Raw Eggs To Support Postexercise Recovery in Healthy Young Men: Did Rocky Get It Right or Wrong?
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized controlled trial
PubMed 36774104 · doi:10.1093/jn/nxac174
What was done
45 healthy, resistance-trained young men (mean age 24 years) were randomly assigned to consume 5 raw eggs (~30 g protein), 5 boiled eggs (~30 g protein), or a control breakfast (~5 g protein) after a single session of whole-body resistance exercise. Researchers used primed continuous L-[ring-13C6]-phenylalanine infusions, frequent blood sampling, and muscle biopsies immediately post-exercise and at 2 and 5 hours post-exercise to measure myofibrillar protein synthesis rates and plasma amino acid concentrations.
What was found
Peak plasma essential amino acid (EAA) concentrations were 20% higher after boiled compared with raw egg ingestion (time × group: P < 0.001). Postprandial myofibrillar protein synthesis rates were 0.067%/h (95% CI: 0.056, 0.077%/h; Cohen d = 0.63) for raw eggs, 0.065%/h (95% CI: 0.058, 0.073%/h; Cohen d = 0.69) for boiled eggs, and 0.056%/h (95% CI: 0.048, 0.063%/h) for control, with no statistically significant differences between groups (time × group: P = 0.077), despite all groups showing a 2- to 4-fold increase over basal values (P < 0.001).
Why it matters
Although boiling eggs increases peak postprandial circulating essential amino acid concentrations compared with raw eggs, both forms stimulate postexercise muscle protein synthesis to an equivalent degree in young men.
Limits
The study tested only an acute 5-hour recovery window following a single workout, rather than long-term muscle growth or adaptation. Findings in healthy young resistance-trained men may not generalize to women, older adults, or clinical populations.
Cited by
- supports Boiling or cooking eggs denatures the protein and leads to faster release of amino acids into the circulation compared to consuming raw eggs.