The Viral 700-Egg Experiment
In late 2024, a Harvard doctoral student named Nick Norwitz went viral for eating approximately 720 eggs over 30 days. The shocking outcome was that his LDL ('bad') cholesterol levels dropped by 18%, a result that defied conventional health wisdom. Norwitz's experiment, however, was conducted while he was also on a ketogenic diet, which could have significantly influenced the results. This individual-focused (N=1) study, while fascinating, should not be mistaken for a generalized recommendation or proof that such a diet is safe for the average person. His unique metabolic state and concurrent diet are crucial context for interpreting the outcome. The experiment highlights the complexity of dietary science and how individual responses can vary drastically.
The Unprecedented Nutritional Profile of a 700-Egg Diet
For perspective, a single large egg contains about 72 calories, 6.3 grams of protein, and 186 mg of cholesterol. Over 30 days, consuming 700 eggs (around 23 per day) would mean:
- Total Calories: Approximately 50,400 calories (1,680 per day). This number could be higher depending on preparation methods, which adds significant fat and calories (e.g., frying in butter).
- Total Protein: Roughly 4,410 grams of protein (147 grams per day). This far exceeds the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for most adults.
- Total Cholesterol: Around 130,200 mg (4,340 mg per day). This is a massive intake, despite Norwitz's peculiar results.
Immediate Health Consequences
Eating an average of 23 eggs per day is an enormous caloric and nutritional burden. Your body would likely react in several ways:
- Severe Digestive Distress: Consuming such a high volume of a single food, especially a concentrated protein and fat source, is highly likely to cause digestive problems. Symptoms like bloating, gas, stomach cramps, and diarrhea are common with excessive egg intake. The body is not designed to process such a monotonic diet.
- Calorie and Weight Gain: For most people, consuming 1,680 calories from eggs alone is a significant portion of their daily needs. If this is in addition to a normal diet, it would lead to substantial weight gain over the month.
- Risk of Salmonella: While not a guaranteed outcome, the risk of foodborne illness from contaminated eggs, such as Salmonella, increases with the volume consumed. While proper cooking reduces this risk, it's still a real concern when relying so heavily on one food source.
Longer-Term Metabolic and Organ Stress
Beyond the immediate discomfort, a sustained, extreme egg diet poses more serious long-term risks, even within a single month:
- Kidney Strain: The human body can handle high protein intake, but at extreme levels, it can place a heavy burden on the kidneys as they work to filter excess protein waste products.
- Nutrient Imbalances: An all-egg diet lacks dietary fiber and essential micronutrients like Vitamin C, crucial for immune function and overall health. The body also needs a variety of vitamins and minerals found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that would be absent.
- Varied Cholesterol Response: While Norwitz's cholesterol dropped, this is not a predictable outcome. As pointed out by Healthline, individual responses to dietary cholesterol vary widely based on genetics and overall diet. For many people, such an extreme intake could increase cholesterol and heart disease risk, especially if predisposed.
- TMAO Production: The choline in eggs can be converted by gut bacteria into Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a compound linked to an increased risk of heart disease in some studies. The immense choline intake from 700 eggs could drastically raise TMAO levels.
High Egg Intake vs. Balanced Diet: A Comparison
| Feature | Extreme Egg Diet (700 eggs/month) | Balanced, Healthy Diet (USDA Guidelines) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | Potentially excessive (1,680+ kcal from eggs alone) | Controlled and varied from multiple sources |
| Protein Source | Monosource (eggs), potentially leading to protein overdose | Diverse, including lean meats, fish, legumes, and nuts |
| Fiber | Negligible (eggs contain no fiber) | Rich in dietary fiber from fruits, vegetables, and grains |
| Micronutrients | Deficient in Vitamin C, high in others like choline | Comprehensive, from a wide variety of food types |
| Saturated Fat & Cholesterol | Extremely high intake | Moderate intake, monitored from diverse foods |
| Digestive Impact | Likely causes significant distress, bloating, gas, and diarrhea | Promotes healthy digestion and gut microbiome |
| Health Risks | Kidney strain, nutrient deficiency, digestive issues, potential heart disease risk depending on individual | Reduced risk of chronic diseases when followed long-term |
The Unavoidable Nutrient Imbalance
While eggs are undeniably a nutrient-dense food, they are not a complete one. The sheer volume required for a 700-egg month would displace all other essential food groups. A diet rich in variety provides a spectrum of macro and micronutrients that no single food can deliver. For example, the lack of fiber would negatively impact gut health, and the absence of Vitamin C could weaken the immune system. The body needs plant-based foods to function optimally. This experiment, and the individual's anecdotal outcome, should not overshadow the fundamental principles of balanced nutrition. The focus on a single metric like LDL cholesterol ignores the complex interplay of hundreds of other variables contributing to overall health.
What to Take Away from this Extreme Experiment
While the Norwitz experiment provided an intriguing data point for a unique metabolic profile on a specific diet, it does not mean that eating over 20 eggs a day is a sound health strategy. For the vast majority of people, this would be unsustainable, potentially dangerous, and nutritionally incomplete. Extreme dietary changes should always be approached with caution and ideally under the guidance of a healthcare professional. For those looking for a healthier approach to egg consumption, the Cleveland Clinic offers an excellent guide on moderate and safe consumption: Is It Safe To Eat Eggs Every Day?.
Conclusion: The Verdict is Clear
Attempting to eat 700 eggs in a month is an unwise and potentially harmful dietary undertaking. While an isolated, highly-controlled experiment yielded a surprising result, it's a testament to individual metabolic variation, not a justification for extreme eating. For the average person, such a challenge would likely lead to severe digestive discomfort, kidney strain, and a host of nutrient deficiencies due to the exclusion of other vital food groups. Healthy eating is about balance, moderation, and variety—principles that a 700-egg diet violates spectacularly.
