Why adding extra amino acids helps your body use egg protein better
Human protein requirements: interrelationships between energy intake and nitrogen balance in young men consuming the 1973 FAO/WHO safe level of egg protein, with added non-essential amino acids.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Adding nonessential amino acids improved nitrogen balance more than expected.
Nonessential amino acids are assumed to be irrelevant because the body makes them—but here, supplementing them directly improved efficiency, suggesting the body’s production might be overwhelmed under high-energy conditions.
Practical Takeaways
If you’re eating high-calorie diets for muscle gain or performance, consider adding a nonessential amino acid blend (like glycine, proline, glutamine) to your protein intake.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Adding nonessential amino acids improved nitrogen balance more than expected.
Nonessential amino acids are assumed to be irrelevant because the body makes them—but here, supplementing them directly improved efficiency, suggesting the body’s production might be overwhelmed under high-energy conditions.
Practical Takeaways
If you’re eating high-calorie diets for muscle gain or performance, consider adding a nonessential amino acid blend (like glycine, proline, glutamine) to your protein intake.
Publication
Journal
The Journal of nutrition
Year
1978
Authors
C. Garza, N. Scrimshaw, V. Young
Related Content
Claims (3)
If you're a young man eating a moderate amount of egg protein, adding some extra nonessential amino acids lets your body stay balanced with less food energy—suggesting that all amino acids together, not just the essential ones, might be holding back how well your body uses protein.
The recommended amount of egg protein from 1973 might not be enough to keep young men’s bodies in balance if they’re eating a lot of calories — their bodies might need extra protein from other sources to stay healthy.
When young men eat eggs as recommended, it’s not just the good proteins that matter—it’s the total amount of nitrogen they get from all the protein that determines if their body keeps or loses muscle.