Have more protein: It will make you strong and keep liver diseases away

Protein is an essential nutrient need by your body for optimum health. But inadequate intake can lead to protein deficiency, which can lead to serious health disorders.

Proteins are essential for the proper functioning of our bodies. It is a major component of our cells and are the source of essential amino acids. It is important to include proteins in your diet for overall health. But, due to bad dietary habits, many people are protein deficient. Though this deficiency is seen less in people who follow a non-vegetarian diet, it is very common in vegetarians and vegans. This is because most plant-based proteins do not contain all the 9 essential amino acids that is there in animal products like meat and poultry, fish and eggs.

In fact, researchers at Mayo Clinic say that vegans are at increased risk for protein deficiency and also other essential nutrients. They recommended that vegans should make an effort to increase their intake of protein and other nutrients to avoid possible health risks. This study was published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.

Here, we take a look at some of the health risks of protein deficiency.

RISKS OF PROTEIN DEFICIENCY

Protein deficiency can have serious health implications. In fact, severe protein malnutrition is called kwashiorkor and it is common in children who follow a low protein and low-calorie diet. Symptoms are often oedema and enlarged fatty liver. Let us look at a few symptoms of protein deficiency.

Your bones become vulnerable

Proteins are important for your bones. Protein deficiency can put you at risk of osteoporosis, a condition that makes your bones brittle. This puts you at greater risk of fractures. If you do not include enough protein-rich foods to your diet, your organs and brain suffer from a lack of this nutrient. To make up for it, they 'borrow' from your skeletal muscle tissue, which stores protein. This makes the skeletal muscle tissue. This makes your bones vulnerable because, without the support of strong skeletal muscle tissue, injuries can result in fractures and breaks.

It puts young children at risk of oedema

Severe protein malnutrition can put a child at risk of oedema. In this condition, a child may exhibit swollen and puffy skin and a swollen abdomen. This happens because, due to lack of enough protein, the level of human serum albumin goes down in the body. This is the protein present in blood plasma. The main function of albumin is to regulate oncotic pressure. This is the pressure that draws fluid into blood circulation from different parts of the body. This prevents accumulation of excess fluid in tissues and organs. But low albumin brings down oncotic pressure and this causes fluid retention in tissues. This leads to swelling. It can also cause fluid build-up inside the belly and this leads to a swollen abdomen.

Protein deficiency affects hair health

Protein is essential for your hair health. It makes your hair thicker, stronger and gives it a healthy sheen. Any deficiency can cause it to become brittle. This may cause problems like split ends and hair fall besides making it look limp and lacklustre.

It leads to loss of muscle mass

An adequate protein intake is the secret behind strong muscles. Protein deficiency will lead to loss of muscle mass. People tend to lose muscle mass as they age. A study conducted by the Exercise Metabolism Research Group at McMaster University says guidelines for protein intake must be set to preserve muscle mass particularly in older individuals who are looking to maintain their muscle as they age. This study was published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism.

Chronic fatigue is also a symptom of protein deficiency

Long term protein deficiency can cause chronic fatigue. You will feel tired all the time and experience severe energy loss. This is because inadequate protein can affect the production of haemoglobin in your body. Haemoglobin, which is present in your red blood cells, carries oxygen to different parts of the body. If you have a low haemoglobin count, you will experience extreme tiredness and even shortness of breath.

You may become more prone to infections

This is because protein stimulates the production of antibodies by your immune system. These antibodies help fight off foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses. Protein deficiency can compromise your immune system and make it weak. This will make you more prone to infections.

Protein deficiency can give you liver diseases

Lack of adequate protein in your diet can lead to liver diseases. It can also lead to delayed recovery after hepatic injury. Patients going through hepatocellular deterioration need more protein in their diet. Severe protein malnutrition may also lead to fatty liver disease, a condition where there is accumulation of fat in the liver cells. This can further lead to liver cirrhosis and even liver failure.

It may affect foetal health

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign confirms a molecular link between activation of the amino acid response signal and the cell autophagy pathway, which is transferred from pregnant mothers' skeletal muscles to the placenta and the foetus.

They say that detecting biomarkers of protein insufficiency during the early stages of pregnancy could enable clinicians to treat it through dietary changes or other strategies, possibly averting many serious health conditions in the next generation. The study was published in the British Journal of Nutrition. During pregnancy, women need at least an additional 25 grams of protein per day. Inadequate protein consumption by pregnant women has been linked to their children developing various chronic health problems as adults, say researchers.

They also saw that inadequate protein intake during pregnancy activates the amino acid response (AAR) pathway, triggering cell destruction and atrophy, or wasting, of the mother's skeletal muscles. Researchers warned that these genetic changes may be transferred through the placenta and 'memorised' in the skeletal muscles of the foetus, causing low birth weight and stunted growth in male offspring.