The Facts Of Protien!
By Isabella Hamilton, Rhys waylett, Alan Stone
Functions Of The Nutrient-Why Is Protien Good For You?
Proteins are chemical compounds found in every cell of the human body that are made up of small amino acids. 20 amino acids are important to humans, nine are called essential amino acids, while the rest are nonessential amino acids.
The need for protein is based on age, body size, and physical state. Children need more protein per pound of body weight since they are growing. Adults, pound for pound, need protein for energy and well being, (although since men are sometimes bigger, they need more). Pregnant women need protein for their baby. Nursing women need protein to produce milk for the baby.
What Happens If You Have Too Much Or Too Little Protien?
Too little:
Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM): when the diet doesn't contain enough protein and calories. Adult symptoms are fatigue and weight loss. Children symptoms are diarrhea, infections, poor brain development, and stunted growth. Common in developing countries but even wealthy nations have people that suffer from PEM. Individuals with eating disorders and drug addictions could also suffer from PEM.
Too much:
The body converts the extra protein into fat and stores it in fat tissues. Once this happens the body cannot convert stored protein back into amino acids that are used to build tissues throughout the body.