Background. Limiting egg consumption to avoid high cholesterolemia is recommended to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease. However, recent evidences suggest that cholesterol from diet has limited influence on serum cholesterol. Objective. To assess the effect of egg consumption on lipid profiles in hyperlipidemic adults treated with lipid-lowering drugs. Material and Method. Sixty hyperlipidemic subjects, mean age of 61 years, who had been treated with lipid-lowering drugs. Every subject was assigned to consume additional 3 eggs per day with their regular diet for 12 weeks. Measurements for lipid profiles and body compositions were performed. Results. An additional consumption of 3 eggs per day for 12 weeks increased HDL-cholesterol by 2 . 4 6 ± 6 . 8 1 ？mg/dL ( ？？ < 0 . 0 1 ) and decreased LDL-cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol ratio by 0 . 1 3 ± 0 . 4 6 ( ？？ < 0 . 0 5 ). No significant changes were found in other lipid profiles. Body weight and body mass index were significantly increased at 12th week by 0 . 5 2 ± 1 . 8 3 ？kg and 0 . 3 1 ± 0 . 9 9 ？kg/m2, respectively ( ？？ < 0 . 0 5 ). Conclusion. In hyperlipidemic adults who were treated with lipid-lowering drugs, the consumption of additional 3 eggs per day to their regular diet will increase the level of HDL-cholesterol and decrease the ratio of LDL-cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol. 1. Introduction Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is still a major public health problem and a leading cause of death in modern world, even in Thailand [1]. Because elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) has been identified as a major risk factor for CVD, dietary guidelines to prevent CVD emphasize on reduction of dietary cholesterol intake to less than 300？mg/day for healthy adults or less than 200？mg/day for persons with elevated cholesterol or heart disease [2]. Egg yolk is a major source of dietary cholesterol with an average of 200？mg cholesterol in one egg [3]. On the other hand, egg is also an inexpensive complete food with low-calorie, high-quality protein sources as well as other important nutrients, such as minerals, folate, and vitamins B [4, 5]. In comparing with other animal protein sources, egg contains proportionately less saturated fat, which is a strong dietary determinant of elevated LDL-C and increased risk for CVD [6]. Clinical trials in children, younger adults, and the elderly showed increase in both LDL-C and HDL-C with no alteration in the LDL-C to HDL-C ratio after egg consumption [7–9]. A study in 40 hyperlipidemic adults who had not been treated with lipid-lowering drugs revealed that 2
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