Dietary protein is a macronutrient, a food component you need in large amounts for optimal health. Proteins consist of small molecules called amino acids. When you consume protein, your body breaks it down to its individual amino acids and then recombines the amino acids to create new proteins your body needs. To support the many nutritional roles of protein in your diet, you require a minimum of 0.8 g of high-quality protein for each kg you weigh, according to the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.
Muscle Building
Protein is vital for muscle growth, whether you are a child, a teen, a pregnant woman or a bodybuilder. Skeletal muscle is composed of muscle fibers rich in a protein called myosin. Packing on new muscle requires an influx of dietary protein that provides amino acids your body can use to synthesize new myosin as well as other muscle proteins. Your skeletal muscle is so rich in protein that, if you lack sufficient dietary protein, your body will cannibalize your muscle tissue to access the amino acids it contains to use for your body’s other protein functions.
Tissue Repair
In addition to building muscle, your dietary protein serves to repair damaged muscle tissue, whether from injury or strenuous exercise. Similarly, because the organs of your body are protein-dense, protein helps repair damaged organ tissue. For example, a skin laceration or burn requires the amino acids from your dietary protein to synthesize and replace new skin tissue as part of the healing process.
Immune System Support
Your immune system fights invading pathogens to keep your body healthy, and proteins are an essential component of your immune cells. White blood cells that engulf and digest bacteria, antibodies that capture pathogens for destruction and cytokines that regulate your body’s immune response all consist of protein molecules. Without adequate dietary protein, your immune system may be compromised, leading to a higher risk of infection.
Molecule Synthesis
The protein you consume in your daily diet plays a role in the physiological molecules your body needs to function properly. Enzymes, for example, are protein molecules that serve as biological catalysts, agents that instigate reactions such as food metabolism and synthesis of new proteins. In addition, proteins are an integral part of hormones and red blood cells.
Energy Provision
Although not its preferred fuel source, your body can derive energy from the protein you eat when dietary carbohydrates are scarce. Similar to carbohydrates, protein provides 4 calories for each gram you consume. However, protein is an expensive fuel source compared to carbohydrates or fats and is better used to repair and maintain the tissues of your body than to provide energy, suggests the Iowa State University Extension.
References
- University of Illinois McKinley Health Center; Macronutrients: the Importance of Carbohydrate, Protein, and Fat; March 2008
- Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service; Protein and the Body; Janice Hermann
- Iowa State University Extension; Protein; Ruth Litchfield; March 2011
- “Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition”; The Role of Dietary Protein Intake and Resistance Training on Myosin Heavy Chain Expression; Colin Wilborn; December 2004
- University of Hartford; Immune System; March 2001
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