On Mon, 27 Jul 1998, Amadeus Schmidt wrote:

> So crop yield is best in terms of protein and calories for the _root_
> carrot and least with the grain.
> So root farmers should have succeeded if crop yeald was the key.
> Grains  succeeded,
> may it be for other reasons(durability), may it be that grains are healthy.

Of the two, I'd guess durability then.

> The studies at the  2Max Plank Institut fuer Ernaehrungsphysiologie"
> (and others i've heard of) work different.
> They begin with a high protein diet, and lower it slowly until the point
> is reached where protein intake _equals_ protein excretion.
> Then you can measure the exact amount of protein  _used_.
> Then this point is held for a couple of weeks to ensure results.
> Result with optimum quality protein is 0.371 grams per kg weight.

I'd be very interested in reading more about this.  Since I
weight 100 kg, that would mean that I need only 37g of protein
per day.  But I know from experience that if I were to eat this
little protein I would immediately begin to lose muscle mass.

> >The more muscle you have, the more you need
> >to feed it, if you want to keep it.  The more work those muscles
> >are doing, the more protein they need to stay in good repair.
> If a person/muscle is physically active, then it needs
> more _energy_, not more protein.

It needs both.  Membranes need to be maintained, enzymes need to
be manufactured, etc.

> I understand that muscle and other protein of the body from dying cells
> is perfectely recycled (what you mention with cannibalizing).
> So regardles how much muscles you have, you will not loose protein from
> them, you only need it to build up more, they are a protein reservior.

Yes, but the question is whether the increased activity increases
the demand for protein, as well as for energy.  I believe it
does.

> The scientific article mentioned above is in german and out of print,
> i'm afraid. I'll try to translate it once or get annother version.
> I also know of similar tests made in the US and am trying to get
> information about and will post the references then.

Thanks.

> Some ideas on _really_ low protein diets i got from these references:
>  1st tries to proove humans as frugivore (like 2 to 40 millions years back)
>   http://www.nildram.co.uk/veganmc/protein.htm
>   second is much shorter and argues a little common sense.
>    http://www.dsiegel.com/wiwd/diet/protein.html

I'll check them.  Again, thanks.

Todd Moody
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