| Recommended Daily Protein Intake |
| Signs of Protein Deficiency |
| How to Diagnose Protein Deficiency? |
| How to Fix Protein Deficiency? |
| Conclusion |
Proteins are the essential building blocks of the human body. Every cell, tissue, and organ requires proteins for their function and survival. But the body cannot store proteins for future use. Therefore, getting it every day through a balanced diet is important for optimal functioning of the body. People who fail to meet their daily protein requirements face a range of protein deficiency symptoms. Read through to know more about signs of protein deficiency which must not be ignored.
Recommended Daily Protein Intake
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein is 0.8 g per kg of body weight per day. Thus, to calculate your daily protein requirement multiply your body weight by 0.8. For instance, for an individual who weighs 60 Kg, the daily protein requirements are 60 X 0.8 = 48 g each day.
However, the protein requirement further increases for resistance trainers, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers. They might need twice as much protein as an average adult. This is roughly around 1-1.2 g per kg of body weight.
The daily protein intake can be achieved by including high-protein foods into your daily diet. At least 10% of the daily calorie intake must be sourced through proteins.
The early signs of protein deficiency indicate impending trouble. Chronic and severe protein deficiency leads to Hypoproteinemia.
Signs of Protein Deficiency
Proteins are found in almost every part of the body – nails, skin, hair, bones, and muscles. So, if the protein intake continues to remain compromised for a prolonged period, every body part begins to show signs of protein deficiency. These include:
- Swelling or Oedema
Kwashiorkor, a protein deficiency disease, is marked by classical swelling of the ankle, feet, and the abdominal cavity.
This is caused by reduced levels of human serum albumin, the most abundant protein in the blood plasma. Albumin is responsible for maintaining the body’s oncotic pressure which holds the fluid into circulation. This prevents the accumulation of fluids in tissues and cavities.
Thus, when protein intake is compromised, it directly leads to swelling or oedema.
- Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver
Although fatty liver is commonly associated with alcohol abuse, it is triggered by protein deficiency in non-alcoholics. It is marked by fat accumulation in the liver cells.
Researchers believe that protein deficiency impairs the synthesis of lipoproteins, the fat-transporting proteins. This leads to fat accumulation in the liver cells. The condition, if left untreated, leads to liver inflammation, scarring, and liver failure.
- Skin Troubles
Skin, the largest organ of the human body, is made of the protein collagen. Collagen is responsible for making the skin cells strong and resilient. It confers elasticity to the skin. The skin shows protein deficiency symptoms by turning flaky and patchy. While children are more prone to splitting skin and redness, adults experience acne and premature ageing.
- Hair Problems
Hair is primarily made up of protein Keratin which is made up using several amino acids. Keratin is vital for hair’s elasticity, colour, and shine. Sticky, stringy, and limp hair are possible signs of protein deficiency. The hair strands become thin and brittle with split ends. The colour of hair looks faded and there is excessive hair loss.
- Weak Nails
Nails also show visible signs of protein deficiency. As proteins are responsible for giving nails their strength, brittle nails are the most common symptom of protein deficiency. White-lined bands across the nail bed also signal protein deficiency.
- Slow Healing of Wounds
Proteins play an important role in the cell life cycle. They are vital for new cell development as well as maintenance and survival of cells. A lack of proteins also affects the body’s ability to make collagen, the protein found in the skin’s connective tissues. Blood clotting too requires proteins. Therefore, people with protein deficiency experience impaired and slow healing of injuries and wounds.
- Mood Swings and Irritability
Neurotransmitters in the brain help relay information between cells. The neurotransmitters are made of amino acids, the molecules that join together to form proteins. Thus, a lack of proteins in the diet will impact the number of neurotransmitters functioning in the brain. This affects the working of the brain and disturbs the production of hormones linked to depression and sleep. This leads to frequent mood changes and other depression symptoms.
- Loss of Muscle Mass
Proteins are paramount for muscle growth, repair, and maintenance. The proteins are stored in the muscles and used to carry out the important body functions. In case of low protein intake, the skeletal muscles help cater to the body’s demands.
But chronic protein deficiency leads to wasting of muscles which may eventually result in the inability to maintain balance, muscle weakness, and fatigue.
- Weakness
Proteins, along with fats and carbohydrates, are the fuel for the body. Running low on proteins is a cause of constant weakness and fatigue. It affects your body’s strength and ability to perform.
- Hunger Cravings
Proteins help the body feel full and therefore help in mindful eating. While unhealthy eating habits and poor appetite contribute to severe protein deficiency, excessive eating and hunger cravings are major signs of protein deficiency. When the protein intake is less than optimal, the body signals the mind to eat. So, until the body feels full again, hunger cravings are on a high.
Thus, poor protein intake is often related to weight gain and obesity. But as proteins are more satiating than carbs and fat, they are effective in reducing overall calorie intake and are thus used in weight-loss diets.
- Compromised Immune System
Immunity is the body’s ability to fight infections. All body cells work in tandem to achieve this. As protein deficiency affects the body’s basic unit – the cells, the immune system is compromised.
This increases the chances of contracting infections and also worsens their severity level.
- Increased Risk of Bone Fractures
Proteins in our daily diet have a direct impact on bone health. Eating adequate proteins increases muscle mass, enhances calcium absorption, suppresses the parathyroid hormone, and augments the insulin-like growth factor 1 production; these are important attributes for good bone health.
Furthermore, proteins also promote bone healing. Being the essential building blocks, they naturally spur up the bone repair process in events of fractures.
- Stunted Growth in Children
The body needs proteins to digest and absorb nutrients from the food. Protein deficiency thus harms the bodies of children as they require an adequate and uninterrupted supply of proteins for growth. Besides stunted growth, protein deficiency is also linked to malnutrition.
How to Diagnose Protein Deficiency?
The signs of protein deficiency are telltale. They hold vital clues about the functioning of the body. However, the degree of protein deficiency is ascertained through a blood test. A physician will prescribe a set of blood tests, including total protein, albumin, and albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio. The results of these tests will reveal the amount of protein circulating in the blood.
How to Fix Protein Deficiency?
The problems related to protein deficiency can be fixed by increasing the intake of dietary proteins. While low-protein deficiency and mild-protein deficiency can be reversed by eating a high-protein diet, severe protein deficiency or hypoproteinemia will require medical intervention and support.
The process of ‘refeeding’ the body cells with proteins is gradual. It can take up to a few weeks to months before the signs of protein deficiency begin to recede.
Including high-protein foods in your daily diet is the easiest way to fix protein deficiency. Foods like lean meats, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, and dairy products are naturally rich in proteins. Vegetarian protein sources include lentils, legumes, nuts, soy, etc.
Interestingly, proteins sourced from animals are called ‘complete’ proteins as they contain all the 20 amino acids required by the body to function correctly. Of these, 9 essential amino acids namely, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine are not produced by the body and therefore must be sourced through food. One can also include protein supplements to make up for the depleted levels.
Conclusion
Our body is made of proteins. They are the crucial molecules that act as the building blocks of cells. These cells combine to form muscles, skin, hair, bones, and blood. For this reason, protein deficiency symptoms are extremely widespread.
While hair, skin, and nails exhibit early signs of protein deficiency, severe protein deficiency is characterised by oedema, stunted growth, non-alcoholic fatty liver, and a range of other medical conditions. Low protein intake is also linked to loss of muscle mass and an enhanced risk of bone fractures.
Fortunately, cases of low and mild protein deficiency can be reversed by including high-protein foods in the daily diet. But the reversal is slow and gradual and will depend upon the quality of proteins consumed.
Protein deficiency can also occur if your protein is not ‘complete’. Choosing the right proteins, therefore, holds the key to good health.
