Vitamin C Forum

Hello,
Pauling recommended supplementation of 5-6gm of lysine.
Does anyone know how much lysine Pauling assumed one takes in with our food in addition to taking the supplementation?
Thanks

Frank,

I don't have the answer to your question but I'll tell what I've assumed all this time.

I've often read that taking amino acids, separate from other protein-rich food, has a different effect than if you were simply to eat some food that's rich in that same amino acid(s).

In other words, eating a steak (which is rich in lysine) would not be the same as supplementing with several grams of lysine (when taken apart from food). Why? Because, in the food, there are many other amino acids which may compete for absorption and/or alter the direct effect of the lysine.

So, I typically take my lysine (and proline), along with my vitamin C, in between meals. I do take additional vitamin C with meals however. And, on occasion, my preferred supplement schedule doesn't work out. When that happens, I don't beat myself up. I just do the best that I can.

I don't know for sure if this is the best way to do things. It's just the best way I've come up with.

I agree with what you say in that suplements are not equal to the same amino acids in food.
You say that the effect of the amino acid in food is sometimes reduced due different reasons. I think that sometimes it is increased due to some sort of synergy between the amino acid in question and other things in the food. And by increased effect I mean that the effect is larger than a suplement because the suplement does not get the synergetic effect of other nutrients in the food.

I remember reading somewhere (can't remember where) that Linus Pauling assumed that the diet contains a certain amount of lysine and decided on 5-6gm of lysine based on that predetermined amount.

This is not relevant on a standard diet which contains meat and cheese etc. These are high in lysine. But, if anyone changes their diet towards a more vegetarian diet, I think that the lysine contents of the new diet needs to be taken into account due the reduced intake of lysine in the diet.

Thank you Owen for that info.
I found a website that gives a list of foods with their lysine contents.
http://www.digitalnaturopath.com/data/Lysine_Arginine_Food_List.html

I made up a spresdsheet with a list of foods for a few different diets (Atkins, 80/10/10, Paleo). I included the lysine contents since I found this website. I noticed that for the high protein Atkins diet the lysine contents for a 1400cal diet was about 4300mg of lysine. However for the high carb diet (80/10/10) the lysine contents was only about 1300mg for a 1200Cal diet. I was afraid that if Pauling assumed that standard diet was a high meat diet, therefore, containing close to 4000mg of lysine, and then suggested 6000mg as a suplement then this is a total of 10,000mg. If someone was to start a high carb diet with 1300mg lysine and added 6000mg to it then they would only have 7300mg, a little short.

Since Pauling assumed only 1000-2000mg (in your link) Pauling was conservative and everyone taking 6000mg as a suplement will receive at least 7000-8000mg, which is what he intended.
Thanks again.