Why whole eggs might build muscle better than just egg whites
Consumption of whole eggs promotes greater stimulation of postexercise muscle protein synthesis than consumption of isonitrogenous amounts of egg whites in young men
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Whole eggs boosted muscle synthesis despite slower leucine release and no difference in total leucine availability or anabolic signaling pathways.
Scientists expected faster leucine delivery (from egg whites) to trigger stronger muscle growth. Instead, the yolk’s fat and micronutrients enhanced synthesis without changing the known signaling pathways.
Practical Takeaways
After resistance training, choose whole eggs over egg whites if you want to maximize muscle protein synthesis—even if you're counting protein grams.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Whole eggs boosted muscle synthesis despite slower leucine release and no difference in total leucine availability or anabolic signaling pathways.
Scientists expected faster leucine delivery (from egg whites) to trigger stronger muscle growth. Instead, the yolk’s fat and micronutrients enhanced synthesis without changing the known signaling pathways.
Practical Takeaways
After resistance training, choose whole eggs over egg whites if you want to maximize muscle protein synthesis—even if you're counting protein grams.
Publication
Journal
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Year
2017
Authors
Stephan van Vliet, Evan L Shy, Sidney Abou Sawan, Joseph W Beals, Daniel WD West, Sarah K Skinner, Alexander V Ulanov, Zhong Li, Scott A Paluska, Carl M Parsons, Daniel R Moore, Nicholas A Burd
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Claims (2)
Eating eggs may help your muscles grow better by boosting the raw materials your body uses to build muscle and slowing down muscle breakdown.
If you're a young man who lifts weights, eating whole eggs after your workout helps your muscles grow a little more than eating just the egg whites — even if both have the same amount of protein. The fat and other nutrients in the yolk might be giving your muscles an extra boost.