Signs of a Protein Deficiency

1. Signs of a Protein Deficiency Protein is one of the body’s macronutrients, essential for growth and development. It is important to eat a requisite amount of protein every single day. This is because protein is not stored in your body, you need to add it to your everyday meals. You can grab a protein bar to supply you with your daily protein requirement. The deficiency of this essential nutrient comes at a detriment to your health, hence it is important to recognize the symptoms of a protein deficiency and find ways to reverse it. An approximate one billion people worldwide suffer from this deficiency. This problem is more severe in countries in South and Central Asia. An imbalanced diet can also be the cause of protein deficiency. One of the most severe forms of protein deficiency is called kwashiorkor. Mostly it occurs in children from developing countries where famines and imbalanced diets are commonplace. Some signs of the same are: Hair, nails, skin problems: Thinning hair, brittle nails, hair loss, fading hair colour, are common symptoms that affect a protein deficient person. Your skin can also benefit from an increase in protein intake. An easy solution is to consume protein in a fun and delicious form, like protein chips. Edema: This is an example of an extremely severe protein deficiency, and it is a rare occurence in a developed country. Edema is characterised by swollen and puffy skin and is a sign of kwashiorkor. Kwashiorkor is recognized with a swollen abdomen and and edema. Fatty liver: This is also a classic symptom of kwashiorkor. It means that there is an accumulation of fat in the liver cells. In the case of no treatment this may lead to fatty liver disease which causes inflammation, liver scarring, and possible liver failure. One of the causes of a fatty liver may be obesity or even excess consumption of alcohol. Decreased muscle mass: Muscles contain the largest reserve of protein in the body. When your body contains less protein, it is taken from your skeletal muscles, hence it leads to weaker, deteriorating muscles. It was noted that muscle loss was higher among people who ate less protein.

2. Weaker bones: Even your bones are affected by protein intake. It may weaken the bones and increase the risk of fractures. Lower consumption of protein has been linked to lower bone mineral density. Protein helps in maintaining density and strength of bones. You can consume a protein bar price of which is getting lower everyday. Stunted growth and development: Everyone, especially children are susceptible to stunted growth. While they are growing, they need it to develop their muscles so a constant supply is needed. Increased infection rate: The deficiency of protein in the body can also affect the immune system. Impaired immune function may also increase the severity of the infections that your body catches. It in turn also reduces the body’s ability to fight infections like the common cold. Hence, protein is an essential part of our body and diet, and should not be taken lightly, as it’s deficiency could lead to serious health problems in the future.