The Effects of Egg White Powder Supplementation on Emotional State, Body Composition, Muscle Strength, and Sleep Quality: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial
Keywords:
Egg white protein, Emotional status, Body composition, Body proportions, Sleep qualityAbstract
At present, people are increasingly paying attention to health care and choosing protein-based products, particularly egg white protein, which is easily accessible; however, evidence regarding the health effects of consuming egg white powder protein remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the effects of supplementation with egg white powder providing 12 and 24 grams of protein on changes in body composition and proportions, mood status, sleep quality, and quality of life. This study was designed as a randomized controlled trial initially enrolling 73 participants aged 20–50 years who had no malnutrition or severe obesity and were not using medications affecting mood or sleep. Participants were divided into three groups: 1) a control group (icing sugar) (n = 23), 2) a 12-g egg white protein group (n = 26), and 3) a 24-g egg white protein group (n = 24), and consumed the assigned supplement once daily by mixing it with 200–400 mL of room-temperature water before the first meal of the day for four weeks. The results showed that 69 participants completed the study. Egg white protein supplementation significantly increased muscle mass (p 0.050) and metabolic rate; (p 0.019) additionally, waist and hip circumferences (p 0.028 and 0.035 respectively) as well as blood pressure (p 0.018) significantly decreased. Moreover, anxiety (p 0.017) and stress levels (p 0.010) were significantly reduced, and sleep quality (p 0.006) was significantly improved compared with the control group.
References
Vogtschmidt YD, et al. Effects of higher compared to lower protein diets on weight loss, fat mass loss, systolic blood pressure, some lipid outcomes and insulin. Atherosclerosis. 2021;328:124-35. doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2021.05.011
LaPelusa A, Kaushik R. Physiology, proteins. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555990/
สำนักโภชนาการ กรมอนามัย กระทรวงสาธารณสุข. ปริมาณสารอาหารอ้างอิงที่ควรได้รับประจำวันสำหรับคนไทย พ.ศ. 2563. กรุงเทพมหานคร: เอวี โปรเกรสซีฟ; 2563.
Lombardo M, et al. Gender differences in protein consumption and body composition. Food. 2025;14(5):887. doi:10.3390/foods10450887
Zhang C, Xu Y, Li W, Wu Q, Hou B, Li Q, Zhang B. Impact of protein consumption on sleep problems: insights from NHANES data. J Clin Basic Psychosom. 2025;3(1):59-67. doi:10.36922/jcpb.4148
Markus CR, et al. Chronic treatment with a tryptophan-rich protein hydrolysate improves emotional processing, mental energy levels and reaction time in middle-aged women. Br J Nutr.2015;113(2):350-65. doi:10.1017/S0007114514003754
Schaafsma A, Mallee L, van den Belt M, Floris E, Kortman G, Veldman J, et al. The effect of a whey-protein and galacto-oligosaccharides based product on parameters of sleep quality, stress, and gut microbiota in apparently healthy adults with moderate sleep disturbances: a randomized controlled cross-over study. Nutrients. 2021;13(7):2204. doi:10.3390/nu13072204
Lutze J, Taylor P, Brinkworth GD, Wyld B, Syrette J, Wilson CJ, et al. Psychological well-being response to high protein and high carbohydrate weight loss diets in overweight and obese men: A randomised trial. e-SPEN J. 2013 Dec;8(6):e235-e40. doi: 10.1016/j.clnme.2013.08.002.
Sutanto CN, Loh WW, Toh DWK, Lee DPS, Kim JE. Association between dietary protein intake and sleep quality in middle-aged and older adults in Singapore. Front Nutr. 2022 Mar 9;9:832341. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.832341.
Sheikhi A, Siassi F, Djazayery A, Guilani B, Azadbakht L. Plant and animal protein intake and its association with depression, anxiety, and stress among Iranian women. BMC Public Health. 2023 Jan 24;23(1):161. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-15100-4.
Forootani B, Sasanfar B, Salehi-Abargouei A, Mirzaei M. The association between plant and animal protein intake with depression, anxiety, and stress. Nutr Neurosci. 2025 Mar;28(3):370-383. doi: 10.1080/1028415X.2024.2372194.
Wolfe AR, Arroyo C, Tedders SH, Li Y, Dai Q, Zhang J. Dietary protein and protein-rich food in relation to severely depressed mood: A 10 year follow-up of a national cohort. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2011 Jan 15;35(1):232-8. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2010.11.011.
Yamamoto T, Juneja LR, Hatta H, Kim M, editors. Hen eggs: basic and applied science. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press; 1996. p.13-24.
Friedman M. Nutritional value of proteins from different food sources: a review. J Agric Food Chem. 1996;44(1):6-29. doi: 10.1021/jf9400167.
International Food Information Council. 2024 IFIC food and health survey [Internet]. Washington (DC): International Food Information Council; 2024 [cited 2025 Dec 25]. Available from: https://www.ific.org
Mordor Intelligence. Egg protein market – size, share, trends and industry analysis (2025–2030). Hyderabad: Mordor Intelligence; 2025 [cited 2025 Dec 25]. Available from: https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/egg-protein-market
Oe M, Sakamoto H, Nishiyama H, Sasahara R, Masuda Y, Adachi M, et al. Egg white hydrolyzate reduces mental fatigue: randomized, double-blind, controlled study. BMC Res Notes. 2020;13(1):443. doi: 10.1186/s13104-020-05288-8.
Antony MM, Bieling PJ, Cox BJ, Enns MW, Swinson RP. Psychometric properties of the 42-item and 21-item versions of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales. Psychol Assess. 1998;10(2):176-81. doi: 10.1037/1040-3590.10.2.176
Buysse DJ, Reynolds CF, Monk TH, Berman SR, Kupfer DJ. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index: a new instrument for psychiatric practice and research. Psychiatry Res. 1989;28(2):193-213. doi: 10.1016/0165-1781(89)90047-4.
Mollayeva T, Thurairajah P, Burton K, Mollayeva S, Shapiro CM, Colantonio A. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index as a screening tool: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Med Rev. 2016;25:52-73. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2015.01.009.
Thitiphon. กินหวานมากไปส่งผลอะไรกับร่างกายบ้าง [Internet]. สมาคมเครือข่ายโรคไม่ติดต่อไทย; 2565 [cited 2025 Dec 12]. Available from: https://www.thaihealth.or.th/
Endy EJ, Yi SY, Steffen BT, Shikany JM, Jacobs DR, Goins RK, et al. Added sugar intake is associated with weight gain and risk of developing obesity over 30 years: the CARDIA study. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2024;34(2):466-74. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2023.10.022.
Santesso N, Akl EA, Bianchi M, Mente A, Mustafa R, Heels-Ansdell D, et al. Effects of higher- versus lower-protein diets on health outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2012;66:780-88. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2012.37.
Weinert DJ. Nutrition and muscle protein synthesis: a descriptive review. J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2009;53(3):186-93. PMCID: PMC2732256.
Koopman R, Saris WHM, Wagenmakers AJM, Van Loon LJC. Nutritional interventions to promote post-exercise muscle protein synthesis. Sports Med. 2007;37(10):895-905. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200737100-00005.
MacLean PS, Zheng D, Dohm GL. Muscle glucose transporter (GLUT4) gene expression during exercise. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2000;28(4):148-52.
Pavlou KN, Hoefer MA, Blackburn GL. Resting energy expenditure in moderate obesity: predicting velocity of weight loss. Ann Surg. 1986;203(2):136-41. doi: 10.1097/00000658-198602000-00005.
Appel LJ. The effects of protein intake on blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Curr Opin Lipidol. 2003;14(1):55-9. doi: 10.1097/00041433-200302000-00010.
Tark JY, Li R, Yu B, Wood AC, Padhye NS, de Oliveira Otto MC, et al. Dietary intake of protein by food source and incident hypertension among diverse US adults: the MESA study. J Am Heart Assoc. 2025;14(10):e037813. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.124.037813.
Vasdev S, Stuckless J. Antihypertensive effects of dietary protein and its mechanism. Int J Angiol. 2010;19(1):e7-e20. doi: 10.1055/s-0031-1278362.
Chen K, Pittman RN, Popel AS. Nitric oxide in the vasculature: where does it come from and where does it go? A quantitative perspective. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2008 Jul;10(7):1185-98. doi: 10.1089/ars.2007.1959.
Sanlier N, Sabuncular G. Relationship between nutrition and sleep quality, focusing on the melatonin biosynthesis. Sleep Biol Rhythms. 2020 Feb;18(1):1-12. doi: 10.1007/s41105-020-00256-y.
Paredes SD, Barriga C, Reiter RJ, Rodriguez AB. Assessment of the potential role of tryptophan as the precursor of serotonin and melatonin for the aged sleep-wake cycle and immune function. Int J Tryptophan Res. 2009;2:23-36. doi: 10.4137/ijtr.s1129
Matenchuk BA, Mandhane PJ, Kozyrskyj AL. Sleep, circadian rhythm, and gut microbiota. Sleep Med Rev. 2020;53:101340. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2020.101340.
Keijzer H, Snitselaar MA, Smits MG, Spruyt K, Zee PC, Ehrhart F, et al. Precision medicine in circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders: current state and future perspectives. Per Med. 2017;14:171-82. doi: 10.2217/pme-2016-0079.
Sutanto CN, Loh WW, Kim JE. The impact of tryptophan supplementation on sleep quality: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression. Nutr Rev. 2022;80(2):306-316. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuab027.
Koochakpoor G, Salari-Moghaddam A, Hassanzadeh Keshteli A, Afshar H, Esmaillzadeh A, Adibi P. Dietary intake of branched-chain amino acids in relation to depression, anxiety and psychological distress. Nutr J. 2021;20:11. doi: 10.1186/s12937-021-00670-z.
Wong PTH, Ong YP. Acute antidepressant-like and antianxiety-like effects of tryptophan in mice. Pharmacology. 2001;62(3):151-6. doi: 10.1159/000056088.
Berger M, Gray JA, Roth BL. The expanded biology of serotonin. Annu Rev Med. 2009;60:355-66. doi: 10.1146/annurev.med.60.042307.110802.
Aquili L. The role of tryptophan and tyrosine in executive function and reward processing. Int J Tryptophan Res. 2020;13:1178646920964825. doi: 10.1177/1178646920964825.
Firk C, Markus CR. Mood and cortisol responses following tryptophan-rich hydrolyzed protein and acute stress in healthy subjects. Clin Nutr. 2009;28(3):266-71. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2009.03.002.
Dinan TG. Serotonin and the regulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function. Life Sci. 1996;58(20):1683-94. doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(96)00066-5.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Upon acceptance of an article, copyright is belonging to the Nutrition Association of Thailand.