‘I keep getting hungry’… Protein deficiency signal sent by the body
Lack of protein… Increased appetite, feeling depressed
Gout patients should avoid eating it during treatment.
/Photo = Getty Image Bank Protein is one of the three essential nutrients needed by the human body along with carbohydrates and fat. It is a component that makes up all the cells of our body, including muscles, organs, bones, and skin. Since it performs important biological immune functions such as antibody production, an adequate supply of protein is essential to sustain life.
What signal does the body send if there is a lack of protein in the body? In addition to well-known signs such as hair breaking easily or white spots on fingernails, there are a variety of abnormalities in the body caused by protein. Since it is a season change season where immunity is prone to decline, it is necessary to be aware of this and pay attention to protein supplementation.
/Photo = Getty Image Bank First, if you consume less protein, your daily calorie intake can increase. It means that you keep craving food. In 2022, a research team at the Charles Perkins Center in Sydney, Australia analyzed nutritional and physical activity data on 9,341 adults with an average age of 46, and found that those who consumed less protein at breakfast than the recommended amount of calories per day were those who complied with the recommended amount. It turned out to be higher than the field.
At the time, the researchers analyzed, “Humans have a stronger appetite for protein than fat and carbohydrates, so if the ratio of fat to carbohydrates in the diet is high, our bodies will eat more to obtain protein.”
If you lack protein, you may experience depression. According to research results published by Ireland’s Trinity University School of Medicine in 2021, if you are deficient in vitamin B12, the likelihood of developing depression is 51% higher than in people who are not deficient in vitamin B12. This is the result of four years of observation of 3,800 adults over 50 years of age. Vitamin B12 is closely related to protein as it is a nutrient that must be supplemented through animal proteins such as meat and fish, and dairy products.
Protein also affects memory. According to research results from the Department of Psychiatry and Laboratory Medicine at Hallym University Dong Elastic Heart Hospital, published in the August issue of the international academic journal ‘Alzheimer Research & Treatment’, the cognitive function score of the group that consumed a lot of protein was 24% higher than the group that consumed less protein. This is the result of a survey of 196 elderly people without dementia.
The researchers explained, “If you have a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s disease, protein intake may be especially important for maintaining cognitive function.”
Even if I eat too much, I still get sick
/Photo = Getty Image Bank The recommended daily protein intake for a typical adult is 0.8g per 1kg of body weight. For elderly people, it is recommended to increase intake to 1.2g.
In the protein supply per capita announced by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in July, Korea recorded 108.31g. There is no shortage of protein available for consumption.
However, protein is not stored in the body like fat or carbohydrates. It is important to consume approximately 15 to 20 grams per meal. In order to increase protein absorption in the body, it is important to appropriately consume vegetables containing dietary fiber and protease, an enzyme that breaks down proteins. This nutritional reason is hidden in the background of grilled asparagus with steak and pears with raw meat.
Some people need to be careful about their protein intake. This is a gout patient. This is because high-protein foods such as meat contain high purine content, which can cause gout. Purines are nitrogen compounds that are broken down into uric acid in the body.
Choi Hyo-jin, a professor of rheumatology at Gachon University Gil Hospital, said, “Gout is a disease in which crystals formed as the concentration of uric acid in the blood increases and are deposited in the cartilage, tendons, and surrounding tissues of the joints, causing arthritis and seizures.” He added, “This is a patient with acute gout. “It is recommended that patients avoid protein intake during treatment.”
“Chronic gout is a metabolic disease that requires lifestyle changes, so protein intake cannot be restricted for life,” he said. “In particular, elderly people may develop other physical diseases after restricting protein, so consume the recommended amount, but keep the purine content low.” “High alcohol consumption should absolutely be avoided,” he emphasized.
Kim Young-ri, Hankyung.com reporter smartkim@hankyung.com
