Your kidneys continuously filter your blood, excreting waste products while holding back proteins and other important molecules. Healthy kidneys normally allow almost no protein to be lost in the urine. Although protein in the urine, or...
By now you've heard that you should be eating a healthy and balanced diet, but you may not be sure what that means. While a diet can be healthy for one person, it may not be the right diet for you. Determining your appropriate balance of fat,...
Proteins provide your body with structure, help build hormones and enzymes, maintain fluid and acid-base balance and act as a transportation system. Proteins belong to class of nutrients called macronutrients. Macronutrients contain calories, so...
Proteins are made up of amino acids and exist in every cell in our bodies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Along with fats and carbohydrates, proteins are one of the three main nutrients we need in our diet. Even...
Urine tests commonly measure protein and creatinine to check for the presence of kidney disease or dysfunction. Protein in your urine is abnormal and prompts follow-up testing. If your kidneys do not work properly, your doctor may need to test...
Protein and fat are macronutrients, essential for supplying energy, regulating blood and hormone production and assisting with metabolic and cellular function. Women need to consume both nutrients in large quantities to promote optimal nutrition....
Polycystic ovary syndrome has multiple internal and external effects on the body that can be overwhelming if you have the condition. PCOS has no cure, but there are ways to combat its effects. Getting to a healthy weight is a priority because the...
Increasing exercise combined with a sound nutrition plan is a recipe for sustained weight loss. Although it's obvious to avoid sugar filled and processed foods during dieting, it might be less clear that certain foods are more effective than...
Western diets are naturally protein-rich, particularly after the post-WWII economic boom expanded the middle class in developed countries worldwide. An average American male consumes about 140 grams of protein per day if he follows the USDA...
Protein is an essential component of the body's growth and repair system. It is also required for immunity from disease. A normal protein level is approximately 6.0 to 8.3 gm/dL, according to MedlinePlus. While dietary protein contributes to the...
The liver is an important organ involved in the storage of sugars for the body's energy use. It also helps the body get rid of waste products and toxins, and manufactures proteins important in the body's immune response. When the liver is damaged,...
Polycystic kidney disease is a condition in which cysts, or fluid filled sacs, develop on your kidneys. Over time, the cysts grow, enlarging the kidneys. As the kidneys increase in volume, function deteriorates. In addition to routine...
Many people have heard that yogurt is healthy and provides benefits beyond the normal protein, carbohydrates and fat it provides, but they often don't know why. The reason is that they contain probiotics. Probiotics, such as acidophilus, are live,...
The liver plays a vital role in most metabolic processes. One of these processes is the detoxification of ammonia in the blood. Ammonia is a by-product of normal protein metabolism and is also created by bacteria in the intestines. When the liver...
Alzheimer's disease causes severe disruption in critical thinking, memory, judgment and social skills. The dementia of Alzheimer's occurs along with distinctive changes in the brain, including abnormal protein deposits of plaques and tangles. The...
Patients with chronic renal disease have no doubt heard rumblings about low-protein diets. For a long time, the jury was out as to the value of these diets as studies conflicted as to the possible benefit. However, studies indicate that...
Today's teenager is constantly on the go, bouncing from one sport or activity to the next. For young athletes, some of which participate in multiple sports throughout the school year then head for sports camp during the summer, having a...
Even mild exercise changes the metabolic processes of the body, causing a need for additional oxygen supply to the muscles and the breakdown of the simple sugar glucose to be used for energy by the working muscles. This change leads to the need...
Your cells each contain thousands of distinct proteins, that each carry out a unique set of roles to maintain cellular function, as well as your overall health. Protein turnover -- the continued synthesis and processing of new proteins, as well as...
Skin damage caused by heat, chemicals, sunlight, radiation or electricity is referred to as a burn. Burns can damage tissues below the skin as well, and, because both the tissues and your skin are protein-dense, healing from burns requires...
Protein is an essential part of the diet; without the amino acids in protein, tissue repair and new tissue formation cannot take place. Inadequate amounts of dietary protein can cause immune problems, poor wound healing and a number of other...
The lungs are made of delicate elastic tissue that inflates and deflates as air is inhaled and exhaled, respectively. Blood vessels that line tiny sacs in the lungs called alveoli absorb oxygen that then travels through the blood stream to the...
As part of the United States' continuing battle with the bulge, more and more people are turning to protein powders and shakes to help improve their weight loss. However, whether you will lose more weight with or without using protein powder is...
Players, family, friends and fans enjoy football. Football is a strenuous sport that requires hard work from the body. Running, pushing and blocking opposing players are part of the game. Players need to provide their bodies with extra nutrients...
Most diseases result from a combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental exposure. The occurrence of “genetic” diseases depends more on the exact coding of DNA with little to no influence from the environment. In genetic...
PowerBar is a company that makes nutritional snacks, gels and energy drinks designed for the physically active consumer. The company has been producing high-carbohydrate products since 1986 and now sponsors numerous athletes and athletic events...
Weight gain that leads to obesity is not a normal part of aging and can bring about many health complications. It's important for women to understand the dangers associated with weight gain after menopause, in order to take measures to reverse or...
Training with weights makes your muscles stronger. This happens because when you lift challenging weight, metabolites build up in the muscles you are working. These metabolites disrupt your body, which responds by making the muscles stronger so...
High levels of urine protein are a red flag for kidney disease. However, there are many different ways that urine protein can be measured, each with its own scale of values and method of collection. The protein-to-creatinine ratio is one of the...
Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when your body's immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many different body systems, including your joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, heart...