{"id":37345,"date":"2023-05-02T13:57:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-02T18:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.incredibleegg.org\/?post_type=nutrition_article&#038;p=37345"},"modified":"2023-06-21T14:39:26","modified_gmt":"2023-06-21T19:39:26","slug":"nutrients-in-eggs-work-together-to-support-infant-brain-development","status":"publish","type":"nutrition_article","link":"https:\/\/www.incredibleegg.org\/nutrition\/articles\/nutrients-in-eggs-work-together-to-support-infant-brain-development\/","title":{"rendered":"Nutrients in eggs work together to support infant brain development"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block\">\n<p><strong>Key Takeaways:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Maternal intake of eggs and the nutrients found in eggs (choline, lutein\/zeaxanthin, DHA) may have a synergistic association with fetal neurodevelopment, which suggests that eggs provide more nutritional value than just the sum of their parts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Since brain development is most rapid between conception and 24 months, pregnant women should be encouraged to include eggs in their diets.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block\">\n<p>\u201cBrain development is most rapid during the first 1,000 days, from conception to age 24 months, and adequate nutrition is critical for this process.&nbsp; Key nutrients include fat (particularly long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids\u2026), protein, iron, iodine, zinc, copper, choline, and the B vitamins.\u201d<sup>1<\/sup>&nbsp;While there is significant evidence demonstrating a positive impact of single nutrients<sup>2,3<\/sup>&nbsp;there are no studies that have investigated the interaction of nutrients on fetal brain development.&nbsp; A new study published in&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1080\/1028415X.2022.2088944?journalCode=ynns20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nutritional Neuroscience<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;found that maternal intake of eggs and nutrients found in eggs (i.e., choline, lutein\/zeaxanthin, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) have synergistic associations with fetal neurodevelopment, suggesting eggs are more than the sum of its parts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block\">\n<p>This recent study conducted at the University of Kansas Medical Center was a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of different doses of DHA on fetal and infant brain developmen<sup>4<\/sup>.&nbsp; Dietary data were collected to evaluate egg and nutrient intake during pregnancy, and measures of fetal neurodevelopment were assessed at 32 and 36 weeks gestation.&nbsp; A significant interaction between maternal choline intake and lutein\/zeaxanthin intake and fetal brain maturation was found at both 32 and 36 weeks gestation.&nbsp; The interaction between choline intake, lutein\/zeaxanthin intake, and DHA predicted brain maturation at 36 weeks, which suggests a synergistic impact.&nbsp; Maternal egg intake also predicted measures of fetal neurodevelopment at both 32 and 36 weeks.&nbsp; The authors conclude that egg consumption should be encouraged among pregnant women.<sup>2<\/sup><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block\">\n<p>Similar results were found in a&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4663580\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">previous study<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;at the University of North Carolina. In this study, higher human milk choline and lutein levels, as well as higher choline and DHA levels, were associated with better recognition memory in 6-month old infants.<sup>3<\/sup>&nbsp;In this secondary analysis of a larger study with exclusively breastfed infants, the authors concluded, \u201cinteractions between human milk nutrients appear important in predicting infant cognition, and there may be a benefit to specific nutrient combinations.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block\">\n<p>Eggs provide various amounts of all of the nutrients listed by the American Academy of Pediatrics as essential for brain growth,<sup>5<\/sup>&nbsp;including 12% Daily Value (DV) of high quality protein, 6% DV for zinc, 4% DV for iron, 25% DV for choline, 6% DV for folate, 20% DV for iodine, 8% DV for vitamin A, 6% DV for vitamin D, 6% DV for vitamin B<sub>6<\/sub>, 20% DV for vitamin B<sub>12<\/sub>, 18 mg \u03b1-linolenic acid (ALA), 29 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), as well as 252 mcg lutein + zeaxanthin.<sup>6<\/sup>&nbsp; Overall, we know these nutrients are individually linked to brain health, but growing evidence suggests there can be important interactions among key nutrients.<sup>2,3,7<\/sup>&nbsp; Intervention trials are needed to confirm findings for brain development, however, these new data support recommendations that include egg consumption by pregnant women and children.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block\">\n<p>For more information about the benefits of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.incredibleegg.org\/articles\/choline-during-pregnancy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>choline during pregnancy<\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;and beyond, check out this&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/incredibleegg.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/ENC-Copy-of-2020-Liz-Shaw-Handout-Prenatal-Infant-Health-UPDATED.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">helpful handout<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;about prenatal and infant health.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div id=\"references-block-block_405c667548d3e9c29df836727bdc8fa6\" class=\"content-block references-block \">\n\n  <h3><a class=\"references__toggle\" aria-controls=\"references--block_405c667548d3e9c29df836727bdc8fa6\" aria-expanded=\"false\" href=\"#\">References<\/a><\/h3>\n  \n  <div class=\"references__ol text-block\" id=\"references--block_405c667548d3e9c29df836727bdc8fa6\"><ol>\n<li class=\"EndNoteBibliography\">Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.\u00a0<i>Scientific Report of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee: Advisory Report to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services<\/i>. 2020; Available from:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dietaryguidelines.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2020-07\/ScientificReport_of_the_2020DietaryGuidelinesAdvisoryCommittee_first-print.pdf\">https:\/\/www.dietaryguidelines.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2020-07\/ScientificReport_of_the_2020DietaryGuidelinesAdvisoryCommittee_first-print.pdf<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li class=\"EndNoteBibliography\">Christifano, D.N., et al.,\u00a0<i>Intake of eggs, choline, lutein, zeaxanthin, and DHA during pregnancy and their relationship to fetal neurodevelopment.<\/i>\u00a0Nutr Neurosci, 2022: p. 1-7.<\/li>\n<li class=\"EndNoteBibliography\">Cheatham, C.L. and K.W. Sheppard,\u00a0<i>Synergistic Effects of Human Milk Nutrients in the Support of Infant Recognition Memory: An Observational Study.<\/i>\u00a0Nutrients, 2015.\u00a0<b>7<\/b>(11): p. 9079-95.<\/li>\n<li class=\"EndNoteBibliography\">Gustafson, K.M., et al.,\u00a0<i>Prenatal docosahexaenoic acid effect on maternal-infant DHA-equilibrium and fetal neurodevelopment: a randomized clinical trial.<\/i>\u00a0Pediatr Res, 2022.\u00a0<b>92<\/b>(1): p. 255-264.<\/li>\n<li class=\"EndNoteBibliography\">Schwarzenberg, S.J. and M.K. Georgieff,\u00a0<i>Advocacy for Improving Nutrition in the First 1000 Days to Support Childhood Development and Adult Health.<\/i>\u00a0Pediatrics, 2018.\u00a0<b>141<\/b>(2).<\/li>\n<li class=\"EndNoteBibliography\">U.S. Department of Agriculture.\u00a0<i>FoodData Central SR Legacy \u2014 Egg, whole, raw, fresh<\/i>. 2019 April 1, 2019; Available from:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/fdc.nal.usda.gov\/fdc-app.html#\/food-details\/171287\/nutrients\">https:\/\/fdc.nal.usda.gov\/fdc-app.html#\/food-details\/171287\/nutrients<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li class=\"EndNoteBibliography\">Klatt, K.C., et al.,\u00a0<i>Prenatal choline supplementation improves biomarkers of maternal docosahexaenoic acid status among pregnant participants consuming supplemental DHA: a randomized controlled trial.\u00a0<\/i>Am J Clin Nutr, 2022.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways: \u201cBrain development is most rapid during the first 1,000 days, from conception to age 24 months, and adequate nutrition is critical for this process.&nbsp; Key nutrients include fat (particularly long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids\u2026), protein, iron, iodine, zinc, copper, choline, and the B vitamins.\u201d1&nbsp;While there is significant evidence demonstrating a positive impact of single [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":37346,"template":"","nutrition_article_tag":[33,28],"class_list":["post-37345","nutrition_article","type-nutrition_article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","nutrition_article_tag-cognition","nutrition_article_tag-nutrients-in-eggs"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - 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