Gelatin as protein?!?!?

i was under the impression that gelatin basically had amino acids, but it was useless as a protein source.

1) can someone explain why it is useless?

2) is gelatin the same thing as jello?

3) if it is useless for a bodybuilder, then why are many liquid proteins (those syrupy bottles of 'liquid protein' that you drink tablespoons from) made from it?
(a bottle of a store brand 'liquid protein' listed HYDROLYZED GELATIN as the first ingredient)

swiped wholesale from wikipedia:

Gelatin is a protein product produced by partial hydrolysis of collagen extracted from skin, bones, cartilage, ligaments, etc. [...] Although gelatin is 98–99% protein by dry weight, the body cannot readily use it. Gelatin is notable for its exceptionally low nutritional value. The approximate amino acid composition of gelatin is: glycine 21 %, proline 12 %, hydroxyproline 12 %, glutamic acid 10 %, alanine 9 %, arginine 8%, aspartic acid 6 %, lysine 4 %, serine 4 %, leucine 3 %, valine 2 %, phenylalanine 2 %, threonine 2 %, isoleucine 1 %,hydroxylysine 1 %, methionine and histidine <1% and tyrosine < 0.5 %. These values vary, especially the minor constituents, depending on the source of the raw material and processing technique(3).

In fact, gelatin was once thought of to be a cure to world hunger. However, due to its poor nutritional value (excluding the protein content), this idea never quite took off.

Gelatin is unusually high in the non-essential amino acids glycine and proline, (i.e., those produced by the human body), while lacking certain essential amino acids (i.e., those not produced by the human body). Gelatin is one of the few foods that cause a net loss of protein if eaten exclusively. It contains no tryptophan and is deficient in isoleucine, threonine, and methionine. Several people died of malnutrition in the 1970s while on popular 'liquid protein' diets.

...thinking of my favorite jello as boiled cow snouts and scrotal hair definitely turns the tasty factor down a notch.

do you think that the modern day liquid protein preparations are refined in a way that they are useful, or are they garbage like those described in your texts? (i don't personally use these, i was just surprised to see gelatin used as a main ingredient in a bodybuilding product)

Originally Posted by jazer80

(i don't personally use these, i was just surprised to see gelatin used as a main ingredient in a bodybuilding product)

Generally an indicator of an inferior product, especially a protein bar that lists it at all.

It's a cheap way for the manufacturers to jack up the % protein values of their products for the label. Most folks just look at the %, or the gram weight, and not anything else. The consumers assume, incorrectly that the ammount of protein in the product is useable, when in fact a sizeable portion of it is not. That's why it's so important to read the ingredients and know what they mean.

DJ

yeah i knew that when it came to bars (the PURE PROTEIN brand comes to mind). but there's liquid proteins that are 100% hydrolyzed gelatin. if it is truly useless, that product woudl be too.... maybe they fraction it a certain way so that only the good aminos get in the product? it's a GNC product, their 'liquid protein' that lists hydrolyzed gelatin as the first ingredient. it's the type of product you just drink a tablespoon of at a time

If it's 100% gelatin, then yeah, it's going to be fairly useless. What you need to understand, though, is that adding just a very small amount of the 'missing' amino acids could turn it into something very useful. Your body can only synthesize new protein when all of the required amino acids are present. With a small amount of supplementation of (eg.) tryptophan, plus whatever else is missing, to 'balance' the mixture (which doesn't necessarily mean everything in equal amounts).... it could be a good protein source. Or, you could just eat varied foods, like normal people do

Originally Posted by TTT

Or, you could just eat varied foods, like normal people do

hahahha i do. jesus my posts make me seem insane. i hate those syrupy protein liquids, i was just wondering if they were a valid product, or more of a joke like the creatine serum products where it's just like creatine monohydrate with syrup added..... creatinine anyone?

(edit)

I've read that there has been many french studies from a very long time ago that were done about the benefits of gelatin when combined with other complete protein sources, to further enhance them.

Traditionally, scraps from animals such as the bone were boiled a very long time in water, and the result was a broth rich in gelatin and which contained some minerals and some glucosamine.

I dunno, I think I'll stick to real food. Dessicated slurry from boiled bones doesn't sound too appealing to me.

DJ

Originally Posted by jazer80

hahahha i do. jesus my posts make me seem insane. i hate those syrupy protein liquids, i was just wondering if they were a valid product, or more of a joke like the creatine serum products where it's just like creatine monohydrate with syrup added..... creatinine anyone?

IMO it's a joke.

Originally Posted by TTT

If it's 100% gelatin, then yeah, it's going to be fairly useless. What you need to understand, though, is that adding just a very small amount of the 'missing' amino acids could turn it into something very useful.

Based on Teufelhund's post I don't think this is the case. We're not talking about eating legumes with grains to jack up the lysine content, it's totally missing one essential amino acid and deficient in three others.