QUICK SCIENCE
Recent study shows eating whole eggs post-exercise builds greater strength
The cholesterol content of yolks, plus a significant portion of the egg’s protein content within the whites, means maximising muscular strengths without cholesterol gains comes via ingesting the whites only. That’s conventional wisdom. But like new evidence that dietary cholesterol doesn’t translate into higher blood cholesterol levels, recent research by Dr Nicholas Burd from the University of Illinois disputes this white-only bias. Burd and his team compared the rate of muscle protein synthesis in 10 males who resistance trained. The men performed maximal leg press and leg extensions, and immediately consumed three whole eggs or an equivalent amount of protein from egg whites. The result? A greater repair and growth response from the whole eggs, meaning greater gains and, in tri terms, greater strength to build stamina and speed. Burd suggests that the ‘non-protein’ factor that regulated muscle growth could be down to the lipids, phospholipids or cholesterol swimming in the egg yolk. In short, something in the fats amplifies the synthesis signalling for greater muscle gains.