You're Not Getting Enough Protein If This Happens To You

Protein is vital to the human body. Among other things, it helps build and repair tissue, supports the immune system, balances body fluids, and helps transport oxygen through the body. Protein is made from amino acids, of which there are more than 20. However, the human body isn't capable of manufacturing nine of those amino acids, which are known as essential amino acids. To keep your body running like a well-oiled machine, your only real choice is to eat foods containing these essential amino acids. And that, of course, means eating protein.

The recommended daily requirement for protein is 7 grams for every 20 pounds of body weight, according to the National Academy of Medicine (via The Nutrition Source). Since protein is found in many foods, both animal-based and plant-based, it is generally not difficult to meet this goal. However, certain weight-loss plans can inadvertently lead to restricting protein intake below healthy levels. Additionally, a number of health conditions may make it harder to maintain adequate protein levels. These include gluten intolerance and inflammatory bowel syndrome. Here's a look at just what can happen to you if you're not getting enough protein. 

If you're regularly performing resistance exercise (which is known to promote muscle growth) but are finding your results to be less than optimal or you're actually losing muscle mass, it could be because you're not including enough protein in your diet, a study published in the University of Stirling Online Research Repository suggested. 

Indeed, protein is vital to building and maintaining muscles, according to Alicia Galvin, resident dietitian for Sovereign Laboratories. Galvin's view is supported by numerous studies demonstrating that diets higher in protein are associated with greater muscle mass, whereas diets lower in protein are associated with muscle loss.

As to why that may be, registered dietitian Kristin Gillespie explained to Health Digest that protein is so critical to the human body that when protein needs are not met through dietary sources, the body will start seeking protein from the muscles, with the effect being decreased muscle mass.

If you've been feeling exhausted as of late, you might want to consider taking a look at your diet. It could be that you're not eating sufficient protein, Alicia Galvin, resident dietitian for Sovereign Laboratories, told Health Digest. Although a single low-protein meal is unlikely to make a significant difference, not getting enough protein over time can lead to a loss of muscle mass. And a decrease in muscle mass can, in turn, leave you feeling sluggish. It can even make even the most basic of physical tasks, such as maintaining your balance, feel more difficult, Leslie Bonci, nutritionist and nutrition consultant for the Kansas City Chiefs, told Health.

Preserving muscle mass becomes increasingly important as you get older because muscle loss is a normal part of aging (this is known as sarcopenia). It may also be important to those already experiencing fatigue from certain conditions, like cancer.

How much protein you consume can have a significant effect on how well you sleep. A 2013 study published in the Journal of Epidemiology demonstrated that lower protein intake (which was considered to be less than 16 percent of total calories) was associated with poorer quality sleep. To a lesser extent, this same study also demonstrated that low protein intake can be associated with greater difficulty in falling asleep. Conversely, other studies have shown a clear positive relationship between levels of dietary protein and the ability to fall asleep more quickly. 

It's been suggested that what is behind protein's ability to support sleep is tryptophan, an essential amino acid that the body cannot manufacture itself and therefore must be consumed in food or supplements. Tryptophan is essential to creating the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is needed to create melatonin. This hormone, which helps the body to make sense of environmental lighting, helps regulate the sleep/wake cycle, according to Jennifer Henry, director of the Counseling Center at Maryville University, who told Health Digest that reductions in melatonin lead to difficulty falling and staying asleep.

If you're not getting enough protein, you may actually experience increased anxiety levels, according to certified holistic nutritionist and hypnotherapist Melissa Kathryn. One reason is that the neurotransmitter dopamine, which has been associated with decreased anxiety levels, is made from essential amino acids that cannot be manufactured by the body and must be supplied through diet (via The Nutrition Source). 

Getting adequate protein can not only supply you with dopamine, but it can also help keep blood sugar levels stable, which can also be important in managing anxiety. A drop in blood sugar ups production of the fight-or-flight hormone, adrenaline, which can lead to feelings of anxiety, according to WebMD. And when your adrenaline levels rise, you will likely experience some of the physical symptoms that are frequently associated with anxiety, including sweaty palms and heart palpitations, which can, in turn, exacerbate anxiety you were already experiencing — a truly vicious cycle. You may also misattribute the source of those physical symptoms to anxiety, as opposed to blood sugar fluctuations.

Inadequate protein intake can lead to hair loss. The reason? Alicia Galvin, resident dietitian for Sovereign Laboratories, explained to Health Digest that hair follicles are made mostly of protein. However, protein is needed to support virtually every aspect of the human body, including vital functions such as respiration. So when protein is in short supply, the body' diverts whatever protein sources it may have away from supporting lush hair and toward supporting more vital bodily functions. 

According to research neuroscientist and nutrition expert Nicole Avena, low protein intake is also associated with lower blood levels of the B vitamin, biotin. This is yet another reason that hair loss is associated with inadequate protein intake. This vitamin, which is found in meats (including organ meats), eggs, fish, meat, seeds, nuts, and certain vegetables, supports hair growth. In fact, it's been given to both men and women hoping to reduce hair loss, dermatologist Wilma Bergfeld told the Cleveland Clinic. 

Adequate protein intake is vital to maintaining proper fluid balance in the body, according to certified holistic nutritionist Melissa Kathryn. The blood contains a number of different forms of protein, but when it comes to regulating fluid balance, the most important is albumin. Albumin works as a "water magnet," holding water and other fluids in the blood vessels. When blood levels of albumen become low, as can happen with inadequate protein intake, those fluids can leak out of the blood vessels. With nowhere else to go, they collect in other tissues.  

The presence of fluid in tissues where it does not belong is known clinically as edema although you might recognize it as "swelling." Edema has many causes, of which protein deficiency is just one. However, it is actually one of the most common symptoms of protein deficiency, registered dietitian Kristin Gillespie told Health Digest.

Food proteins are known to play a critical role in the development of a healthy immune system. This is because antibodies that make up your immune system (aka immunoglobulins) are made up of proteins. And to be manufactured by the body effectively, they require dietary protein, Alicia Galvin, resident dietitian for Sovereign Laboratories, told Health Digest. Conversely, when you don't take in enough dietary protein, your body has a harder time making manufacturing immunoglobulins, with the result being a less effective immune system. 

That is why when you're not getting enough protein in your diet, you might find yourself coming down with more colds, according to registered dietitian Cassie Christopher, who also told Health Digest that you might find it takes longer for your respiratory infections to clear up. In addition, you might find that cuts and minor infections take longer to heal. In addition to protein, other nutrients that have been found to be important to optimal immune function include zinc, selenium, iron, vitamin C, and vitamin D.