PROSPective Evaluation of Fortified Eggs Related to Improvement in The Biomarker Profile for Your Health

PROSPective Evaluation of Fortified Eggs Related to Improvement in The Biomarker Profile for Your Health

The objective of the study is to assess the effect of fortified eggs (compared to a non-egg supplemented diet) and intermittent fasting (IF) (compared to a usual care diet) on biomarker profile at 4 months. This will be a 140-participant, 2x2 factorial, randomized clinical trial comparing fortified eggs vs. a non-egg supplemented diet and IF vs. usual care diet through 4 months. Participants will be randomized 1:1:1:1 to the four treatment groups. Participants will have in-person follow-up visits at 1- and 4- months (inclusive of laboratory assessments) in addition to telephone calls at months 2 and 3. A subset of patients (~24 in each egg randomized strata) will undergo microbiome assessment at baseline and at 4 months.

Inclusion Criteria:

• ≥ 50 years of age AND

• At least one of the following two criteria:

  • Prior cardiovascular event (myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization or ischemic stroke) OR
  • 2 cardiovascular risk factors including: 1) Diabetes mellitus (Defined as taking a medication for diabetes OR HgbA1c ≥6.5% within the prior 18 months; patients with diabetes may be treated with medications that are not associated with hypoglycemia such as metformin, thiazolidinediones (TZDs), glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and/or dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, 2) Body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2, 3) Hypertension (Defined as taking blood pressure lowering medications OR systolic BP > 140mmHg at screening OR diastolic BP > 90mmHg at screening), 4) Dyslipidemia (Defined as taking lipid lowering medication OR LDL ≥130 OR HDL <50 for women OR HDL <40 for men OR triglycerides ≥150), or 5) Chronic kidney disease (Defined as eGFR <60 on most recent laboratory assessment within prior 18 months)

• Signed informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Known allergy or intolerance to eggs
• Patients with diabetes who are on insulin or insulin secretagogues (e.g., sulfonylureas and meglitinides)
• Recent cardiovascular event (MI, stroke, HF hospitalization) within the past 30 days
• Planned initiation/change in lipid therapy within the next 4 months
• Current daily use of any supplements or multivitamins containing Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, or selenium or planned initiation within the next 4 months (current users need a 1-month washout period off supplement prior to eligibility)
• Inability or unwillingness to comply with the study requirements
• History of heart transplant or left ventricular assist device
• Pregnant or nursing women
• Malignancy or other non-cardiac condition limiting life expectancy to <4 months
• Consumption of > 2 eggs per week (this does not include eggs contained within other foods)
• Ongoing or recent (prior 30 days) participation in another interventional study