Will eating eggs affect my cholesterol?

I would be interested to know what prompted you to ask this excellent question. For most people, one or two eggs has only a small effect on cholesterol.

Most of our cholesterol is made in our own bodies. Our livers are able to make cholesterol, mostly at night when we are sleeping. The level of cholesterol in our bodies seems to be determined mostly by our genes, less by our diet. Most people with high cholesterol have inherited genes that tell their bodies to make more cholesterol than is healthy. For many of these people, their cholesterol may be high in spite of the best diet.

Nevertheless, certainly a part of our cholesterol level comes from diet, especially if you consume a lot of saturated fats, the type of fat found in red meat and whole milk. So doctors will advise moderation in cholesterol-rich foods and saturated fats to try to reduce the level in the bloodstream and avoid medication.

When needed, the medications now available are remarkably effective and have a very high, although not perfect, safety record.

Thanks for your question. Please write back if you wish to describe your situation in a bit more detail.

Dr. Joshua Rassen

-- Joshua Rassen, MD, is a board-certified internist and geriatrician in northern California. He has a private practice in geriatrics and internal medicine and is the Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine at California Pacific Medical Center.

First published March 29, 2005
Last updated April 10, 2008
Copyright © 2005 Consumer Health Interactive