What happens with protein deficiency.
You may also have a deficiency if your body is unable to efficiently digest and assimilate proteins from the foods you eat due to another disease.What does protein do?
When digested, the protein breaks down into amino acids. These amino acids help the body's tissues function and grow. This makes this macronutrient important for healthy and strong muscles and bones, as well as for the effects on your hair and nails.
There are nine essential amino acids and 11 non-essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are "essential" in the sense that they must be consumed with food because our body cannot produce them.
Unlike carbohydrates and fats, there is no mechanism for storing excess amino acids consumed with food. Thus, continuous feeding is required. Simply put, you need to consume protein daily to meet your body's needs.
Symptoms of protein deficiency
When your body doesn't get the right amount of protein or can't use protein efficiently, it can lead to the following symptoms:
The growth of infections and diseases
Decreased muscle mass, often referred to as sarcopenia in elderly patients
Swelling on the legs
Slowing down wound healing
High blood pressure in the second trimester of pregnancy, also called preeclampsia
Protein deficiency can manifest in different ways in infants and children.
Sufficient protein intake is necessary to maintain the normal functioning of the body at every stage of life. Taking a step forward, understanding the role of protein and ensuring its adequate intake in your diet is also crucial.
If you think you may have a protein deficiency, consult your doctor. Although this deficiency is more common in developing countries, your doctor can check your blood to find out if the protein level is too low, and also give advice on how to return this level.
What causes protein deficiency?
It is recommended that adults receive from 10% to 35% of the daily calorie intake from protein.
A vegetarian diet contributes to protein deficiency. Giving up all meat products drastically limits protein intake, sometimes to unhealthy levels. Although this may occur in some cases, most vegetarian diets provide sufficient protein from legumes, nuts and seeds.
Protein deficiency can also be caused by certain diseases, some of which include:
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
Anorexia nervosa
Cancer
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD)
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, such as amyloidosis
Kidney failure
How common is protein deficiency?
About a billion people around the world consume insufficient amounts of protein. This is largely due to limited access to food in general.
Since protein sources are so widely available that consuming enough protein is hardly a problem. This means that a deficiency caused by medical indications may be more common.
However, about a third of adults over the age of 50 do not comply with the recommended daily intake of protein. People who follow a restrictive diet may also face protein deficiency.
How much protein do you need?
In order to maintain a stable flow of amino acids, sufficient protein intake is necessary. Therefore, it is recommended to consume enough protein to maintain the structure and function of cells. This requirement will be different for each person depending on factors such as age, gender and level of physical activity.
Most adults are recommended to consume 150g of protein every day or 1050g per week. Approximately 760 of these weekly grams of protein should come from meat, poultry or eggs, 225g should be seafood and 150g from nuts, seeds and soy products.
How to Increase Protein Intake
Protein is found in a large number of animal and vegetable products. For optimal health and fitness, it is recommended to choose nutritious protein sources. This includes products such as:
Beans and legumes
Cheese
Eggs
Greek yogurt
Lean beef, chicken, turkey
Nuts and nut butters
Oats
Quinoa
Seafood
Seeds
Tofu
Result
Protein is necessary for all cells and tissues of the body, and its deficiency can worsen the functioning of the body. Certain medical conditions can also increase this risk.
However, it is beneficial for some people to increase their protein intake. Fortunately, it is not difficult to add protein to your diet, and this can be achieved by including a wide variety of products of both plant and animal origin.
