Cure My Disease

Don't miss your cure!

 Log in / Sign up

Eggs vs. pills: which choline source is safer for your heart?

NCT ID NCT03039023

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: The Cleveland Clinic Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jul 14, 2026 · Updated 3 times

Summary

This study looked at how choline from eggs or supplements affects levels of TMAO, a compound linked to higher heart disease risk. Researchers gave 86 healthy adults either whole eggs, egg whites, choline supplements, or phosphatidylcholine capsules for 28 days. The goal was to see if the source of choline changes TMAO levels differently.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Choline (from eggs or supplements)
What this could lead to
If successful, this study could clarify whether dietary sources of choline (like eggs) are safer than supplements regarding heart disease risk.
What could go wrong
This is a small, completed observational study, not a treatment trial. Results may not apply to everyone, and it does not test any new therapy.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

86 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Sep 2016

Finished

Sep 2020

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Men and women age 18 years or above. * Willing to remain on aspirin or stay off aspirin or aspirin products for 1 week prior to starting the study and throughout the study period. * Able to provide informed consent and comply with study protocol. * Able to be off all other supplements during the study period. Exclusion Criteria: * Significant chronic illness. * Active infection or received antibiotics within 1 month of study enrollment. * Use of over-the-counter probiotic within the past month * Chronic gastrointestinal disorders, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. * Allergy to eggs or lactose. * Having undergone bariatric procedures or surgeries such as gastric banding or bypass. * Pregnancy. * Any condition that, in the judgment of the Investigator, would place a patient at undue risk by being enrolled in the trial or cause inability to comply with the trial.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Cardiovascular risk factor are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Cardiovascular risk factor

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Cleveland Clinic Foundation

    Cleveland, Ohio, 44195, United States

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.