You need protein in your diet for both structural and physiological purposes. Protein comprises the bulk of your muscle tissue, and it functions in immune health, blood cell formation and hormone synthesis. The dietary proteins you eat break down to amino acids in your digestive tract, and your body uses this pool of amino acids to manufacture new proteins as you need them. When you fail to consume sufficient protein to meet the normal needs of your body, you experience a protein deficiency. Seek the counsel of a dietitian if you have concerns about your protein intake.
Causes
Of the 20 amino acids present in food proteins, nine are essential to your diet because your body lacks the ability to synthesize them. Animal proteins contain all the essential amino acids, while plant proteins may be short one or more. You can combine plant sources of protein to supply all your necessary amino acids, such as beans on a corn tortilla or peanut butter on whole-wheat toast. However, failure to do so correctly can result in a protein deficiency because the missing amino acid does not allow your body to create the protein you need. Protein deficiency may also result from generalized food shortages due to poverty, natural disaster, drought, famine or political unrest affecting the food supply.
Symptoms
Early stages of protein deficiency include muscle wasting, as your body degrades your lean muscle mass to access the amino acids missing from your diet. As your protein deficiency continues, you may experience fatigue, lethargy and irritability. Your susceptibility to infection may increase because you lack the proteins to support your immune system. You may develop skin rashes and changes in your skin tone and hair. In severe protein deficiency, known as kwashiorkor, your liver may enlarge, leading to a protruding abdomen.
Treatment
If your protein deficiency stems from a lack of high-quality protein but the rest of your diet is adequate, simply adding essential amino acids to your diet can resolve the deficiency. If the condition arises from an insufficient supply of all nutrients, reversing the deficiency involves introducing proteins very slowly. In this case, because your digestive system is not equipped to handle a large, sudden influx of food, small amounts of carbohydrates and fats precede the eventual intake of proteins to minimize digestive upset.
Prognosis
The prognosis for protein deficiency depends on the duration of the condition as well as your stage of development. A short-term deficiency as an adult should leave no permanent damage. However, if your deficiency occurred during childhood, especially for a prolonged time, you may not recover the full growth or development you lost as a result of protein deficiency.
Member Comments