Investigation of Egg Intake and the Relationship Between Gut Microbiome, Metabolic, and Immune Profiles

The purpose of this intervention study is to investigate the effects of daily egg intake on markers of gut health, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), metabolic, and immune cell profiles in adults with body mass indexes (BMI) in normal and obesity ranges. This study further aims to determine whether egg effects are associated with baseline gut microbiome profiles, and whether egg effects are different between males and females and by BMI status. The study will address the following objectives: Objective 1: Evaluate the effects of daily egg white vs. whole egg intake on gut health, microbiome, and metabolome profiles. Objective 2: Evaluate the effects of daily egg white vs. whole egg intake on HDL composition and function. Objective 3: Evaluate the effects of daily egg white vs. whole egg intake on immune profiles and function in culture (ex vivo). Participants will be asked to consume egg whites and whole eggs on a daily basis for 4-weeks each, and avoid eating eggs for a total of 8 weeks at different points in the study. Participants will be asked to complete surveys about dietary intake and physical activity, as well as provide blood and stool samples throughout the course of the study.