Eggs concentrate complete protein, choline, retinal pigments and fat-soluble vitamins in the yolk, cheaply and unprocessed. Measured gains: denser retinal pigment, much higher choline intake where intake falls short, a modest muscle-building edge over egg whites. Measured harm: more cholesterol-carrying particles, falling on the minority who absorb dietary cholesterol efficiently. Testing, not population averages, settles which group applies. (Full Review)
| Marker | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Apolipoprotein B | Below 80 mg/dL; 60 at high risk | Most sensitive marker of adverse response |
| LDL cholesterol | 70–100 mg/dL | Tracks the yolk cholesterol effect |
| HDL cholesterol | Above 50 men, 60 mg/dL women | Rises with eggs; interpreted alongside LDL |
| Total cholesterol to HDL ratio | Below 3.5 | Whether the two lipid shifts offset |
| Triglycerides | Below 80 mg/dL | Detects carbohydrate context, not eggs |
| Lipoprotein(a) | Below 30 mg/dL | Genetically fixed; weights any LDL rise |
| High-sensitivity C-reactive protein | Below 1.0 mg/L | Unmoved by eggs; a rise has another cause |
| Glycated hemoglobin | 4.8–5.4% | Screens the metabolic diabetes context |
| Fasting insulin | 2–6 µIU/mL | Flags insulin resistance before glucose |
| Serum lutein and zeaxanthin | No target; track from baseline | Confirms carotenoid absorption |
| Macular pigment optical density | ≥ 0.40 units at 0.5° eccentricity | The retinal endpoint eggs actually move |
| 25-hydroxyvitamin D | 40–60 ng/mL | Eggs contribute modestly to status |
Cadence: Baseline, four weeks, twelve weeks, then every six to twelve months; macular pigment at six months