View Full Version : What happens to incomplete protein?

04-06-2001, 06:11 AM
This has always bugged me.

People say only count complete sources of protein.

So what the hell does the body do with the incomplete ones?

Thanks people.

04-06-2001, 06:27 AM
Incomplete= doesn't have all the "essential" aminos.

Uses the amino acids that it can; gets the ones the protein DOESN'T have from other sources....


04-06-2001, 06:32 AM
So you are saying that the body holds on to the amino acids until it has a complete source to use?

I didn't think the body could store aminos or protein as anything other than muscle.

04-06-2001, 06:39 AM
Well, no, the body doesn't require all eight essential aminos for every single protein it synthesizes; 'sides, aminos can be stored free-floating in cells for quite some time; generally, if you eat several incomplete proteins in a day you'll do just fine...

That's my understanding.

04-06-2001, 07:54 AM
Yes, I believe that is correct.

Imcomplete = Doesn't have all the essential amino acids IN THE PROPORTION YOUR BODY NEEDS THEM.

All amino acids are basically molecular structures of the same basic building blocks. The body can take excess of one amino acid and turn it into another quite easily with the exception of 8 which are therefore deemed essential.

Out of these 8, 6 are abundant in all protein sources so it really comes down to having enough of the remaining 2, Lysine and Methionine.

If these are sufficient then any excess of one or the other will probably be utilized to form a different amino acid that may be in deficit.

The total essential amino acid requirements of the average person amount to 6 grams of protein per day, none of the essential amino acids are involved in muscle building.

I'm not sure how long an excess amino acid molecule can stay around but most sources say that as long as your day is balanced, you should be fine. This may not be ideal for a bodybuilder, however.

For the same reasons it is better to have small balanced meals throughout the day, it would be better (but not necessary) to have balanced proteins throughout the day as opposed to all in the evening or all in the morning.

Protein combing has its merits but is highly over rated IMHO. If you are getting 6 protein servings per day then you would likely have more than enough essential amino acids and the excess would probably be used to form non-essential ones.

04-06-2001, 08:18 AM
Excellent hemants, that's just what i was after.

04-06-2001, 09:35 AM
err... yeah. You took the words right outta my mouth. ;)

Big Worm
04-06-2001, 02:20 PM
I'm gonna have to disagree on this one. In order to synthesize proteins a cell must have all the amino acids it needs available SIMULTANEOUSLY. If an essental amino acid(one that the liver can't produce) is missing a cell must dismantle its own proteins to obtain it. The body makes whole proteins only. If one amino acid is missing the others cannot form a partial protein. THE BODY HAS NO STORAGE SITE FOR EXTRA AMINO ACIDS and is forced to either waste them or use them for another purpose.(Source;Whitney and Rowles, Understanding Nutrition)

So I try to make all my protein sources complete or I combine various incomplete sources to supply all nine essential amino acids at each meal(For example combining legumes and grains at the came meal will yield a complete amino acid profile)

04-06-2001, 02:48 PM
Yes, but not all proteins need all aminos, and not all aminos are flushed out of the body as soon as they're consumed. True, in the complete absence of any of the eight essentials, the body could not produce certain proteins (the other aminos would be synthesized), but there are enough free-floating aminos in the GI tract, bloodstream, and cells to last for quite some time; perhaps not optimally, but sufficiently.

Big Worm
04-06-2001, 03:38 PM
After thinking about it a little, I see what you mean. The free amino acid pool in your body is certainly big enough so that one meal of incomplete protein will do little harm. I guess I just don't like to take any chances.

04-07-2001, 12:51 AM
They hide in alleyways, waiting for old vulnerable ladies to walk by..then POW!

Keep away from those incomplete proteins, thats what my mother told me.