Eating as little as one egg a week may be linked to a lower rate of Alzheimer’s dementia later in life, according to a 2024 observational study that followed older adults for nearly seven years.

The research adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that what we eat over time may play a role in how the brain ages — though it stops well short of showing that any single food can prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

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The study drew on data from the Rush Memory and Aging Projecta long-running research effort based in northeastern Illinois that tracks older adults to better understand aging and dementia. None of the participants included in the analysis had dementia at the start of the study. To assess diet, researchers focused on people who completed at least one detailed food-frequency questionnaire, which asked how often they had eaten specific foods — including eggs — over the previous year. Each person’s first questionnaire served as a snapshot of their typical egg intake.

Participants were then followed for an average of 6.7 years to see who went on to develop Alzheimer’s dementia. Researchers compared outcomes between people who said they “rarely or never” ate eggs and those who reported eating eggs at least once a week.

Over nearly seven years of follow-up, 280 of the 1,024 participants were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s dementia. The researchers found that people who ate about one egg per week had a significantly lower rate of Alzheimer’s dementia diagnoses over time than those who rarely ate eggs. Specifically, weekly egg consumption was associated with about a 47% lower rate of diagnosis. People who said they ate two or eggs a week saw a similar reduction, suggesting that eating eggs didn’t seem to offer extra protection and that other factors may be shaping the link.

Because the study was observational, it can’t show that eggs themselves prevent Alzheimer’s disease. It’s also possible that people who eat eggs regularly tend to have other advantages — such as healthier overall diets or better access to healthcare — that help lower their dementia risk, independent of egg consumption.

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To help explain the association, the researchers looked closely at choline, an essential nutrient involved in brain development and function. Eggs are one of the most concentrated food sources of choline, a nutrient many Americans fall short on.

“Eggs are one of the few commonly consumed foods that are naturally rich in choline, a nutrient that we are researching to further understand its role in supporting both cognitive development in infants and young children and maintenance during the aging process,” Dr. Taylor Wallace, an adjunct associate professor at Tufts University and author of the study, explained in a statement.

The study authors also noted that eggs are “the top food source of choline,” providing about a quarter of the daily recommended value in a single serving.

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Still, experts urge caution when interpreting the findings. Diet was self-reported, which can introduce memory errors, and the Rush Memory and Aging Project cohort is older, predominantly white, and relatively health-conscious — factors that limit how broadly the results apply to the U.S. population. The lack of a clear dose-response relationship — where eating eggs led to greater reductions in risk — also raises questions about whether eggs themselves are driving the association.

The authors stressed that the findings should be viewed in the context of overall dietary patterns, rather than as evidence that any one food offers special protection against Alzheimer’s disease.

“This study adds to the growing body of evidence that dietary choices can have a significant impact on reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s dementia and supporting lifelong cognitive health,” Wallace noted.

Ultimately, the study doesn’t suggest that eating eggs alone can ward off Alzheimer’s disease. Genetics, cardiovascular health, physical activity, education, and overall diet quality all play important roles in cognitive aging. Still, the findings offer another intriguing data point for researchers — and for home cooks curious about how everyday foods might fit into a long-term approach to brain health.

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