8 Signs You Might be Suffering from Protein Deficiency
- Proteins are the most nutrients for the human body.
- They are necessary for growth and maintenance. Proteins are the building block of your body cells, hormones, enzymes, skin, hair, and body tissues.
- Therefore, protein deficiency can result in major health problems, such as kwashiorkor, that can lower your quality of life or even be life-threatening.
Here are 8 signs that might indicate protein deficiency:
Edema
- Edema is swelling caused by the leakage of fluids from blood vessels into the tissues that surround them.
- This usually happens if the blood lacks albumin, a protein that is responsible for maintaining oncotic pressure.
- Oncotic pressure maintains blood flow in the blood vessels.
- The blood vessels cannot regular blood flow if the body is short on albumin, which results in fluid leakage and inflammation of the surrounding tissues.
- This ultimately causes the area to swell.
Fatty Liver
- A fatty liver is a common symptom of kwashiorkor.
- This takes place due to an accumulation of fats by the cells of the liver.
- Fatty livers are usually found in alcoholics and obese people.
- However, protein deficiency results in a decrease of lipoproteins, which are fat-transporting proteins.
- Due to their short numbers, fats tend to accumulate in the liver cells, causing the organ to bloat.
Problems in Skin, Hair, and Nails
- The skin, hair, and nails are primarily made up of proteins.
- Severe protein deficiency can result in damage to them.
- The skin might become flaky, redden, and start to blister.
- The hair might thin, lose color, and even fall off the scalp.
- While the nails can become brittle.
- Kwashiorkor in children is typically identified by checking the condition of the skin.
Muscle Mass Loss
- Protein deficiency means that you will not have enough of the nutrient to maintain your muscles, much less grow them.
- Over time, your muscles will start to grow weak and lose mass.
- This condition is known as muscle wasting, and it is far more prominent in the elderly.
- Increased protein intake is believed to slow down muscle degeneration in the elderly.
Increased Risk of Bone Fractures
- Your bones consist of a protein known as collagen.
- Collagen makes the bones strong and gives them structure.
- Thus, protein deficiency can cause your bones to weaken and can increase the risk of fractures.
- Studies have shown that decreased protein intake as you grow older can result in more bone fractures, with hip fractures being the most prominent kind.
Slower Clotting System
- Protein deficiency also slows down your body’s clotting mechanism.
- Cuts and bruises might take much longer to heal than usual.
- And you will find yourself drained from the effort more than before.
Longer-Lasting Infections
- Your immune system will be impaired and slow down, as mentioned earlier.
- Your body will be more prone to infections, and it will take longer to get rid of them.
- Regular infections will be far more severe as well.
Greater Appetite
- When the body’s low on protein, it automatically increases your appetite in a bid to take in more proteins somehow.
- You might find yourself eating more savory or heavy foods, which are bound to give you the proteins you need.
- However, you will also be taking in more calories. And that will result in weight gain.
That was all on the signs and symptoms of protein deficiency.