ken800 said:I guess I don't understand the chemical names then because I keep reading that certain protein types are used as part of your body's fueling -- with or without enough carbs -- something to the tune of 2-10 percent. Here's one particular page but I'd be happy to point you to others. It is hard to understand without a full understanding of what protiens are, how they work, etc... and I'm not a doc ...
http://www.gssiweb.com/reflib/refs/258/rt42.cfm?pid=38
I'm normally skeptical of random links to pages on the net, but that one seems excellent! Mark Hargreaves PhD (one of the authors) is a very capable sports scientist from my neck of the woods.
The main points I'd take from the article for the purposes of this thread are that:
1. The contribution of protein to energy requirements in endurance exercise is very low.
2. In theory, amino acids (broken down protein) could contribute to carbohydrate metobolism in exercise, but there is no evidence this occurs or has any bearing on sports performance.
3. Amino acid supplementation is a waste of time and money.
Additionally, there is no need to consume supplementary protein during endurance exercise - much better to consume CHO and prevent glycogen depletion.