Carbohydrate restriction (with or without additional dietary cholesterol provided by eggs) reduces insulin resistance and plasma leptin without modifying appetite hormones in adult men.

Carbohydrate-restricted diets (CRDs) have been shown to reduce body weight, whereas whole egg intake has been associated with increased satiety. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of additional dietary cholesterol and protein provided by whole eggs while following a CRD on insulin resistance and appetite hormones. Using a randomized blind parallel design, subjects were allocated to an egg (640 mg/d additional dietary cholesterol) or placebo (0 mg/d additional dietary cholesterol) group for 12 weeks while following a CRD. There were significant reductions in fasting insulin (P < .025) and fasting leptin concentrations (P < .01) for both groups, which were correlated with the reductions in body weight and body fat (P < .05 and P < .01, respectively). Both groups reduced insulin resistance as measured by the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (P < .025). There was a significant decrease in serum glucose levels observed after the intervention. We did not observe the expected increases in plasma ghrelin levels associated with weight loss, suggesting a mechanism by which subjects do not increase appetite with CRD. To confirm these results, the subjective measures of satiety using visual analog scale showed that both groups felt more "full" (P < .05), "satisfied" (P < .001), and "wanted to eat less" (P < .001) after the intervention. These results indicate that inclusion of eggs in the diet (additional dietary cholesterol) did not modify the multiple beneficial effects of CRD on insulin resistance and appetite hormones.