Bodybuilding has always had its rituals. Some are useful. Some are harmless. Some survive purely because they look hardcore.
Drinking raw eggs sits firmly in that last category.
This article cuts through the mythology and explains where the idea came from, why it stuck around, and why it no longer makes sense for anyone training with intent.
Where the raw egg myth came from
Raw eggs entered bodybuilding culture long before we had:
- Reliable nutrition science
- Protein powders
- Modern food safety standards
Early bodybuilders used what was cheap and available. Eggs were dense, affordable, and easy to consume in large quantities. Over time, this became identity while being reinforced by pop culture without todays performance data.
What mattered then was access. What matters now is absorption and recovery.
Protein usage; the part that actually matters
Muscle growth depends on digestible, bioavailable amino acids, not what you consume on paper.
Human studies show:
- Raw egg protein digestibility ≈ 51%
- Cooked egg protein digestibility ≈ 91%
Cooking denatures egg proteins, making them easier to digest and absorb.
This is not marginal. It is a near-doubling of usable protein.
Sources:
- Evenepoel et al., Journal of Nutrition
https://jn.nutrition.org/article/S0022-3166(23)01855-2/fulltext - Van Vliet et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/98/3/749/4577173
Amino acid availability after exercise
Beyond digestion, cooked eggs deliver greater post exercise amino acid availability, which is what actually drives muscle protein synthesis.
Raw eggs underperform in this context.
Source:
- Van Vliet et al., 2018
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9644172/
The biotin problem (quiet but real)
Raw egg whites contain avidin, a protein that binds biotin, also known as vitamin B7, and prevents absorption.
Chronic, high consumption of raw egg whites can cause biotin deficiency, affecting:
- Energy metabolism
- Skin and hair health
- Neuromuscular function
Cooking alters the qualities of avidin and eliminates this problem entirely.
Sources:
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements – Biotin
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Biotin-HealthProfessional/ - ScienceDirect – Biotin deficiency overview
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/biotin-deficiency
Hormones and the old school testosterone myth
Eggs can support hormonal health as part of a sufficient diet, but there is no evidence that consuming eggs raw improves testosterone or anabolic hormones compared to cooked eggs.
Hormonal outcomes are driven by:
- Total energy intake
- Dietary fat adequacy
- Sleep
- Training stress
- Recovery
Not food theatrics.
Supporting context:
- Dietary cholesterol and testosterone review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24435434/
Food safety risk but without the reward
Raw and undercooked eggs can carry Salmonella enteritidis.
UK Spec
British Lion marked eggs come from vaccinated flocks.
UK guidance allows Lion eggs to be eaten raw or runny.
Risk is reduced, not eliminated.
But we don’t want the risk of an illness that can derail training and recovery.
Sources:
- UK Egg Information Service (Lion Code)
https://www.egginfo.co.uk/egg-safety - Food Standards Agency
https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/eggs - FoodSafety.gov (general guidance)
https://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/salmonella-and-eggs
Why some lifters still do it
Not because it works better but because:
- It feels hardcore
- that haven’t read this article
- They saw Arny or Rocky do it
- Passed down culture and belief
The Constancy Code doesn’t reward appearances. It rewards repeatable behaviour that compounds.
The Constancy Code position
If you care about:
- Muscle gain
- Recovery
- Long-term consistency
Then cooked eggs win every time.
Not because they work.
Practical takeaway
Cook your eggs.
Eat them consistently.
Focus on what compounds over months, not what looks tough for five seconds.
Discipline isn’t doing the dramatic thing. It’s doing the effective thing.