Kashish Sharma
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Written By: Kashish Sharma | Updated : March 18, 2023 7:24 AM IST
Easiest signs to notice are in your hair and nails. Thinning hair, losing volume and brittle nails could be a sign of protein deficiency.
Protein is an essential nutrient. Its role in the human body is humongous. Their functions fall into broad categories. They make up different structures of our body like skin, bone, hair and even teeth. They also play a crucial role in biochemistry which includes many chemical reactions that might be going on inside your body. For instance, haemoglobin, the pigment that carries oxygen inside your body has protein as one of its components. Hence, protein is indispensable in your body and it also shouldn't be compromised in your diet.
Protein needs might change with age, weight and physical activity levels. However, the recommended protein intake is a modest 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. This is the basic nutritional requirement of the element in our day-to-day diet. Sometimes we might think that we are eating a balanced diet but it is also common to see plates falling short of important nutrients such as protein. The symptoms of protein deficiency, especially in the early stages are very subtle.
Protein deficiency means that the amount of the element you might be consuming each day is unable to meet the demands of the body. Low protein intake will show its effect on your body. If you look closely, your body will give you signs. Here are a few potential signs you might see-
Interestingly, severe protein deficiency is characterized by loss of appetite but studies have shown that when the deficiency is mild, your body might try to increase your appetite to fulfil its shortage of protein. As per some studies, poor protein intake is also associated with weight gain and obesity as the increased appetite will urge people to consume more foods that might not be protein-rich but can be high in calories.
