VIDEO What happens if you eat 24 eggs daily? A Harvard researcher did the experiment for a month
Fried eggs for breakfast. PHOTO: © Woldee | Dreamstime.com
How many eggs are too many? A Harvard scientist dared to perform an extreme experiment on himself, and the results are completely unexpected.
Harvard researcher Nick Norwitz has been researching nutrition for years. In 2021, he obtained his PhD from the University of Oxford in the field of metabolism. He focuses on cholesterol and the effects of the ketogenic diet—a very low-carb, high-fat diet. And now he has reached the center of attention with an unusual experiment, on his own body. The scientist posted a clip on his YouTube channel titled: “I ate 720 eggs in one month. This is what happened to my cholesterol level,” Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung writes.
720 eggs in one month
Nick Norwitz ate 24 eggs a day for a month—the equivalent of an estimated 133,200 milligrams of cholesterol in just 30 days.
The results, however, contradict the usual assumptions: according to the researcher, his cholesterol level remained unchanged, despite a more than fivefold increase in dietary cholesterol. That's exactly what the Harvard scientist was aiming for: in the YouTube clip, he explains that eggs are mistakenly considered an unhealthy cholesterol bomb.
Surprising result: “LDL cholesterol level actually decreased”
Why do eggs and cholesterol get such a bad rap? According to Norwitz, cholesterol is essential to the body: it is an important component of cell membranes and plays a central role in many metabolic processes. A healthy person has about 140 grams of cholesterol in the body. But too high a level can lead to problems, as excess cholesterol can build up in the arteries, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and strokes.
In his experiment, the researcher was particularly interested in LDL cholesterol, often referred to as “bad” cholesterol.
The results amazed him: “My LDL cholesterol actually dropped two percent in the first two weeks and then another 18 percent in the next two weeks.”
The interaction between LDL and HDL (“good cholesterol”) is crucial, according to Norwitz: Although LDL is considered the “bad” cholesterol because it can promote plaque build-up in the arteries, it also has important functions, such as tissue repair. HDL, on the other hand, removes excess LDL from the arteries and helps break down lipids in the blood. A higher LDL level can also promote muscle mass growth – cholesterol is therefore more complex than its reputation suggests.
Studies confirm the result
Modern research seems to confirm the Harvard researcher's hypotheses: experts now agree that choosing and following a diet has only a minor influence on cholesterol levels.
According to the German magazine Focus, genetic factors are much more important.
For example, LDL receptors in the liver play a central role in regulating blood cholesterol levels.
Fried eggs for breakfast. PHOTO: © Woldee | Dreamstime.com
