Protein malnutrition may take two forms. Kwashiorkor occurs when the diet is almost totally carbohydrates, void of protein and fat. Marasmus is due to starvation -- the absence of fat, carbohydrates and protein. Protein malnutrition is rare in the United States, as most American diets are high in protein. However, it is found in the elderly, in those with gastrointestinal diseases and cancers, and in anorexics or people who are doing extreme dieting. Vegans may experience signs if proper protein intake is not a top priority.
Fatigue
The first signs of protein malnutrition are feeling tired, lacking energy and being irritable. The heart and lungs do not function at full capacity, leading to anemia and decreased blood pressure. This decreases oxygen throughout the body, which leads to sluggishness and exhaustion.
Hair, Nail and Skin Changes
Hair, nails and skin are made of protein, so a deficiency in protein will lead to changes in appearance. Nails and hair become dry and brittle, and hair will eventually begin to fall out. Skin becomes pale, thin, dry and inelastic. Sores can develop easily and have a difficult time healing.
Growth Failure and Muscle Loss
Muscles are broken down and used for energy, so muscles will begin to show signs of wasting. If protein malnutrition happens during childhood, growth will not occur properly. This is known as failure to thrive. Both height and weight are affected, and the child will never reach full height potential, according to MedlinePlus.
Edema
The body's inability to synthesize proteins needed by cells causes fluid to accumulate in tissues, leading to edema. This causes the stomach protrusion seen in children of developing countries. Decreased protein synthesis also compromises neural, renal and cardiac function and gastrointestinal absorption.
Decreased Immunity
A person's immune defenses are weakened with extended protein deficiency. The individual becomes susceptible to a vicious cycle of infection. Protein malnutrition increases risk of diarrhea, leading to additional nutrient loss and a further weakening of the immune system. This increases the risk of opportunistic infections. The body no longer has the ability to fight disease.
Death
Long-term protein malnutrition can be life threatening by affecting the cardiac, nervous, endocrine and respiratory systems. Also, infections and diseases that are not normally life threatening may be deadly for those with protein malnutrition, due to their decreased immune defenses. A person in this condition loses protein rapidly. Once 50 percent of protein stores are gone, the chance of recovering from infections that develop is poor, according to "Krause's Food and Nutrition Therapy."
References
- "Protein"; American Dietetic Association; 2010
- "Krause's Food & Nutrition Therapy"; L Kathleen Mahan, Sylvia Escott-Stump, Eds; 2008
- "Nutrition and Diagnosis-Related Care"; Sylvia Escott-Stump; 2008
- MedlinePlus: Kwashiorkor
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