Protein amino acids are the “all rounder” biomolecules

Proteins

the “all rounder” biomolecules

What are proteins and amino acids?

Proteins are large, complex molecules that play many critical roles in the body. They do most of the work in cells and are required for the structure, function, and regulation of the body’s tissues and organs.

Proteins are made up of hundreds or thousands of smaller units called amino acids, which are attached to one another in long chains. There are 20 different types of amino acids that can be combined to make a protein. The sequence of amino acids determines each protein’s unique 3-dimensional structure and its specific function.

Types and Functions of Proteins

Proteins can be categorized according to their large range of functions in the body. Below are main types of proteins:

Function	Description	Example
Antibody	Antibodies bind to specific foreign particles, such as viruses and bacteria, to help protect the body.	Immunoglobulin G (IgG)
Contractile	Proteins that are involved in muscle contraction	Actin, myosin
DNA associated	Proteins that regulate chromosome structure during cell division and/or play a role in regulating gene expression	histones and cohesin proteins
Enzyme	Enzymes carry out almost all of the thousands of chemical reactions that take place in cells. They also assist with the formation of new molecules by reading the genetic information stored in DNA.	Phenylalaninehydroxylase
Hormone proteins	Proteins that co-ordinate bodily functions, for example, insulin controls our blood sugar concentration by regulating the uptake of glucose into cells.	insulin
Messenger	Messenger proteins, such as some types of hormones, transmit signals to coordinate biological processes between different cells, tissues, and organs.	Growth hormone
Structural component	These proteins provide structure and support for cells. On a larger scale, they also allow the body to move.	Collagen, elastin
Transport/storage	These proteins bind and carry atoms and small molecules within cells and throughout the body.	Ferritin

How much protein do I need ?

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (the amount to meet the nutritional needs of almost all healthy people) is 0.8 grams (g) of protein per kilogram (kg) of body weight. Usually that means having some kind of dairy at each meal plus a piece of meat the size of a deck of cards , or the equivalent amount of plant-based protein at lunch and dinner. For a 60kg weight adult, the protein he needs would be about 50 gm daily.

Keep in mind that these recommendations may change depending on age and health. The recommendation changes for athletes, too. People who exercise frequently or are training for a race need to increase their protein intake to between 1.1 and 1.7 g per kg of body weight daily. Anything over 2 g per kg of weight is considered excessive. Vegans and vegetarians in particular have to make sure they’re sourcing enough of the proteins.

One of the reasons protein is so popular is because of its potential link to weight loss. Over the past two decades, countless studies, including one published in April 2015 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, have shown that protein may help people lose weight or maintain weight loss because: first, consuming more protein has a positive impact on resting metabolism. Second, high-protein foods increase feelings of fullness. As a result, people eating a sufficient amount of protein may take in fewer calories over the course of the day and lose weight if they end up at a calorie deficit.

To be specific, researchers have found diets that contain between 1.2 and 1.6 g of protein per kg of weight each day — and about 25 to 30 g of protein per meal — have been shown to help with body weight management.

Sources of proteins

Good sources of protein include meat, seafood, chicken, eggs, dairy, beans, soy foods, nuts and seeds.

Animal protein sources, such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy, are similar to the protein found in your body. These are considered to be complete sources of protein because they contain all of the essential amino acids that your body needs to function effectively. Plant sources lack one or more amino acids, which makes it more difficult to get all the amino acids that your body needs. If you are a vegetarian, make sure to eat a variety of vegetables, fruits and multigrain.

Consuming too much protein might lead to health issues such as an increased risk of osteoporosis and a worsening of an existing kidney problem. However, research in this area is mixed and it is likely that other factors may influence outcome, such as whether the protein is of animal or vegetable origin and how balanced the diet is in terms of vitamins and minerals.

Do I need protein powders?

If consuming an adequate amount of protein from food sources in one’s daily diet, it is not necessary to consume additional protein with protein supplements.

There are a few reasons why athletes or ordinary people might want more protein in his or her diet, or from protein powder:

When you’re growing. A teenager needs more protein to fuel his workouts because his body is still growing and uses more protein in general.
Bodybuilders: obviously they consume more protein that needs to be supplemented
When you’re starting a program. If working out is new to you and you’re trying to build muscle, you’ll require more protein than you normally would.
When you increase your workouts. If you normally work out for half an hour a few times a week, but now you’ve decide to train for a half-marathon, your body will need more protein.
When you’re recovering from an injury. Athletes with sports injuries frequently need more protein to help them heal.
If you’re going vegan. People who pursue a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle eliminate a number of common protein sources from their diet, including meat, chicken, and fish, and sometimes dairy and eggs as well.

Did you know?

Do vegetarians get adequate proteins?

If you are a vegetarian, you may be concerned if eating proteins only from plants lke beans, vegetables, rice, etc would provide adequate amino acids that your body needs.

Plant protein sources are often called ‘incomplete’ proteins. This is because they don’t contain all the essential amino acids that your body needs, such as tryptophan. If your diet is plant-based, the key to getting all the right amino acids is to eat a wide variety of different plant-based products.

For most people, a mixture of animal and plant based proteins is best. Try to keep your animal-based protein levels to less than 10% of your overall diet.

What kind protein powders are you buying?

Protein powders are concentrated sources of protein from animal or plant foods, such as dairy, eggs, rice or peas. There are three common forms as below, and you need to read the label carefully:

Protein concentrates: Produced by extracting protein from whole food using heat and acid or enzymes. These typically supply 60–80% protein, with the remaining 20–40% composed of fat and carbs.
Protein isolates: An additional filtering process removes more fat and carbs, further concentrating the protein. Protein isolate powders contain about 90–95% protein.
Protein hydrolysates: Produced by further heating with acid or enzymes — which breaks the bonds between amino acids — hydrolysates are absorbed more quickly by your body and muscles.

Animal Sourced Proteins

Whey Protein

Whey protein is the protein contained in whey, the liquid portion of milk that separates from the curds when making cheese. Whey protein contains an incredible range of essential amino acids, which are absorbed quickly. Numerous studies show that it can help you increase strength, gain muscle and lose significant amounts of body fat. Whey protein is commonly used for improving athletic performance and increasing strength.

Casein Protein

Casein is also from milk. Milk contains two types of proteins — casein and whey. Casein is 80% of the milk protein, while whey is 20%.

Casein forms a gel when it interacts with stomach acid, slowing down stomach emptying and delaying your bloodstream’s absorption of amino acids. Therefore, Casein is a slow-digesting dairy protein that may reduce muscle protein breakdown and promote muscle mass growth and fat loss during calorie restriction.

Egg Protein

Egg protein powders are made from egg whites rather than whole eggs. Although the protein quality remains excellent, you may experience less fullness because the high-fat yolks have been removed.

Like all animal products, eggs are a complete protein source. That means they provide all nine essential amino acids that your body can’t make itself.

What’s more, egg protein is second only to whey as the highest source of leucine, the BCAA that plays the largest role in muscle health.

Plant-based Proteins

Soy Protein

Soy protein isolate powder is made from defatted soybean flakes to remove the sugars and dietary fiber. They’re then dehydrated and turned into a powder. While a good source of plant-based protein and rich in nutrients, soy protein and its powder contain phytates, which decrease mineral absorption. Though soy protein contains the BCAA leucine and enhances muscle protein synthesis to some degree, it appears to be inferior to whey protein for building muscle.

Pea Protein

Pea protein powder is made from the yellow split pea, a high-fiber legume that boasts all but one of the essential amino acids. Pea protein is also particularly rich in BCAAs. While studies are limited, pea protein may promote fullness and increase muscle growth as effectively as animal-based proteins.

Rice Protein

Rice protein is a vegetarian protein isolate that is an alternative to the more common whey and soy protein isolates. Rice can be treated with enzymes that will cause carbohydrates to separate from proteins. Rice protein is high in the sulfur-containing amino acids, cysteine and methionine, but low in lysine.

Mixed Plant Protein

Different powdered plant proteins are sometimes combined and sold as blends. These often have added flavorings and sweeteners. One of the advantages of blending plant proteins is that it can provide optimal levels of all essential amino acids in a single product.

For example, pea protein may be combined with rice protein. The pea protein supplies lysine, in which rice protein is low while rice protein supplies methionine, in which pea protein is low.

Common vegan protein powders are pea, hemp, brown rice and soy. Seed protein powders, including pumpkin, sunflower, chia and sacha inchi, are becoming more available.