Protein is the vital vitamin our body needs for maintaining. Our body uses protein mostly for building and repairing tissue. In fact, protein is the major component our body needs for building bones, cartilage, skin, muscles etc. Protein is essential for our body for making hormones, enzymes etc. and so on.
In general, people who shift to a vegan diet develop protein deficiency and it can be mostly noticed among athletes, bodybuilders as well as in people who are in a diet. Lack of knowledge regarding nutrition is the major factor that contributes to the deficiency of protein. Protein has huge importance in helping the body perform its functions efficiently. Deprivation of protein can lead to various diseases as well.
Here Are Few Signs Of Protein Deficiency You Need To Notice Before It Is Too Late:
Hair Fall:
Protein deficiency is another fact for the reason behind hair fall beside hereditary issues. In fact, hair and nails are mostly made up of protein and lack of protein leads to hair fall. So, whenever your hair starts falling or splitting, you need to check out whether you are getting adequate protein from your diet or not. When your body is not getting enough of protein, it goes into a conservation mode wherein it doesn’t spend valuable protein to nourish your hair.
Fatigue:
Deficiency of protein might affect your state as well. This is due to low energy. Proteins help in stabilizing the sugar levels present in our body and lack of enough proteins can reduce your mental alertness thereby hindering the ability to respond. Hence, you feel tired, low and weak.
Dry Skin:
Lack of protein in the diet can make your skin become dry. If this is the case then your skin will be more susceptible to skin diseases. Our body needs protein for cell repair and maintenance. Hence, enough of protein will make your skin look dull and tired.
Muscle Loss:
Protein deficiency leads to muscle loss. The size of your muscle starts decreasing with protein deficiency. If your body doesn’t get adequate protein from your diet, it starts cannibalizing its own tissue to meet its requirements.
Swollen Eyes And Hands:
Deficiency of protein might lower the plasma protein content in blood and this will lead to a condition known as oedema. Reduction in plasma protein can cause liver problems and might trigger anemia as well. Protein plays a vital role in maintaining water balance in the body and deficiency of protein might hinder this process thereby leading to oedema. Swollen eyes and hands are due to the collection of fluid under the skin and this is due to deficiency of protein.
Can’t Get Enough Sleep:
People having protein deficiency will not be able to have enough sleep throughout the night. Lack of protein in the diet will increase cravings for excess sugar and carbohydrates. Hence, your body will not be able to burn fat during the night time when you sleep. Your body gets accustomed to sugar and carb foods and hence you will wake up for every two or three hours feeling hungry. Constant cravings for carb and sugar food are another common symptom you notice.
Getting enough of protein from the diet allows the body to use it to stabilize the levels of blood sugar thereby allowing the body to burn its fat.