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We often hear about the importance of protein on our body but how many of us actually know what these benefits actually are? Not quite a lot of us, right? Proteins are an integral part of every prospect of our life which is why knowing the role of proteins in the body is important and beneficial without any doubt.
It goes without saying that not many are even aware of the shortcomings and tend to struggle along with a number of problems associated with the concepts around the protein functions in body.
To help you have a better idea about the important functions of protein in body and why they are necessary, we have brought everything together in one article for your better understanding.
What Protein Actually Is?
Protein is a macronutrient which is basically the accumulation of different types of amino acids. This is one of the macronutrients that our body needs to produce better muscle mass like no other.
It is very important to have a balanced amount of protein in the diet, mainly because of the fact that the same has been found to have impacts on the body’s growth and development altogether.
It is found in a number of foods that we eat on a regular basis and the best part of this is the fact that the consumption of this is associated with the better well being of the body, be it in terms of the organ function or something else as well.
Importance Of Protein In The Body
When it comes to the importance of protein in the body, the prospects around in are quite extensive. Protein is more than useful for building the muscle mass because the impacts it has are quite profound like something you don’t even have an idea about.
If you have been wondering of the protein functions in the body, we have sorted out some of the best role of proteins in the body that you possibly might not have an idea about.
1. Improves Muscle Health
The very first and possibly the most important functions of the protein on the body is the fact that it helps promote the overall muscle strength and development (R). It has been found to help in the contractile properties of the muscle as well.
Proteins are present in abundance in the muscles and have been found to have impacts on muscle growth and development as well. In order to maintain a healthy life, it is very important to ensure that you do maintain a balance between the rates of protein synthesis in the muscle with the rate of breakdown as well.
But, in general, it has been found that the consumption of protein does have beneficial impacts in helping improve the muscle mass in the body.
2. Reduces the Appetite
If you are someone who gorges down food and have been looking around to make better changes to your lifestyle, consuming more protein can actually help with the condition even more so.
It is hard to keep things aligned, mainly because of the fact that the consumption of protein on a daily basis has been found to help you reach your satiety faster than if you consume carbs or even fats. This is what helps in regulating the appetite and prevents the unnecessary bout of binge eating that can promote weight gain.
Studies (R) have found that the consumption of protein is the best way to fill yourself. The main reason why it is so is because of the fact that it reduces the levels of secretion of ghrelin into the bloodstream which is responsible for the hunger triggers.
This is the reason why a high protein diet for weight loss is one of the most recommended.
[Read: Reasons Why You are Hungry All The Time]
3. Boosts the Immune System
Not many realize this but one of the most important roles of proteins in the body is the fact that it helps in boosting the immune system.
If you didn’t know, our body produces about of antibodies when it comes to fighting infections, diseases and other conditions associated. These antibodies which are released into the bloodstream are made of protein molecules as well.
In order to ensure that the body fights off these antigens well, it is important that you should consume the necessary amount of protein to ward off the risks of weakened antibody levels in the bloodstream.
4. Boosts Bone Health
Many people find themselves entangled with the myth that the consumption of excess protein is bad for your bone health. Contrary to popular belief, it has been found that the same does have impacts in boosting one’s bone health for the better.
There have been a number of conducted studies (R) (R) which suggest that the consumption of animal protein is actually beneficial for one’s health and drives better bone health.
Additionally, it is also believed that the ones who consume more protein through their life are less likely to develop conditions like osteoporosis and other bone related problems at a later date in life.
5. Better Nervous Function
The overall nervous system in our body is what is responsible for all the major activities that we do. When someone asks what are the functions of proteins, it is important to take notes for a fact that the same has been found to have better impacts in boosting the nervous system function.
Majority of the receptors present in the nervous ends are all protein complexes which have beneficial impacts in helping boost the function of the nervous functions without imbibing any further complications to the condition.
It is thus important that you do consume a substantial amount of protein through the day to ensure that your body does get the necessary amount of nutrients required for better functioning of the nervous system.
6. Reduces Late-Night Snacking Habit
How often do you find yourself stepping out of your bedroom to the kitchen to bring out the box of leftover pizza? Happens quite often, right? Studies have actually found that the consumption of the optimal amount of protein through the day can actually come a lot in handy in handling the signs and symptoms associated with the unnecessary snacking during the night.
In a conducted study (R) with overweight individuals, it was found that increasing the protein intake by 25% in a day was found to bring about 60% reductions in the desire of snacking in the individuals.
[Read: 15 Effective Ways To Stop Binge Eating At Night]
7. Maintains Fluid Equilibrium
You wouldn’t technically know about this specific one of the important functions of protein in the body but the same has been found to have beneficial impacts in maintaining the fluid equilibrium in the body.
Any kind of drop in the levels of the proteins in the body has been found to cause a fluid imbalance in the body, imposing unrest in the water balance and the electrolyte levels in the body.
Additionally, this has also been found to have impacts on the leakage into the blood vessels which is possibly the last thing that anybody wants to experience through.
8. Helps in Boosting the Metabolism
The consumption of optimal levels of protein on a daily basis has also been linked with the boosting of the metabolism in the body which has further beneficial impacts in boosting the progress of weight loss.
Protein has been found to have a higher thermic effect (R) on the body, which is defined as the kind of energy and heat it produces following the breaking down of the food. In comparison to carbs which have 5-15% of the thermic rate, protein has been found to 20-35%.
This is the reason why higher consumption of protein is associated with better metabolism (R) in the body and in turn, helps in increasing the kind of calories that you burn.
9. Provides With Energy
If you had the notion that only carbs are the ones that boost your body with the necessary bout of energy, you are completely mistaken. That is not the only source of energy because proteins have been found to help boost your energy as well.
Proteins, when they break down, produce a higher amount of heat which has been found to have better impacts in generating better energy in the body that you just can’t get with any other sources. The best part of this is the fact that it provides with sustained energy so you are assured to not get spiked energy and then crash all of a sudden.
[Read: Foods that Increase Energy in the Body]
10. Manages the Blood Pressure
The constantly increased levels of the blood pressure can impose negative impacts on the body and the overall functions in the body which is why it is important to ensure that you do keep the same in check.
One of the protein functions in the body has been found to be the fact that it helps in maintaining the blood pressure in the body. Higher protein intake has been found to help in lowering the blood pressure simultaneously.
The main reason is because of the fact that the high protein diet is associated with lowering of the high cholesterol levels (R) in the body which further helps in maintaining your health and heart for the better.
11. Promotes Better Hormone Balance
It might necessarily seem evident but the role of proteins in the body has also been found to influence the hormonal balance in the body.
Enzymes are the proteins which are what is responsible for proper hormone function. This is the reason why it is important to consume the necessary levels of a protein that the body needs.
It is very important to ensure that you don’t overdo but consume the optimal levels of a protein that the body requires to inflict better functions in the body.
12. Boost Kidney Health
Yet another one of the protein functions in the body is the fact that it helps in promoting better kidney health altogether.
If you already suffer from renal issues, that is only when the high protein intake can impose a problem but, for the most part, it has been found that the consumption of the high protein doesn’t necessarily have any kind of significant impacts on the proper functioning kidneys and is otherwise nothing but a myth.
Functions Of Protein In The Body
As we have mentioned till now, the role of proteins in the body is quite profound. You can’t necessarily do your life with the proper consumption of proteins through the day. It is very important to thus consume the optimal levels of protein that is needed by the body for proper growth and development.
Apart from the impacts and benefits that the consumption of proteins bring along, it also does have an array of generalized functions on the body which one needs to have knowledge about.
In here, we are going to suggest with some of the best prospects associated with the condition of the protein functions in the body.
1. Promotes Growth and Maintenance
The very first and possibly the most important function of the protein in the body is the fact that it helps in promoting better growth and maintenance of an individual.
Our body is in constant need of proteins for the growth and development which is why it is important to ensure that you supplement your body with the necessary amount of proteins that it requires.
For the most part, the body breaks down the protein reserves in the body to promote growth and development. But, there are instances when the body does end up using more than what is in the reserve which can inflict further negative impacts on the body.
Such instances are quite common during several illnesses (R), pregnancy (R) and even because of the conditions associated with breastfeeding.
2. Promotes Better Biochemical Reactions
Our body is dependent and functioning on the basis of the varying biochemical reactions. The enzymes (R) are the ones which are dependent for the functioning in the body altogether. It is not just the reactions inside but also outside the cells.
Majority of the enzymes that are present in our body are structured with proteins which make it such an amazing function that our body is predominantly reliant on.
Enzymatic reactions are dependent for a number of body functions including digestion and even the energy production altogether. It is very important to ensure that your levels of protein consumption are maintained so that the same doesn’t compromise with the other biochemical reactions in the body.
Any kind of impaired functioning of these enzymes has been found to have negative impacts on the body.
3. Responsible for Cell Structures
You might not know this but there are a number of proteins which are fibrous and have been found to lend a helpful hand in boosting the strength and stability of the cells and tissues involved. Some of these proteins that are categorised under these include keratin, elastin and collagen.
These proteins help boost the stability and durability of the cells and prevent them from getting damaged which can further end up causing issues on the body in the long run.
These proteins are mainly associated with the skin and hair altogether.
4. Helps Send-Up Messages in Cell Signalling
There are some proteins which act as chemical messengers, known as the hormones. Their primary function is to help promote communication between the cells and the tissues. For the most part, they are secreted by the endocrine glands following which they are released into the bloodstream.
So, when it does come down to the role of proteins in the body, it is believed to help in promoting cell signaling in the body like no other. It is very important to ensure that you do know the link between them to get the maximum benefits out of the lot.
Some of the different categories of the chemical messengers that you need to know of include protein and peptides, steroids as well as the amines.
5. Maintains Proper Osmotic Balance
It is important for our body to always have a homogeneous fluid balance through all times to ensure that the same doesn’t end up affecting one’s overall well being. One of the most common impacts that it has is on the derailed fluid balance in the body.
Proteins have been found to have beneficial impacts in maintaining the fluid balance effectively. This is mainly because of the fact that proteins maintain the body processes which further has been found to have beneficial impacts in maintaining the fluid balance in the body.
Primarily it is albumin and globulin (R) which have impacts in maintaining a proper fluid balance in the body. It is very important to ensure that you do keep your consumption of protein (R) in check to ensure proper fluid balance around in the body.
6. Maintains the pH
You would be surprised to know that one of the protein functions in the body is to maintain the proper pH of the body.
Studies have found that the proteins have important impacts in the regulation of the levels of the acids and bases levels in the body fluids. One of the biggest examples of the same is haemoglobin which is responsible for the transport of red blood cells in the body.
Haemoglobin has been found to bind to the excess acids in the body fluids and help in maintaining the levels of the pH.
7. Transports and Promotes Storage of Nutrients
The nutrients that you are consuming on a daily basis has been found to be transported along and stored in the body with the help of the proteins. Protein transporters are very common in the body and have been found to have amazing impacts on the body functions as well.
If you have been assuming what it is that promotes it, it is mainly the structure involved that gets the job done.
Apart from the transport, the protein is quite effective in storage functions as well. Ferritin is one of the most popular proteins associated with storage of nutrients.
8. Enriches the Energy Levels
Apart from boosting your satiety and keeping your hunger in check, one of the roles of proteins in the body is to also imbibe the necessary energy levels in the body as well.
Much like carbs, even burning of the proteins by the body produces 4 calories of energy per gram of protein. It is always the last resort for energy production in the body and is often burned down when the body is in the fasting state for an extended period of time.
This is necessary to ensure that you always keep your body well-fed, especially with the necessary proteins to ensure that the same doesn’t end up affecting your well being altogether.
When it comes down to the role of proteins in the body, the same is quite extensive. It is not just related to your hunger, satiety and weight loss requirements; instead, it is way more than that. It is thus important to ensure that you do indulge in consuming the optimal levels of a protein that the body needs. This will ensure the best of results without any issues whatsoever.
