Egg Ingestion in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes

Hypothesis Inclusion of eggs in the diets of individuals with Type 2 diabetes mellitus will improve glycemic control, anthropometric measures and overall diet quality.

Restriction of dietary cholesterol, and thus the avoidance or restriction of egg intake, is routinely recommended to patients at increased risk for CVD, including those with diabetes. However, the relative importance of dietary cholesterol to serum lipids and the role of egg ingestion in cardiovascular risk are increasingly suspect. Further, the exclusion of eggs from the diet may lead to increased consumption of high-glycemic carbohydrate foods of particular potential harm to individuals with diabetes. The examination of how food-specific recommendations translate into effects on other food choices and overall diet quality, and in turn health effects, is a neglected area of research.

Eggs provide a complete profile of amino acids and an array of micronutrients, and are low in total fat. Although epidemiological and clinical studies largely suggest a lack of association between egg intake and harmful effects, the evidence is somewhat more ambiguous with regard to glycemic control for diabetes, or the risk for CVD among individuals with diabetes. Our own prior work shows no adverse effects of egg ingestion in healthy adults, hyperlipidemic adults, or adults with established coronary artery disease. As a satiating and protein-rich food, eggs have potential to foster calorie and weight control, and to reduce the dietary glycemic load, offering potential advantages in Type 2 diabetes.

Inclusion criteria

• males age greater than 35 years;
• post-menopausal females not currently on hormone replacement therapy;
• non-smokers;
• clinical diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes mellitus for at least 1 year but no more than 5 years;
• 6.5% ≤ HbA1c ≤8.0% (5) BMI between 25 and 40 kg/m².

Exclusion criteria

• failure to meet inclusion criteria;
• anticipated inability to complete study protocol for any reason;
• current eating disorder;
• use of antihyperglycemic, lipid-lowering or antihypertensive medications unless stable on medication for at least 3 months;
• use of glucocorticoids, antineoplastic agents, psychoactive agents, or nutraceuticals;
• regular use of fiber supplements;
• restricted diets (i.e., vegetarian, vegan, gluten free);
• known allergy to eggs.