Protein is one of the basic components of the human body. It not only helps build muscles, but it also aids in tissue regeneration, the production of hormones, immune system health, and maintaining fluids. If your body lacks the protein needed to maintain its normal functions, it will start using amino acids selectively, taking them directly from your skeletal muscles. There are several signs of protein deficiency in your body. Here are 8 signs that show you need protein badly:
Insistent and Frequent Food & Sweet Cravings
Protein is the most filling macronutrient, suppressing ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and stimulating appetite-inhibiting hormones such as peptide YY and GLP-1. The lack thereof causes an inability to regulate blood glucose levels, which then results in quick energy drops, causing rapid changes in glucose levels.
Brittle and Thinning Hair
The hair shafts consist almost solely of structural proteins, mainly keratin. Due to the lack of protein, the body diverts the available proteins away from the less vital tasks and to more essential processes within the body. It leads to the cessation of hair growth, and hair becomes brittle and starts breaking off due to the lack of moisture.
Weak, Peeling, or Ridged Toenails & Fingernails
As already indicated above, nails and hair contain large amounts of keratin, which makes them rigid and tough. Without the required proteins, nails will not grow well and will become weak. They will, therefore, become soft and brittle, cracking easily at their tips, peeling, and having ridges across them.
Unusually Slow Rate of Wound Healing
Injuries vary from cuts that happen due to paper to surgical operations that involve cutting open the skin. In both cases, healing entails intensive protein production to enable rapid blood coagulation and skin tissue regrowth. When there is not enough protein in the body, small injuries that should be healed within several days remain open for weeks.
Bone Fractures and Joint Weakening
Even though calcium and Vitamin D are usually hailed as beneficial for bones, bone tissue itself is made up of living protein fiber networks that are embedded within minerals. Insufficient protein consumption can weaken this internal structure of the bones, thus causing poor bone mineralization and making you prone to osteopenia.
Lack of Results in Your Workout
In case you continue to lift weights without seeing any improvements or worse yet, your muscles start shrinking while you work out, you can be sure you are under-fueling. Protein is essential to stimulate muscle recovery following the micro-tears that are made during your workout, and the absence of amino acids leads to delayed muscle recovery.
The Formation of Lanugo
As an additional protection measure against the dangers posed by protein and calorie deficiency, your body tries to keep itself warm because of the lack of insulating body tissues and a slower metabolic rate. In such cases, your body begins to produce soft downy hair on your skin to maintain core temperature and avoid hypothermia.
Mysterious Build-Up of Fat in Your Liver Cells
Fat tissue build-up in the liver may indicate protein shortage, a process referred to as steatohepatitis. This disease occurs when lipoproteins that are responsible for collecting and transporting fat from the liver are insufficient to perform their functions properly, resulting in fat deposition and subsequent liver inflammation.
