Whole Egg Vs. Egg White Ingestion During 12 weeks of Resistance Training in Trained Young Males: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized controlled trial
PubMed 33306586 · doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000003922
What was done
Thirty resistance-trained young men completed a 12-week undulating periodized resistance training program (3 sessions per week) and were randomized to consume either 3 whole eggs (WER, n = 15) or an isonitrogenous equivalent of 6 egg whites (ERT, n = 15) immediately following training. Outcomes assessed before and after the intervention included knee extensor muscle mass and cross-sectional area (computed tomography), lean body mass and body fat percentage (bioelectrical impedance), knee extension and handgrip strength, anaerobic power (Wingate cycle ergometer test), and serum hormone levels.
What was found
The abstract reports significant group-by-time interactions favoring whole eggs for body fat percentage reduction and increases in serum testosterone, knee extension strength, and handgrip strength, though specific numerical values and effect sizes are not reported. Both groups showed significant main effects of time (p < 0.05) for knee extensor muscle mass, cross-sectional area, lean body mass, anaerobic power, and all other blood hormones. There was a trend (p = 0.06) for greater lean mass gains with whole eggs, but no statistically significant between-group differences in muscle mass.
Why it matters
This trial suggests that whole-food protein sources with intact nutrient matrices may provide superior strength, hormonal, and fat-loss adaptations compared to isolated egg white protein during resistance training.
Limits
The study had a small sample size (n = 30) restricted to young resistance-trained males. The egg white and whole egg conditions were isonitrogenous but not isocaloric, so additional dietary energy and fat in the whole egg group may confound the results. Body composition was assessed using bioelectrical impedance rather than dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and the abstract omits exact point estimates and background diet details.
Cited by
- partial A study co-authored by Andy Galpin found that consuming whole eggs resulted in greater increases in muscle mass and strength compared to consuming isonitrogenous and isocaloric egg white powder during resistance training.