs or medications known to alter liver metabolism, cardiovascular and/or kidney function * Abnormal physical examination or abnormal clinical laboratory values * Pregnancy * Unusual dietary habits
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Area under the plasma concentration versus time curve (AUC) of TMAO | TMAO concentrations in plasma collected prior to and 1, 2, 6, 8, and 24 hours after egg ingestion. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Concentration of TMAO in urine | Concentration of TMAO will be measured in 24 hour urine collections that start the morning of the egg dose |
Other
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Changes to plasma oxidized LDL | Oxidized LDL will be measured in plasma collected prior to and 24 hours after ingestion of each egg dose |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed