polypeptides deficiency FAQ

The best way to fix low protein levels is to eat foods high in protein, such as fatty fish, lean meats, eggs, lentils, legumes, nuts, and low fat dairy.

Five signs of protein deficiency may include hair loss, dry skin, increased infections, increased hunger, and edema.

Several causes may lead to protein deficiency, including malnutrition, pregnancy, eating disorders, liver disorders, kidney problems, and inflammatory bowel diseases.

If your diet lacks protein, you may experience fatigue, hair loss, edema, and more severe infections.

Most Americans get plenty of protein. People who don't get enough usually have an overall poor diet. Elderly people and people with cancer may have trouble eating as much protein as they need. Severe malnutrition from lack of protein is called kwashiorkor. It's more common in developing countries, especially with children, or after a natural disaster.

If you exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet, you're probably fine. But serious athletes with strenuous training schedules do need more protein -- about twice as much as the average person, or roughly 0.5-1 gram of protein for every pound of body weight each day. Don't overdo it though. Too much protein can also cause problems. IMAGES PROVIDED BY: 1) (Left to right) ToscaWhi / Thinkstock, vkuslandia / Thinkstock, nehopelon / Thinkstock 2) WebMD 3) Amana Images Inc. / Getty Images 4) (Left to right) Srisakorn / Thinkstock, Toa55 / Thinkstock, Smithore / Thinkstock 5) Rawpixel / Thinkstock 6) 100 / Getty Images 7) Defun / Thinkstock 8) Antonio_Diaz / Thinkstock 9) semakokal / Thinkstock 10) Johnmaxmena / Wikipedia SOURCES: Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids, The National Academies Press, 2005. FDA: "Nutrition Facts Label: Protein." Harvard Health Publishing: "When it comes to protein, how much is too much?" KidsHealth: "Learning About Proteins." Royal Society of Chemistry: "Dietary protein intake and human health." USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Legacy Release. National Research Council. Recommended Dietary Allowances: 10th Edition, National Academies Press, 1989. Scallan, J. Capillary Fluid Exchange: Regulation, Functions, and Pathology, Morgan & Claypool Life Sciences, 2010. Indian Journal of Psychiatry: "Understanding nutrition, depression and mental illnesses." Cleveland Clinic: "Skin." Indian Dermatology Online Journal: "Nail as a window of systemic diseases." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: "Inadequate protein intake affects skeletal muscle transcript profiles in older humans." Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: "Protein." Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care: "Protecting muscle mass and function in older adults during bed rest." Mayo Clinic: "Metabolism and weight loss: How you burn calories." ChooseMyPlate.gov: "Protein Foods: Nutrients and health benefits."

You should get a minimum of 10% of your daily calories from protein. (For a target of grams, multiply your weight in pounds by 0.36.) And you want it from a variety of sources throughout the day: A 6-ounce container of low-fat Greek yogurt for breakfast has about 17 grams; a serving of skinless chicken breast at lunch has about 25 grams; and a cup of black beans at dinner, about 15 grams. Your body breaks down and reuses the protein in many ways.