Vegetarians have to work a little harder than meat-eaters to get their daily protein allowance, because meats and dairy products contain more protein than most other foods. You can meet your protein needs through a variety of foods, although your protein intake may be lower than that of a meat-eater. Your serum protein levels should not fall unless you become malnourished.
Low Serum Protein Causes
Malnutrition or severely decreased protein intake in a vegetarian can your blood protein levels to fall, but a number of other conditions can also cause low serum protein. Dehydration, diarrhea, kidney disease with protein loss in the urine, inflammation, cancer, poor absorption due to gastrointestinal disorder, and trauma or severe burns can all cause protein loss. Autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythmatosus, uncontrolled diabetes and hyperthyroid can also cause low protein levels.
Protein Sources
Vegetarians have many protein sources available. Most vegetarians get 10 to 12 percent of their calories from protein, according to registered dietitian Reed Mangels, Ph.D., of the Vegetarian Resource Group. You can get your protein from nuts, seeds, legumes and plant proteins, such as soy, if you're a vegan, or a vegetarian who eats no animal products. Many vegetarian protein sources do no supply complete proteins; in other words, they don't contain all the essential amino acids. Protein combining at meals, eating foods containing different amino acids to equal a complete protein, is no longer considered necessary. As long as you get the full complement of amino acids during the day, you don't need to worry about combining foods at every meal.
Determining the Cause
If you have low serum protein levels, it's important not to assume a vegetarian diet has caused your levels to drop. Many potentially serious medical conditions can cause low serum protein. Your doctor will need to do additional testing to determine the exact cause. Blood tests, such as electrophoresis, help determine the type of protein loss you're experiencing. low levels of specific proteins help diagnose different diseases.
Considerations
Most vegetarians do not have low serum protein levels because they get adequate protein in their diet. Men following a vegan diet need 2.5 to 2.9 grams of protein per 100 calories and women need 2.1 to 2.4 grams of protein per 100 calories, Mangels reports. As long as you take in adequate calories for good health, you will normally take in enough protein, notes Mangels.
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