Thread: amino acids vs. whey protein

A few years ago I bought a bottle of amino acids. I couldn't take them as you were directed to ( mainly because they looked like the size of pills for horses, and I couldn't swallow them ). I am wondering if amino acid supplements are good for people who have trouble taking in the appropriate amounts of protein. And is there a way to compare the amino acid intake to protein intake? For example, X amount of amino acids = grams of protein. Can they even be compared? I know the amino acids are the building blocks of protein, so I am wondering which would be better to take in order to build muscle.

Thanks for any help.

Protein is made of aminos. There are Essential and Non-Essential, and the ones called BCAA, this are the most used when lifting weights.

Eggs are the most complete source of aminos, but you'll need a lot of them to make the equivalent of 5 BCAA grams, specially when cooked. There is nothing to compare to real food, but some of us just cant eat 12 eggs or a 16oz fish filet, and with the current biological and antibacterial treatment they do to chickens we cant no longer drink the eggs (unless they are raised in an organic farm).

So most of us take them in supplements, whey is high in BCAAs, taking it on pre/post workout maximizes the utilization. You can purchase now liquid egg whites by the galon, and desiccated liver is a good source of aminos too.

The statement: X amount of amino acids = grams of protein

Equals 100g of protein = 100g of aminos.