Proteins are one of the most important ingredients in our bodies.

When we take them through our food, we provide our body with essential amino acids - the main building blocks of the body.

But when there is a shortage of these important nutrients, the body begins to send signals through various mechanisms that something is wrong.

Protein deficiency may be hazardous to health and if a large number of symptoms occur, it means there is something wrong with your diet.

In most cases, in order to avoid unhealthy and unpleasant symptoms of protein deficiency, it is enough to make changes in the way you eat.

Proteins are most commonly associated with animal products, but in nature, there are other very good sources of protein, namely plants or plant proteins.

Perhaps you have heard doctors and folk healers say that the key to strong health is to be able to "listen" to our bodies.

Which means learning to listen, recognize, understand, and act adequately when bodies give us signals that something is missing or not.

In the following rows, you will find the most common symptoms of protein deficiency, and how to recognize them and what you can do if you find you have one.

Signal # 1 for protein deficiency: slowly healing wounds

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The proteins and the important amino acids they supply to the body are the building blocks of the body.

When we have wounds, proteins are the ones that will help in their rapid healing.

When there is a shortage of protein, the body loses the ability to recover and heal.

Proteins are also the primary building block of skin, nails, hair, and more.

Signal # 2 for protein deficiency: loss of muscle mass

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In sports and increased physical activity, we put our bodies in serious extra tension, which they are not used to.

This is a stressful situation for the body.

In order to be able to recover and work at normal speeds, increased intake of nutrients is often required.

Some of the nutrients that need high intake are proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.

In the event of insufficient availability of some of the above, there is a good chance that the body will compensate for the stocks it has accumulated - be it protein (muscle loss), carbohydrate (glycogen) or fat (fatty deposits).

Signal # 3 for protein deficiency: frequent trauma

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Proteins help save the above-mentioned processes and absorb calcium.

For this reason, protein deficiency can lead to a weakening of the bones, which in turn is a serious prerequisite for frequent traumas and for a more difficult recovery.

Signal # 4 for protein deficiency: hair loss

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Hair is composed of 90% of the protein.

For this reason, adequate protein intake is critical to hair health.

When there is a shortage of protein in the body, the hair follicles are thinner and thus the hair loss accelerates.

This is one of the most easily recognizable and secure signals of the body that there is no protein in the diet.

Signal # 5 for protein deficiency: Difficult concentration

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Another clear sign of protein deficiency is the impossibility of concentration.

The easiest way to find out if you have this problem is if you feel that often reading or listening to something makes it hard to remember or understand.

Signal # 6 for protein deficiency: low immunity

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The immune system has the ability to fight and prevent various diseases.

When there is no strong immunity, it is very easy to catch a cold or other more serious illness.

The lack of protein in the body is directly related to the decrease in immune function according to a number of studies.

Signal # 7 for protein deficiency: problems with reduction and weight loss

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Lack of protein in the diet can be a serious prerequisite for muscle loss.

This may result in a temporary effect on weight loss, but very often there will be long-lasting health effects from a hormonal point of view and/or metabolic damage.

These consequences can make the stagnation in the loss of pounds a permanent problem that is difficult to solve, especially if you do not have the necessary knowledge to do it.

Adequate protein intake is known for its benefits in reducing appetite, stimulating hormone-related maintenance of healthy weight, and a number of other benefits.

Signal # 8 for protein deficiency: sleep disturbance / insomnia

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Insomnia is often associated with changes in blood sugar levels, which increases the production of cortisol (stress hormone) and reduces the production of serotonin (known as the hormone of happiness and tranquility) in the body.

Adoption of protein (by supplements or food) will help to increase serotonin production and reduce hunger for sugar.

Adequate intake of protein is a necessity for ensuring good sleep, which in turn is a key element in everyone's health.

Signal # 9 for protein deficiency: uncontrollable appetite or desire for jam

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If you constantly feel hunger for sweet foods and beverages, it is often associated with a shortage of protein in the body.

Protein has the ability to regulate blood sugar and thus reduce appetite and desire for jam.

Increased intake of protein is a good way to cope with diet or diet.

Signal # 10 for protein deficiency: Delay in metabolism (metabolism)

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Protein is part of every life process that happens in our bodies.

In the process of digestion, the body breaks down the protein into amino acids that are the "real food" for it.

When the body suffers from protein deficiency, the production of digestive enzymes decreases.

This, in turn, may impair the proper function of the gastrointestinal tract, which in turn can lead to metabolic problems (metabolic retardation).

Numerous studies have shown that adequate protein intake can accelerate metabolism by 20-30%.

What is the optimal intake of protein?

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It has been proven that the optimal amount of protein depends on many individual factors. Some of them include physical activity, age, muscle mass, fitness goals, health, and more.

Then what amount of protein is best suited to lose weight, increase muscle mass, or improve health?

There is no universal rule to determine individual protein needs for which there is the complete consensus. Rather, "norms of sufficiency" are adopted for non-aspiring people.

However, people always look for maximum recovery and development, so they need more accurate guidance. Which is the right approach?

You may have been paying attention to the recommended dietary label on daily consumption of protein - ~ 56g per day for men and ~ 46g for women.

The bottom line for these recommendations is that they are based on an average man or woman who receives 2000 calories a day.

Age, specific daily activities, calories, energy consumption, and a bunch of other factors are not considered.

This amount may be enough to prevent a serious deficiency but is far from optimal for weight loss, muscle gain or good health.

Optimum reception for non sporting people

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For children: between 34 and 52 g of protein per day.

For adult men and women: between 0.8 and 1g of protein per kilogram or 25-30% of the total calorie intake of the day.

Optimal reception for sporting people

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For amateurs and sports lovers: between 1.5 and 2.2 g protein per kilogram a day.

For professionals and advanced trainees: between 2 and 3 grams of protein per kilogram per day.

To calculate the amount of protein needed by a sports lover, we can use the following calculation: 80 (kilograms) x 2.2 (grams of protein) = 176 g of protein per day.

Professional advice: Choose a higher level of protein intake to make sure you meet your needs and give the body the necessary to recover and develop. Rarely can be overdone with protein intake in good health.

In short: Recommended daily doses of protein are very different for sports and non-sportsmen. Sports enthusiasts and more advanced trainees need a higher protein intake every day - between 1.5 and 3 grams of protein per kilogram.

At what time do we take protein?

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The most optimal option is to distribute protein throughout the day by consuming protein with each meal.

Once you've determined optimal protein intake, you can divide the resulting result into the number of meals per day.

Example:

We calculated the need for a sports lover who is 80 pounds. In his diet, there are 4 meals a day. Divide the required protein daily (176 grams) into the number of meals (4 meals).

The calculation looks like this: 176 (grams of protein per day) / 4 (meals per day) = ~ 44 g of protein per meal.

Professional advice: be sure to add a protein source to your breakfast.

A common mistake is the complete lack of valuable proteins early in the morning.

Taking protein in combination with other foods will help you start your day in the best way.

Examples of sources of protein that can include breakfast are eggs, skim milk, powdered protein, and more.

In short, the best option is to take protein to each meal in equal portions. If you've calculated that you need 100 grams of protein and you consume 3 meals a day, you need ~ 33 grams of protein at each meal.

How To Get More Protein In The Diet?

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Increasing the intake of protein in the diet is simple, but it often takes time to prepare.

This is also the main reason most people do not base their meals on a protein basis but on carbohydrates and fats.

Another reason is the price of quality protein sources that do not contain high amounts of saturated fat.

However, there are variants that are easy to prepare, available at a price and do not contain a large number of calories.

Animal Foods:

• Meat and meat products - chicken, veal, pork;
• Eggs;
• Fish and seafood
• Milk and milk products;

Plant sources:

• Bean cultures;
• Nuts;
• Cereals;
• Seeds.

In fact, almost any natural food contains a certain percentage of protein in its composition. However, the greatest contribution to the provision of amino acids to the body has foods containing at least 7% or more of protein in its composition.

Foods containing 3-7% have a minor role.

Each food in the groups listed has its own nutritional value, which, besides its protein content, is also determined by a number of other factors: amino acid profile, biological value, the rate of absorption, and others.

The question arises: "Which food is the best choice for foods rich in protein?" The answer is - "There is no absolute champion!" The reason for this is that different proteins supply the body with different amounts and proportions of amino acids within a different time period after consumption.

The best approach is the varied diet - the alternation of different quality sources of protein.

Animal protein sources are believed to outweigh the plant by direct comparison of the amino acid gram profile per gram due to the increased presence of essential amino acids in the animal protein composition.

This is even more important for sports people who have increased needs for these amino acids.

Professional advice: If you are on a low-carb diet, you can afford more calorie sources of protein (with more fat). If you do not follow a low carbohydrate diet, you should try to maximize fat-free protein sources.

This rule will allow you to maintain higher intake of protein without taking too many calories.

Adopting a protein supplement can also be a good idea if you have difficulty reaching your daily goals for protein intake. It has been proven in studies that whey protein powder has numerous advantages, including increased weight loss (40, 41).

In short, every natural food contains a quantity of protein, but there are ones that provide more than others. Animal sources of protein are believed to be superior to plants by the diversity and saturation of valuable amino acids (important for sportsmen).

Conclusion

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The shortage of protein and low intake, which is found in the menu of a large percentage of people, is something that needs to be addressed to avoid deterioration in health and unpleasant symptoms.

You already know how to deal with most of the problems that may arise from protein deficiency.

The most important advice you can draw from the article is that besides "listening" to body signals, it is also important to take concrete action to achieve positive change.

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