Egg White Protein / Egg Protein for Muscle Gain
Egg white protein is a high-quality complete protein, but the evidence does not show that supplementing with it builds more muscle than other adequate protein sources. As long as you train and hit your total protein target, egg white powder offers no special muscle-gain advantage.
Why this grade7-layer evidence engine
This claim earns a C (weak evidence) because dedicated trials on egg white protein supplements are sparse and small. The only chronic supplement RCT, in older women (PMID 34730461, n=29), was underpowered and found no significant gain in muscle mass, only improved grip strength and protein intake. A 2026 systematic review pooling 1,938 adults (PMID 41978105) concluded the evidence is insufficient to support routine egg-derived protein for muscle gain in healthy adults, with the strongest signals confined to clinical populations such as dialysis patients.
The headline-grabbing finding that whole eggs trigger about 40% more post-exercise muscle protein synthesis than egg whites (van Vliet 2017, PMID 28978542; mTOR signaling, PMID 30133322) comes from the yolk's fat, so it cannot be extended to fat-free egg white powder. Crucially, a 12-week training RCT (PMID 32576297) found whole eggs and egg whites produced essentially identical muscle gains once total protein was matched, showing that the protein source itself is not the deciding factor.
Regulators and clinics reinforce the modest verdict rather than overturn it. The FDA classifies egg as a major allergen (so allergy sufferers must avoid it), and the WHO/FAO historically used egg only as a protein-quality reference, not as a supplement endorsement. Mayo Clinic notes that in adults aged 60 to 75 egg, whey, and plant proteins performed alike, and that resistance training, not extra protein powder, is the real driver of muscle growth.
Scoring transparency
All scores computed by a 7-layer evidence engine — fully auditable▸View the full decision path (audit trail)
- compute_raw_score — 加權公式: L2×0.30 + L3×0.25 + L5×0.25 + L11×0.10 + L1×0.10 = 0.501
- tier_from_score — 依分數區間映射至 tier letter
- apply_hec_rules — 無高階證據可裁決
- tier_strict_requirement_check — Tier 條件達標，未降階
- detect_disputes — 偵測到 0 個 hard + 1 個 soft dispute
- decide_status — 依 tier + dispute 結果決定 status