Influence of Eggs on Cognitive Performance

NCT06465888 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: IRB2017-0379D
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 106
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This clinical trial aims to evaluate the nutrients in eggs in healthy adult's cognitive performance. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• How do the nutrients in eggs impact visual cognitive performance (VCP) in generally healthy older individuals?
• Will omega-3 fatty acids in eggs improve VCP in generally healthy older individuals? Participants will be randomly placed in one of five dietary treatment groups, including four egg whites, two whole regular eggs, two whole omega-3 fortified eggs, four egg yolks, and a no-egg control. Blood will be drawn at baseline. During the first two weeks, participants will eat assigned eggs, consume their usual diet other than the eggs, and keep five food logs. Cognitive performance testing will start on day 15 and be measured over a 10-day period using the Neurotracker (NT) 3-D program. Data on ancillary factors influencing outcomes will be collected, and food will be logged on each NT training day. Blood will be drawn at the end of the study and compared with baseline levels.

Conditions

Cognitive Function

Keywords

lutein; zeaxanthin; macular pigment optical density (MPOD); macular pigment; eggs; cognition; cognitive performance

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Cognitive performance

  Neurotracker 3-Dimensional software used to measure cognitive performance. Subjects performed 20 trials within a single training session obtaining a "speed threshold," (ST) the level at which the participant correctly tracked and selected the correct objects 50% of the time. The final ST for each training session and the progression over 15 sessions were the primary determinants of cognitive performance.

  15 cognitive sessions within 10 days over 2 week period

• Nutrient Intake (Lutein and Zeaxanthin)

  Serum will be drawn and analyzed for lutein and zeaxanthin content

  Through study completion which may take up to 2 years.

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Serum Lipid Levels

  Through study completion which may take up to 2 years.

Study Arms (5)

No-Egg Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

The No-Egg Control group will not eat eggs or foods with eggs being one of the primary components of the food for 30 days.

Egg White Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants will eat four egg whites/day for 30 days. Participants will be given a specified number of Kieke eggs to last them until their next appointment. They will be asked to eat no other eggs than whites from the eggs given to them and to return cartons with any leftover eggs.

Other: egg whites

Whole Egg Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants will eat two whole eggs/day for 30 days. Participants will be given a specified number of Kieke eggs to last them until their next appointment. They will be asked to eat no other eggs than the eggs given to them and to return cartons with any leftover eggs.

Other: whole eggs

Whole Omega-3 Egg Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants will eat two Christopher Farms whole omega-3 eggs/day for 30 days. Participants will be given a specified number of Christopher Farm eggs that will last them until their next appointment. They will be asked to eat no other eggs than the two from the eggs given to them and to return cartons with any leftover eggs.

Other: Omega-3 eggs

Egg Yolk Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants will eat four egg yolks/day for 30 days. Participants will be given a specified number of Kieke eggs to last them until their next appointment. They will be asked to eat no other eggs than the yolks from the eggs given to them and to return cartons with any leftover eggs.

Other: egg yolk

Interventions

egg whites OTHER

Participants will eat four egg whites daily for the 4-week study

Egg White Group

whole eggs OTHER

Participants will eat two eggs daily for the 4-week study

Whole Egg Group

Omega-3 eggs OTHER

Participants will eat two Christopher Farms omega-3 fortified eggs daily for the 4-week study.

Whole Omega-3 Egg Group

egg yolk OTHER

Participants will eat four egg yolks daily for the 4-week study

Egg Yolk Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 50 Years - 75 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Healthy men and post-menopausal women who are age 50 to 75 years

You may not qualify if:

• Taking supplements with \>6 mg L and/or \>2 mg Z two months before the study
• Self-reported diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, or other eye conditions that may negatively impact visual cognitive performance

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Texas A&M University: lead
• Egg Nutrition Center: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Gilchrist Building

College Station, Texas, 77843, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Egg White; Egg Yolk

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Eggs; Food; Diet, Food, and Nutrition; Physiological Phenomena; Food and Beverages

Study Officials

• Steven E. Riechman, PhD

  Texas A&M University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Masking Details: Brand name of eggs on cartons will be covered so participants will not know which eggs they were eating.
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: FACTORIAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Model Details: This is a 30-day study. Serum analysis and diagnostic testing will be conducted at baseline. Participants will be randomly assigned to a no-egg control or one of the following dietary treatment groups: 4 large egg whites daily; 2 large whole eggs daily; 2 large whole omega-3 fortified eggs daily; or 4 large egg yolks daily. Participants will be asked to follow their routine food and beverage intake other than the assigned dietary treatment guidelines. Fifteen food logs will be completed. The last two weeks will include 15 Neurotracker 3-D cognitive training sessions over 10 days with diagnostic measures, physical activity, and sleep patterns recorded. Serum blood draw at day 30.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 13, 2024
• First Posted: June 20, 2024
• Study Start: August 22, 2017
• Primary Completion: March 19, 2020
• Study Completion: March 19, 2020
• Last Updated: September 29, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)