Plasma TMAO and Choline Levels in Individuals With Metabolic Syndrome - Comparison Between Eggs and Choline Supplement.

Epidemiological data suggests that egg intake does not increase the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). In fact eggs are a good source of phosphatidyl choline (PC) and choline has a number of metabolic roles including lipid metabolism, membrane structure, liver health and a neurotransmitter. Recent reports that choline may be metabolized by the intestinal microbiota into TMAO, a compound that may increase the risk for heart disease. It is not clear how much egg contribute to TMAO formation in individuals with metabolic syndrome. Therefore the objective of this study is to determine the impact of daily intake of 3 eggs versus a choline supplement on plasma TMAO and other biomarkers for CVD risk and also to assess if there are changes in microbiota with these interventions that might lead to the increases of TMAO in plasma.