What Happens When You Get Too Little Protein in Your Diet

Proteins are composed of long chain like forms of amino acids. Amino acids are basic and fundamental to life. As a chemical compound, it is made of amine and carbonyl functional groups. To put it simply, they are made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen and on some rare occasions, sulfur. These four or five materials build themselves into various chain-like structures and form different types of protein. Protein is the life line of human health.

Human cells, muscle tissue, and the organs of the body are made up of protein. Long chains of amino acids are structured to make different types of proteins. There are 22 types of amino acids and the human body needs all of them to be healthy.

Different types of proteins in our body execute different body functions. Our body's strength, its flexibility and elasticity are taken care of by a protein called collagen, and our hair and skin are composed of the same protein.

Proteins we consume through food are broken down into amino acids in the process of digestion and absorbed by the body only to be rebuilt into different types of proteins that are the requirement of the body. There are twenty two kinds of amino acids essential for the human body. And in that 14 are produced by the body and the remaining 8 are to be obtained though food.

Complete and incomplete Proteins

A protein that can be obtained through one food source like a meat or dairy product is called a complete protein. A complete protein is obtained generally though meat, diary products, eggs, fish and poultry. Vegetables, fruits and nuts do not contain all the essential proteins in one food items and so it is termed as incomplete.

Importance of Proteins

For proper growth, sustenance and repair of body cells, for the health of muscles, tissues, organs and for body function like metabolism, digestion, transportation of nutrients and oxygen through blood circulation, proteins are imperative.

Apart from that more importantly for the production of antibodies, or in other words, antibodies are little soldiers who fight any infection that invades into our body and fights diseases and makes us healthy. The healthy skin and shining hair of which we are proud of is due to the proteins.

Too little Protein means ill health

Like our grand mothers say often, 'anything too much or too little is harmful' is absolute truth in case of protein. Too much protein intake leads to many uncomfortable physical complications just as too little of protein intake can lead to complications.

Protein is needed to repair and create new cells, tissues, hormones, enzymes and muscles and lack of protein would impair these important body functions leading to grave situations. Many foods which supply protein do contain certain other minerals and vitamins like iron, a lack of which creates an eternal tiredness and fatigue. The person who lacks iron feels weak and becomes listless with lack of energy.

Physical activities consume protein daily, and so it is essential to give regular supply of protein to the body daily. And too little protein can cause severe skin ailments and would make you look lusterless and pale.

Children need a lot of protein as they are in the phase of growing and insufficient protein in children hampers their growth very much.

For a period of time if the body fails to get sufficient amount of protein through food, it starts breaking the muscles which contain large amount of protein to fulfill its need. This means eroding of the muscle and it is generally known as muscle wasting. And prolonged such situation leads to a vicious cycle of protein energy malnutrition where in when the body does not get any other source of energy, body's muscles and organs a re broken down for energy. The digestive system suffers with the loss of cell lining which is important for absorption of nutrients from the digested food. Thus a vicious cycle of poor diet and insufficient absorption of nutrients from food lead to severe body wasting.

So, too little protein intake is dangerous and very harmful to health.

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Bodybuilder Muscle Mass Diet on a Budget

When you are into bodybuilding you can start to see that your bill every month for food is greater than buying expensive gas at the pump. For those that want to achieve their muscle building diet and still have money left over, we have tips for bodybuilders on a budget.

Top 5 Tips for Bodybuilder's Food on a Budget

1. The most important thing you can do it make a grocery list. One of the worst things you can do is go into a super market especially hungry and attempt to figure out what you need on the fly. Most often without a grocery list we get food we don't need and forget something that is important that we have waste more gas going back to the store.

2. You can buy complex carbs in bulk. Stocking up on brown rice, potatoes, and oatmeal allows for you to save money on the high volume shopping. Unlike most people who buy and bulk and the food gets spoiled before eating, if you are a serious bodybuilder than you know the amount of calories you are going to eat and the food won't get wasted.

3. You get what you pay for. This stills seams to be the situation with supplement brands, though not with food items. The store brands in most grocery stores are just as good as the name brand and cheaper. Go with the store brand and save money.

4. You body needs the vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables. What is also important is variety. We typically get into such routines that we only eat certain fruits or vegetables. Start buying the deals and sale items in your produce section of the grocery store. This will give you more variety and you can save money on always buying the same items at their normal higher price.

5. Buy food around the outside path at the grocery store. Almost always the processed foods are in the aisles while the natural meats, vegetables, and breads are along the outside wall around the store. Natural foods are typically cheaper than the process and boxed counterparts and hold much more nutritional value.

You can make any bodybuilding diet work on any budget. Also, as an added tip think of your protein shakes and meal replacement shakes as part of your grocery bill instead of supplement bill. These are cost effective way to get calories at the right calorie ranges. Since your protein powders are food, it won't make your supplement bill look so big any more either.

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