Diet

Protein deficiency

What is a protein deficiency?

Proteins have vital functions in the body. They are needed to build up tissues, especially the muscles.
However, they also occur in a certain concentration in the blood. Here they transport important substances to their destination and bind the fluid in the vascular system. They are involved in blood clotting and perform important metabolic tasks. The immune system also needs protein to defend itself against pathogens.

A protein deficiency therefore has serious consequences for the body. A protein deficiency can be measured by determining the total protein concentration in the blood. This should depend on the laboratory between 64 and 83 g / l. If it is below these values, there is a protein deficiency.

Causes of a protein deficiency

The causes of a protein deficiency can be numerous. With diseases of the kidneys (e.g. nephrotic syndrome) there is an increased loss of protein through the kidneys. The body cannot always compensate for this, and protein deficiency occurs.

A reduced protein intake through diet can also lead to a protein deficiency. This is the case with prolonged involuntary hunger phases as well as with diseases such as anorexia.

There are also other diseases that lead to protein deficiency. If the pancreas is weak, it no longer produces enough enzymes, which are responsible for breaking down the large protein molecules in the intestine into their components (amino acids).Only in this way can the amino acids be absorbed through the intestinal mucosa.

Protein deficiency can also occur when the liver does not have the ability to synthesize it, including cirrhosis of the liver. There, new protein molecules are normally formed from the amino acids that are ingested with food.

In the context of a tumor disease there is always an increased protein consumption. If this cannot be sufficiently covered, a protein deficiency occurs.

What is the daily protein requirement?

The protein requirement per day is very different. It depends on physical activity, physique and protein consumption from. Breastfeeding and pregnant women have higher protein requirements. Even people with severe chronic diseases such as tumor diseases, liver and kidney failure have a different protein requirement. This also applies to athletes who specifically want to build muscle.

In principle, however, you can contact the Orientate recommendations of the German Nutrition Society (DGE). This recommends eating 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight. This is the same for both men and women. A 65kg woman should therefore eat at least 50 grams of protein per day. For a man weighing 85 kg, the protein requirement is around 70 grams per day. In phases of increased protein requirements, you can adjust the protein intake accordingly.

However, exceeding 2g of protein per kilogram of body weight is not recommended, but too much protein is not harmful per se for people with healthy kidneys. Only growing babies and toddlers have a higher protein requirement of up to 3g of protein per kilogram of body weight.

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How high is the protein requirement if you want to build muscle?

If you want to build muscle, the protein requirement is logically higher per day.
The recommendation of the German Society for Nutrition with 0.8g per day per kilogram of body weight does not explicitly apply to strength athletes. Your protein requirement is higher. It is probably between 1.3 to 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight.
A protein intake of more than 2 grams per kilogram of body weight does not make sense because the body cannot use it. However, contrary to many opinions, too much protein is not harmful per se when it comes to someone without previous kidney diseases.

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What do vegans and vegetarians have to pay attention to?

Most people get their protein needs from animal protein by consuming meat and eggs. Vegans consciously avoid animal protein. And you have to be very clear that a vegan diet can also be very high in protein.
Protein-rich vegan foods include beans, chickpeas and lentils. Also tofu contains protein. This also applies to nuts. Quinoa is an excellent source of vegetable protein. This cereal provides the body with all nine essential amino acids. It also contains numerous minerals and is gluten-free. You don't have to fear a protein deficiency if you follow a vegan diet.
Vegetarians can also eat eggs and dairy products such as low-fat curd fall back on to meet their daily protein needs.

Read more on the subject at:

Vegan diet
vegetarianism

I recognize a protein deficiency by these symptoms

Proteins fulfill many vital functions in the body. Therefore, a protein deficiency is also noticeable through various symptoms. First, the body tries to keep the protein concentration in the blood constant, which is why it breaks down muscles that contain a lot of protein. Weight loss occurs.

You feel weak and powerless. Fatigue is also a problem. The immune system also needs protein to function. The consequences are frequent infections and wound healing disorders. Hair loss also occurs, and many sufferers complain of dry skin and brittle nails.

If the protein deficiency is really serious, protein deficiency edema also occurs, which is understood to be water retention in the tissue. There are also increased cravings. Because the protein in the blood is necessary to keep the blood sugar level constant. If the blood sugar level falls because there is not enough protein, this manifests itself in a food cravings attack.

Protein deficiency symptom: tiredness

Fatigue is a very common symptom. It can have various causes. Besides the common causes like anemia (Anemia), an underactive thyroid (Hypothyroidism) or depression can always be due to a protein deficiency.
In the early stages of protein deficiency, there is still enough muscle protein. The body now begins to break it down. This often leads to weight loss. The muscle strength decreases. You feel tired and weak. Therefore, if you are tired, you should definitely remember to check the protein content in your blood.

Protein deficiency symptom: hair loss

Hair loss can also have numerous causes. These are primarily an iron deficiency or a malfunction of the thyroid gland. But protein is also important for the structure of tissues and thus hair growth.
Indeed, a large part of the hair is made up of proteins. You should therefore pay attention to an appropriate protein intake in the diet. In addition, protein-containing hair care products can be used to repair any damage to the hair structure.

Further information on the topic can be found here: Hair loss

Protein deficiency symptom: muscle pain

Muscle pain is referred to in technical jargon as Myalgias designated. They can have numerous causes.
In most cases, the causes are relatively harmless. Muscle pain due to a lack of protein should not be underestimated, however. Protein is a vital raw material for our body. The muscles in particular are protein-rich tissue. Therefore, the protein requirement in strength athletes is significantly increased. If, on the other hand, there is a protein deficiency, the body begins to break down the muscle protein. This can lead to muscle pain. So they can be a warning sign of an impending protein deficiency.

More information can be found here: Muscle aches

Protein deficiency symptoms on the skin

Dry and flaky skin is often an indication of a protein deficiency.
Hair and nails also suffer from the protein deficiency. Patients often complain of hair loss and brittle nails. Even small wounds in the skin area heal much worse because protein is needed to build new tissue. The immune system is also significantly weaker. Bacteria therefore often have an easy job when it comes to skin infections. It is therefore important for the health of the skin to ensure that there is sufficient protein intake.

Read more about this: Dry skin causes and care

Diagnosis of protein deficiency

There are various symptoms that suggest a protein deficiency. These include:

fatigue
Muscle aches
Hair loss
brittle nails
Wound healing disorders
Weight loss through muscle breakdown

If the iron deficiency is severe, iron deficiency edema can also be seen in the physical examination (see below) stand out. The protein level in the blood should be determined to confirm the diagnosis. The total protein concentration in the blood should vary depending on the laboratory between 64 and 83 g / l lie. If the value is lower, there is a protein deficiency.

You can also test urine to see if you are losing protein through your kidneys.

Is there a test for protein deficiency?

There is often evidence of a protein deficiency in the medical history. The patient complains of corresponding symptoms. You can test whether there is a protein deficiency with a blood test.
The total protein concentration in the blood should be between 64 and 83 g / l, depending on the laboratory. So there is a protein deficiency when the total protein in the blood falls below the lower normal value. Then it makes sense to do more tests to find the cause of the protein deficiency.

Blood values in the case of protein deficiency

The normal values for protein in the blood are very different and vary from laboratory to laboratory. In principle, however, you can remember that the proteins in the blood are a very heterogeneous group.
Most of the blood protein is made up of the protein albumin. In addition to the total protein content of the blood, you can also measure the albumin content. In most laboratories, the albumin content is between 35 and 53 g / l. In addition to a blood test, it is also worth doing a urine test to check whether protein is lost through the urine, i.e. the kidneys.

Treatment of a protein deficiency

Proteins are vital for the body. A protein deficiency can have serious consequences. Therefore, an existing protein deficiency should definitely be remedied.
The German Nutrition Society recommends eating 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight. This is how you can prevent a protein deficiency. In phases of increased protein requirements (growth, pregnancy & breastfeeding, weight training), the intake should be increased to 1.5g per kilogram of body weight. In Africa, protein deficiency due to malnutrition is far more common.

When treating protein deficiency, it is important for those affected to slowly increase the protein intake so as not to trigger refeeding syndrome. This clinical picture can arise when patients are suddenly given normal amounts of food after a long period of malnutrition.
Patients with severe end-stage liver disease are usually given infusions of protein (albumin). as the body's own protein production is no longer possible in the liver. An extra portion of protein in the form of an infusion also helps to eliminate a protein deficiency in tumor patients. Especially if they suffer from ascites due to the lack of protein.
If kidney disease with protein loss via the kidneys is the cause of the protein deficiency, this kidney disease should be treated as best as possible.

Read about it too: The protein-rich diet

Prediction of protein deficiency

The prognosis for a protein deficiency depends on its cause. A protein deficiency due to malnutrition can theoretically be compensated for relatively easily.
If serious illnesses are the cause of the protein deficiency, the prognosis is usually worse. Severe end-stage kidney and liver diseases that lead to protein deficiency can often no longer be treated curatively. Protein can then be given to the patient in the form of infusions.

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What is protein deficiency edema?

The consequences of a protein deficiency are serious. The body therefore tries everything to counteract an impending protein deficiency. Protein deficiency edema only occurs when there is a very pronounced protein deficiency, when all of the body's compensatory mechanisms have been exhausted. Protein deficiency edema is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the tissue. Fluid emerges from the vascular system and collects in the tissue.

The protein in the blood normally ensures, among other things, that the so-called colloid osmotic pressure is maintained in the capillaries. This means that the proteins in the blood attract water and thus keep it in the blood vessels. If the protein content in the blood is too low, fluid escapes into the tissue. The causes of protein deficiency edema can range from starvation or reduced protein intake in the diet to protein deficiency in severe physical illnesses. They occur, for example, with tumor diseases due to the high protein consumption. Even with protein loss due to severe kidney disease this edema can occur. This also applies to liver diseases in the terminal stage, as in cirrhosis of the liver.

This protein deficiency edema can only be treated by eliminating the cause or correcting the protein deficiency. A protein supply in the form of infusions may be necessary.