Ingesting Raw Eggs To Support Muscle Reconditioning: Did Rocky Get It Right Or Wrong?
Fuchs, Cas J. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise: August 2021 - Volume 53 - Issue 8S - p 270
Protein is ingested during recovery from exercise to stimulate post-exercise muscle protein synthesis and, as such, to support muscle conditioning during exercise training. In the movie Rocky, Rocky Balboa ingested several raw eggs prior to his workout. However, previous research has suggested that raw eggs are not as effectively digested and absorbed when compared with boiled eggs, which would make them less appropriate to stimulate muscle protein synthesis.
PURPOSE: To compare postprandial muscle protein synthesis rates after the ingestion of raw versus boiled eggs during recovery from exercise.
METHODS: In a parallel study design, forty-five healthy, resistance trained young men (age: 24 ± 3 y) were randomly assigned to ingest 5 raw eggs (~30 g protein), 5 boiled eggs (~30 g protein), or a control breakfast (~5 g protein) during recovery from a single session of whole-body resistance type exercise (at t = 0 h). Primed continuous L-[ring-13C6]-phenylalanine infusions were applied, with frequent collection of blood samples. Muscle biopsies were collected immediately after cessation of exercise (before food intake) and after 2 and 5 h of post-exercise recovery. Data are expressed as means±SD.
RESULTS: Ingestion of eggs strongly increased plasma essential amino acid concentrations, with greater increases following ingestion of boiled compared with raw eggs (P < 0.001). Muscle protein synthesis rates were significantly increased during the post-exercise period when compared with basal, post-absorptive values in all groups (P < 0.001). Over the entire postprandial period, muscle protein synthesis rates were ~ 20% higher after ingesting raw eggs (0.067 ± 0.021%·h-1; effect size (Cohen’s d): 0.63), and ~ 18% higher after ingesting boiled eggs (0.065 ± 0.014%·h-1; effect size (Cohen’s d): 0.69) when compared to the control breakfast (0.056 ± 0.014%·h-1), with no significant differences between groups (time X treatment interaction: P = 0.077).
CONCLUSIONS: The ingestion of 5 boiled eggs increases plasma essential amino acid concentrations to a greater extent than the ingestion of 5 raw eggs. However, post-exercise muscle protein synthesis rates do not differ after the ingestion of 5 raw or boiled eggs. Clearly, Rocky did not compromise the muscle conditioning response by not boiling his eggs.