anand:

It's unfortunate that muscle synthesis is slow, in addition to being energy-intensive: gaining 20 pounds of lean mass often takes a year of intense training, and is usually only possible for newbies.  In contrast, it's easy to gain 20 pounds of fat mass in 2-3 months, simply by stuffing one's face with lots of linoleic acid, gluten grains, and sucrose/HFCS.

I agree that very low bodyfat levels are not a survival trait: fat gives you the ability to survive periods of hunger.  There's a reason it's so hard to get under 12% bodyfat (for men): the fat tissue on the belly and "love handles" actually has a slightly different adrenergic receptor, if I recall correctly, and is therefore retained by the body except in extremis.  In other words, it's the body's reserve tank, and persuading your body to give it up, while it may get you that coveted "six-pack", isn't necessarily healthy.

Walter:

You're thinking of autophagy, and it occurs continually.  I'll talk more about that subject in future installment(s).

Jozef, neal matheson:

Leangains isn't a VLC protocol, to my knowledge: it involves substantial carb intake on workout days.  What I do know is that Martin has is a genetic ability to gain muscle quickly, most likely due to a predominance of Type II muscle fibers.  Yes, there are a lot of people who claim to be "hardgainers" because they're lazy: however, nothing will make a person with a predominance of Type I fibers gain muscle the way someone like Martin can.  There's a reason the Kalenjin are distance runners, not powerlifters!

vacexempt:

Leucine is the important AA for anabolic signaling: the others just compete for absorption and diminish the impact of leucine, so I think Hofmekler is off base with his recommendation. There are some interesting leucine protocols out there, but you have to be willing to ingest something that tastes like powdered drywall and doesn't mix in water.

Marilyn:

That's too broad a question for me to answer!  But yes, more protein can be helpful as one ages...coupled with weightlifting, which will maintain muscle mass as well as bone density (bones wax and wane in proportion to the loads we regularly place on them).  The extra protein won't help if your body isn't using it for anything.

JS

Jen W:

Welcome!  I wouldn't worry too much about "excess protein turns into sugar"...only a few amino acids are efficient substrates for gluconeogenesis (a topic I'll explore in the future).  AFAIK most "excess" aminos tend to be oxidized directly for energy...which is generally ignored in most calculations because it's difficult to measure specifically, but it's a significant route of disposal.

vacexempt:

Plain whey is fine: I have no problem mixing or drinking it straight (just shake it well).  Leucine is MUCH worse.  Trust me on this.

One of the problems with whey is that it's absorbed VERY quickly...more quickly than your body can absorb or use it if you eat a lot of it.  Thus: gas.  However, you can eat the equivalent amount of protein in the form of meat with no problem, because it takes much longer to digest and absorb the meat.

I usually only use whey protein immediately PWO.  By the time the whey wears off, I've had the time to prepare and eat real food.

JS

neal:

Bison is leaner on average than beef, but if it's properly raised it'll most definitely accumulate some fat, both subcutaneous and visceral.  See this series of pictures. 

Fat content depends primarily on the season: assuming they're grazing on native grasses, bison slaughtered in the fall, just before first frost, will be at their fattest because they've been grazing on fresh grass all summer.

JS