The answer is yes. The lack of enough protein can leave you feeling all tired. If you do not eat enough protein, the muscles responsible for posture and movement will be affected in just a week. Lack of protein will start to show on your body since you will be losing muscle mass. Your strength levels will decrease, giving you will a hard time maintaining your balance. The resultant effect is that your body’s metabolism will slow down. Proteins such as haemoglobin play an important role in the transportation of oxygen from one place to another, making it a major blood component. Lower oxygen intake can, therefore, lead to anemia, which rids your cells of oxygen. This will result in you looking and feeling tired.
You should know that this is just one of the effects of not taking enough proteins. Let’s take a look at some more:
- Hunger
This goes unsaid. People are often encouraged to take a lot of proteins to feel full and also help them work on their constant cravings for snacks. Protein, therefore, plays an important role in fueling you. Apart from carbs and fats, proteins act as a source of calories. Therefore, if you want to feel full and unbothered for the rest of the day, all you need is protein. Therefore, be sure to incorporate some in all your meals. - Poor healing of injuries
You are probably thinking that healing of wounds and injuries is solely the work of vitamins. Well, whereas vitamins promote the healing of wounds and injuries, protein does the act. You will notice that people who deprive their bodies of proteins take longer to heal from simple wounds and scrapes. Such people also take longer to recover from occasional strains and other injuries obtained in the day to day activities. Remember, protein is a building block of muscles and tissues, which means that not eating enough impairs the development of collagen. This is mostly found in your connective tissues and the skin. It plays an important role in promoting the healing of wounds and injuries. Keep in mind that blood won’t clot fast or effectively if your body does not produce or produces a low amount of collagen. - Poor immunity
Proteins are everywhere in the body. The immune system relies on amino acids, which are blocks of protein to make antibodies which fight different pathogen, preventing you from attracting various diseases. Therefore, the antibodies activate the white blood cells to help fight against the disease-causing germs, viruses, and different toxins. You also need proteins for the process of digestion and absorption to occur. In case you are wondering how the two are connected, keep in mind that enzymes are proteins. Lastly, proteins can also alter the levels of disease-fighting bacteria in your alimentary canal, which dictates whether you will be vulnerable to gut-related illnesses. - Swellings
It is normal for different body organs to swell if you do not take enough proteins. This is one of the most common signs of protein deficiency. Popularly known as edema, it occurs in the lower torso, legs, feet, and hand. It is also known as Kwashiorkor in kids. We need to take a look into how this happens so that you have a perfect idea. Well, several proteins are circulating in your blood. One of these is albumin, which plays an important role in preventing the build-up of fluids in the tissues. Failure to eat enough amount of protein, therefore, means a lower quantity of albumin. When this happens, blood will build up in the tissues leading to unnecessary swellings. Keep in mind that you will also look sickly and frail. This is something that you can easily avoid by eating enough protein. - Change in moods
Keep in mind that proteins play an important part in the chemical changes and reactions in the body. Your brain relies on neurotransmitters to communicate between the cells. This is a detailed process that we can’t break down in our short discussion. The only thing that you need to note is that most of these transmitters are made of amino acids, which, as you know, are the building blocks of proteins. Lack of enough protein implies that your body will be limited from making enough of these transmitters, which will, in return, affect the functioning of your brain. Once you have relatively lower dopamine or serotonin levels, you can always be sure that you will constantly feel sad or angry. Therefore, make sure that you take enough proteins in all your meals. - Hair, nail and skin problems
You now realize how the lack of enough proteins is disastrous. The hair, nail, and skin are all made of proteins such as elastin, collagen, and keratin. Low protein quantity means that your body will not effectively synthesize these proteins, resulting in thinning of hair, flaky skin, and poorly looking fingernails. You don’t want to spot deep ridges in your nails. Well, while other infections can cause these, you should first check whether you are taking enough proteins or not. If you are, then you might need a trip to the doctor. - What then is the required amount of protein?
A random internet search reveals different answers to this question. However, to be on the safer side, you should always ensure that a tenth of your daily calories come from proteins. If you want to be sure you can multiply your weight in pounds by 0.36. You should, therefore, ensure that you have a protein source in all your meals. Your body will always find a way of breaking down and reusing these proteins.
Protein Takeway:
Does lack of protein make you tired?
Does lack of protein make you tired? Yes. Absolutely. You will also experience other effects that you need to avoid at all costs.
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