Are you getting enough protein?
Are you getting enough protein?
Protein is one of the most vital nutrients that we need in our body. It plays an essential role in all our body's tissues, as well as in repair and growth for muscles, skin, enzymes and hormones. The importance of protein for our health means that protein deficiency can cause serious health implications.How much protein do I need?
For a typical healthy individual, it is recommended that 10-35% of your overall calorie intake should be from protein, and this accounts to around 46g of protein for women, and 56g of protein for men. Of course, if you are an active person, it may be that you need a larger amount of protein to help repair and fuel your muscles during and after activity.
Signs of protein deficiency
One of the most common signs of protein deficiency is <b>swelling</b> (also called oedema) in your stomach, hands, legs and feet. This is due to protein in the blood being an aid in stopping fluid from building up in your tissues. Low levels of protein mean a higher risk of fluid build-up.
Another sign of protein deficiency (particularly in elastin, collagen, and keratin) is hair, skin, and nail problems. This can range from anything to flaky skin, thinning hair, and brittle nails. Additionally, if you cut or scrape yourself, it will take longer to heal.
Tiredness and muscle fatigue is one of the key indicators that you aren’t getting enough protein in your diet. As you no longer have the building blocks to help muscles repair and grow, you begin to lose muscle mass, find it hard to keep balance and slows down your metabolism (making it easier to gain weight). Another effect of this can be anaemia, where your red blood cells don’t get enough oxygen and this can make you tired.
Kollo Marine Collagen contains 6.6g of protein per 15g sachet and is an easy way to get an extra boost of protein in your diet, as well as a wealth of other vitamins such as vitamin b, vitamin b12, vitamin b5, vitamin b6 and vitamin b1.