Saturday, August 10, 2013

High Cholesterol Containing Eggs May Reduce Blood Pressure


Canadian researchers Jianping Wu and Kaustav Majumder wrote in their published paper that eggs are an inexpensive source of high-quality protein and other nutrients, yet egg consumption, has decreased during the last 40 years amid concerns about cholesterol and associated heart disease. Recent studies do suggest that healthy people can eat eggs without increasing their heart disease risk. Other research hinted that certain egg proteins might have effects similar to ACE inhibitors, prescription drugs used to treat high blood pressure.

Pursuing that lead in laboratory studies, the scientists identified several different peptides in boiled and fried eggs that act as potent ACE inhibitors; a popular group of prescription medications in lowering blood pressure. Wu and Majumder showed that enzymes in the stomach and small intestine produce these peptides from eggs. Fried eggs had the highest ACE inhibitory activity.
Although the findings seem promising for egg lovers, it may be still premature to go egg crazy. It will take studies in humans to determine if the egg proteins do lower blood pressure in people.
It is also important to note that funding for the research came from livestock and poultry industry groups.

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