Grass, Cows and Horses?

[quote]Gregus wrote:
My question is more along the lines of how does a living organism of sufficient complexity take something like a carbhydrate and convert it into an amino acid.

To my knowlegde this is impossible.

Theoretically those animals should not be able to gain lean tissue at the rate that they do with teir diets being as devoid of portein as they are according to the fact that currently we believe that only the protein molecule can be converted into a fat or carbohydrate via gluceogenesis sp? But never can a carb become an aminoacid. But looking at the animals and people in Prison it seems like the body will respond like it’s programmed to respond to any stimulus given the minnium nutritional requirements. No overabundance is needed.[/quote]

Well then try out a little science experiment on yourself, Mr. Wizard - try out that 0.8 grams per kilo and see how that works out for ya. When I am taking in less than 1 g per lb of bodyweight, my physique, energy and workouts suffer mightily. So if you are so convinced that the supplement industry thing is such a load of nonsense, try it yourself and let us know your results.

Personally, I think your workouts will not get you anywhere near the physique you want and your workouts will tank.

And as the other posters pointed out, comparing us to animals is not at all the same (and who said prison inmates don’t eat protein?)

Kuz

In all seriousness, ruminant metabolism is alot different then people. Regretably, it is an area I am woefully ignorant in. Too much signle minded emphasis in people…

If you are genuine in wanting to know why cows get big on roughage and we don’t, pick up a copy of Morrison’s Feeds and Feeding and pick up a text book in animal physiology.

Maybe a veterinarian on the board will add some on this…

[quote]Kuz wrote:
Gregus wrote:
My question is more along the lines of how does a living organism of sufficient complexity take something like a carbhydrate and convert it into an amino acid.

To my knowlegde this is impossible.

Theoretically those animals should not be able to gain lean tissue at the rate that they do with teir diets being as devoid of portein as they are according to the fact that currently we believe that only the protein molecule can be converted into a fat or carbohydrate via gluceogenesis sp? But never can a carb become an aminoacid. But looking at the animals and people in Prison it seems like the body will respond like it’s programmed to respond to any stimulus given the minnium nutritional requirements. No overabundance is needed.

Well then try out a little science experiment on yourself, Mr. Wizard - try out that 0.8 grams per kilo and see how that works out for ya. When I am taking in less than 1 g per lb of bodyweight, my physique, energy and workouts suffer mightily. So if you are so convinced that the supplement industry thing is such a load of nonsense, try it yourself and let us know your results.

Personally, I think your workouts will not get you anywhere near the physique you want and your workouts will tank.

And as the other posters pointed out, comparing us to animals is not at all the same (and who said prison inmates don’t eat protein?)

Kuz[/quote]

I did with a buddy of mine. I drastically changed my nutritional profile from consuming 1.5 grams of protein per lb of body weight to going down to about .8 gram per kilo. I weigh 240-250 lbs @ an average of 13-14% BF (6’3 in height).

On the lower portein consmption i feel exactly the same, granted i had to increase the carbs and fat intake to compensate for the missing calories from the protein reduction. Also the first week is wierd because it seems like anytime there’s a shift in diet my body reacts by making a little more flabby. Could it be this effect that convinces everyone on a high protin diet that as soon as they reduce the ammount of protein they eat they’re getting flabby? Very possible in my book.

As far as muscle gains, i could care less, i weight enough and am comfortably large. at my weight 100 grams of portein are plenty and it makes no difference wheteher i go up to 200 or 300. What makes a big difference is the carb content in my diet. It’s the carbs that really affect my strenght and endurance, along with the fat ofcourse. I have actually observed an increase in strenght and a reduction in bloat from all the powders once i cut them out.

So that’s my story and i’m sticking to it.

But one questoin that has not been adressed is why are we told that 1.5 grams/lb of portein are recommended? My traiing partners used to be in the high protein club along with everyone else. That was in our early 20’s. Now at 30 yo we took a different approach and it works exactly the same. We’ve been duped all along to sell us more crap. By observing our bodies, We’re of the very firm opinion that providing you don’t tear your body down into a recovery deficit (overtraining) it will grow exactly how it’s genetically programmed to do as long as the minnimal nutritional requirements are met (look at men in prison). And that’s all you can do, period. Everything else, all the supplements and crap is just fluff to make you “think” you’re doing something special, a placebo effect of some sort. You know how it goes, you see an exotic physique and automatically assume it takes exotic measures to get one.

But it’s genetics pure and simple. Arnold did not get as big as he was because he ate “tons” of protein. He just ate alot of food and beer, partied most nights, then trained till he puked. His stack and genetics took care of the rest.

I’m sure none of you dedicated weight lifters that were so inspired when you were young by big muscles, walked into a GNC and were not in awe at all the secret formulas sold to make you big.

I don’t understand what the problem is with regard to getting 1 gramm of protein per pound of bodyweight. This can be achieved without great effort and the use of supplements. Anyway, whatever works for you.

[quote]Gregus wrote:
and this goes for all grass eating animals, eat grass all day, every day and yet manage to grow to the sizes that they do? How do they grow the hundreds of lbs of muscle (beef) on their frames eating a diet consisting of just about zero protein and fiber. The current dictate tells us protein is paramount to muscle gaining. But looking at nature it seems like BS.

Basically we’re being told that if you want muscle you have to eat muscle. The muscle you eat can be in the form of food or a supplement. but the bottom line is to get muscle you have to eat muscle.

Well, to me this line of thinking is as absurd as the notion of eating someone’s brain to gain their knowledge, LOL!

[/quote]

why don’t you try this experiment…

consume nothing but grass and water for the next five years and then report back on the gains that you’ve made…

my guess is that you’d be dead long before five years past…

Humans have essential amino acidsthat must be consumed. We get these from our diet because our body cannot synthesize them. Hence, we must consume them. Animals that primarily feed on carbohydrates, of which cows and horses are, but plenty of other animals do as well are able to synthesize most of the protein they need, therefore they can spend their time and energy eating foods that provide energy.

Look at it this way: A cow is just a form of concentrated grass (from the “you are what you eat principle”). When you eat a steak, you’re basically a vegetarian; you’re just eating your veggies in concentrated form to save time.

Hey all, Im not sure if this point has been posted yet or not cuz I did’nt feel like reading the whole huge thred.
Im A farmer from Alberta Canada and the statment made in the opening thred that “there is know protien in what farm animals eat” is very much absolutly incorect. Yes there are is bacteria in the digestive system of such animals but they only contribute to a very very small amount of the total percentage of protien being utilized.
Corection; There is a shit load of protien in the feed fed to the farm animals.

I grow alot of feed each year and sell alot of it to “athlete animals” such as track and jumping horeses, and the bucking stock for for rodeos. If these animals did’nt get any protien they’ed all be dead. Think about it, know animal could perform like a race horse time after time if it was not getting protien.
Each year I send a sample of my feed away to get tested to see what percentage of what it has in it. The second cut of hay alwasy comes back with a protien percentage of some where between 19-22%.
That my friends is a shit load of protien when thats the only thing you eat.