Forty hyperlipidemic participants participated in this study. Sixty percent of the participants were female. Participants ranged in age from 35 to 77 years, with a mean age of 60 years (Table 2). Four participants dropped out of the study after the acute phase. One participant dropped out because the participant was unwilling to consume eggs or egg substitute daily for six weeks, another dropped out because of relocation to another state, and two dropped out because they started using lipid lowering medication (statin).
Acute Phase
After a single dose of eggs, endothelial function did not change from baseline as compared to sausage and cheese ( p = 0.99). Accounting for the strength of the stimulus that determines vasodilatations (SARM), our findings on endothelial function persisted (Table 3.)
Table 3. Acute Phase: Mean change in Outcome Measures after Treatment Assignment
Sustained Phase
Daily consumption of egg substitute for six weeks improved endothelial function relative to egg consumption ( p < 0.01). These findings persisted controlling for the variation of the strength of the stimulus that causes the vasodilatation (Table 4.) Table 4. Sustained Phase: Mean Change in Outcome Measures after Six Weeks of Treatment
Daily consumption of egg substitute for six weeks significantly lowered total cholesterol as compared to egg consumption ( p < 0.01) and also lowered LDL as compared to egg consumption ( p = 0.01). However, daily consumption of egg substitute for six weeks did not significantly lowered total cholesterol to HDL ratio as compared to egg consumption ( p = 0.38).
Daily consumption of egg or egg substitute for six weeks did not show significant increase in BMI as compared to egg consumption (p = 0.56)