We all need protein to be healthy. Experts say that protein deficiency causes various diseases.

Dieudonne Bukaba, a nutrition expert in Kigali, says protein deficiency is when people do not get adequate amounts of protein from their diet, and they could be at risk of kwashiorkor, which is a common case in children. Symptoms are edema, which is characterised by swollen and puffy skin, and a swollen abdomen.

He adds that another common symptom of kwashiorkor is fatty liver, if the condition is not treated, it may develop into fatty liver diseases, causing swelling, liver scarring and potentially, liver failure. Fatty liver is a common condition in obese people, and those who consume a lot of alcohol.

Private Kamanzi, a dietician at Amazon Wellness Centre, Remera, Gasabo District, says that proteins are formed by small units called amino acids, which are classified into essential and non-essential amino acids, but both are needed by the body for better health.

The nutrition expert says that severe protein deficiency may cause brittle nails and hair loss, but it can affect your skin, causing redness, flaky skin and depigmentation.

Bukaba explains that protein is necessary for muscle growth and maintenance; loss of muscle mass is one of the first signs of inadequate protein intake, and thus a higher risk of bone fractures.

"Proteins help in growth, especially for children, because it is the macro nutrient the body needs for growth, it also repairs damaged tissues, especially for people who have undergone a number of operations,” Kamanzi explains.

"Due to severe protein deficiency, impaired immune function may increase the risk to cruelty of infections, a common symptom of severe protein deficiency. One study in mice showed that following a diet consisting of only two per cent protein was associated with a more severe influenza infection, compared to a diet providing 18 per cent protein, but a bit of. One small study in older women showed following a low-protein diet for nine weeks significantly reduced their immune response,” Bukaba says.

Kamanzi adds that proteins that act as enzymes, hormones help regulate body metabolism, they also help to build the immune system, hence, making it easy to fight a number of diseases. He says that HIV positive patients need to feed on enough protein in order to build a stronger immune system.

He cautions people against giving cow’s milk to children below the age of one as it contains casein which complicates digestion. However, soya products, fish, peas, beans (which can be smashed) can be given to children above six months.

Bukaba emphasises that low protein intake may increase appetite which leads to weight gain and eventually, obesity.

Kamanzi says that pregnant women need protein, especially animal origin protein (like meat, eggs and milk) because they are filtered in the kidney, but in the second and third trimester of the pregnancy, they should reduce the consumption of protein, because the baby is growing bigger and is compressing the kidney, which interrupts its operation. And that is why most pregnant women have swollen feet and legs due to over consumption of protein.

The protein one needs depends on many factors, including body weight, muscle mass, physical activity and age, but body weight is the most important determinant of protein requirements. You need 0.4 grams of protein for each pound of body weight (0.8 grams per kg). This converts to 66 grams of protein per day for an adult weighing 165 pounds (75 kg), Bukaba narrates.

But for athletes, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends a daily protein intake ranging from 0.5 to 0.6 grams for each pound of body weight (1.2–1.4 grams per kg), which should be enough for muscle maintenance and training recovery, he adds.

However, scientists don’t agree on how much enough is; the International Society of Sports Nutrition’s daily recommendation is 0.9 grams of protein per pound of body weight (2 grams per kg) for athletes, though older adults also seem to have higher protein requirements just like athletes.

Kamanzi says that people need 150 grams of protein but for those who are on chemotherapy treatment, and those with any damaged part of the body, need extra protein.

He further says that diagnosis of protein deficiency depends on the causes, for example, bilateral edema (both legs swell due to fluid imbalance), or when you have light hair, a big stomach and if you easily fall sick.

The dietician says that there are two types of protein, which include plant origin protein (g-nuts, soya, beans, peas, broccoli) and animal origin (meat, milk, chicken, fish, turkey), but he advises people to feed more on plant origin protein and to eat the right amount.

However, Kamanzi discourages high consumption of protein because it can lead to diseases like colon cancer due to red meat, high cholesterol, osteoporosis, obesity and so much more.

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