From: lmiller@heineken.tuc.nrao.edu (Luther Miller)
Subject: Re: To EKP Re:  AA-->fat?
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Tucson Az.
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 14:48:29 GMT

In article <1992Aug12.180647.18455@mcnc.org> ekp@mcnc.org (Edward Pavelchek) writes:
>In article <1992Aug11.234651.13107@nrao.edu> lmiller@heineken.tuc.nrao.edu (Luther Miller) writes:
>>What is recommended is lower than what athletes involved in gaining muscle
>>mass need.
>
>I don't know how much protein a pregnant, nursing professional football
>player needs during summer camp, with full contact workouts and double
>daily weight sessions.  But the average American is not an athlete 
>gaining muscle mass.  Most athletes aren't gaining muscle mass.
>What critiques do you have of the method used to determine protein RDA?

I agree, most aren't, but if that is your goal, as it is mine, then this comes
into play.

>>The average american eats lots of meat,
>>most of which is probably during two meals a day- lunch and dinner. Your
>>body will only digest 20-30g of protein at one meal.
>
>Weren't you asked to substantiate this absurd claim before?  When I
>am on the expense account, and wolf down a prime rib at the Angus Barn,
>you say 3/4 of it is never digested, just evacuated?  As you note, many of
>us eat only 2 protein meals a day, so that *if* no more than 30g was
>digested, then we would be shrinking, or the RDA is *higher* than it
>needs be.

Yep- I apologize for not having the names/authors of the books I read this in.
My ex-roommate (a long distance runner who took a nutrition course in his
senior year) learned that you only digest about 25 g of protein as protein at
a meal. Also, two books I read while I was in a grocery store basically said
the same thing (one said that for the average sized person its 20g, and get up
to 30g, and with enzyme supplements you can add about 5 g to your norm). I
disn't buy the books, thats why I don't have their names. Maybe I'll go back.

>[If I was trying to put on muscle, I'd be sure to take plenty of
>protein.  But don't go preaching it without backing it up.
>Isn't there at least one BIG vegetarian out there?]

I am vegetarian, and for a long time I had trouble breaking a plateau in my
weight training. I decided I might not be getting enough protein, so I have
been taking supplements over the last 4-6 weeks. Too early to tell for sure,
but I think its helping.

>-- 
>And if your hand or foot offend you,         Ed Pavelchek   ekp@mcnc.org
>  Cut it off, lad, and be whole;
>But play the man, stand up and end you,
>  When your sickness is your soul.           AE Housman

Let me also add that I don't think the average person needs much protein--
this is an unsubstantiated claim, however. I have heard (not read!) that the
RDA's determination on the amount of protein one needs is based on studies
by the meat and dairy association involving rats-- animals which allegedly
need more than 100 times more protein than people.. (per body weight).
But like I said, I haven't _read_ this anywhere, just heard it. Check out
a CD called _Friendly Fascism_ by Consolidated. There is a song on there that
basically says this same thing.

Considering the other info in this post, I'll try and make way back to the
store that had the books I got my other info from in order to post the
references.

Luther