Protein

By
Dr. Dalia Tayel
Lecturer of Nutrition
High Institute of Public Health
Alexandria University
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Content

• Definition and classification

• Essential amino acids
• Non-essential amino acids
• Quality of protein
• Functions of protein
• Nitrogen balance
• Recommended intakes and food sources
• Protein deficiency
• Hazards of protein excess
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Protein

Definition and classification

♦ Organic compounds which contain about 16% nitrogen, along with

sulfur, phosphorus, iron and cobalt.

♦ Basis of protein structure is the amino acid, which combine together

to form proteins.

Essential amino acids:

Amino acids for which bodily synthesis is inadequate to meet

metabolic needs and that must be supplied in the diet: proline, tryptophan,
lysine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, valine, phenylalanine, and
histidine (for children > 10 years).

Non-essential amino acids:

Amino acids with carbon skeleton made in the body; if needed the
body can add an amino group to endogenous intermediates to form them.

Quality of protein:

The nutritional value of a protein depends on the relation of EAAs

to those required for building new tissues or growth. If the dietary
proteins are deficient in one or more of EAAs, this protein is low quality.

Proteins are divided into 2 classes according to their quality:

1- Animal proteins (1st class):

Which containing all EAAs, for that they allowed growth.

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2- Plant or vegetable proteins (2nd class):

Which are deficient in one or more of EAAs, for that they failed
the growth. Such as cereals are deficient in lysine, legumes are deficient
in methionine, and maize is deficient in tryptophan.

Quality of protein can enhanced by combination or mixture of

plant proteins to reach to the same efficiency of animal protein when that
called 1st class also and poor man’s meat.

Examples of poor man’s meat:

Bean + bread, kidney bean + rice, cowpeas + rice, lentils + rice and lentils
+ rice + macaroni (koshary).

Functions of protein:

♦ Main function, provide building materials for most body structures

and functional biochemical compounds.

• Forms most body tissues.

• Forms the structural basis for all enzymes controlling body

functions.

• Forms antibodies, hormones.

• Maintains water balance.

• Maintains acid-base balance.

• Helps in controlling blood clotting process.

• Carries nutrients in blood as lipoprotein.

• Carries nutrients into cells.

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• Carries iron and oxygen in blood.

• As an energy source (in starvation only).

Nitrogen balance:

Is the homeostatic regulations control the level of specific amino

acids in AA pool and the role of proteins synthesized and breakdown
(turn-over) in muscles and plasma.

The N balance is a measure of extent of protein utilization By

comparing the amount of nitrogen that enters the body in the form of
dietary protein with the amount that is lost in the excreta.

N balance = N intake (food) – N output (excreted)

In healthy adult individual:

The amount of N consumed is exactly balanced by protein used for
body maintenance and excreted in feces, urine and from skin resulting in
zero N balance.

Positive nitrogen balance:

An individual is consumed more nitrogen than is being excreted.

In: synthesis of new protein tissue as is seen in

1- Growing children

2- Pregnancy

3- Lactation

4- Recovery from injury, surgery or malnutrition.

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Negative nitrogen balance:

Involves destructive catabolic processes such as those
accompanying with:

1- The trauma of burns, surgery or injury.

2- Cancer

3- Uncontrolled diabetes

4- Hyperthyroidism

5- Malnutrition starvation

6- Tuberculosis (TB)

7- Inflammatory cytokines and other mediators

Recommended intakes and food sources

RDA: 0.75 g/kg IBW for adult, not more than twice RDA

About: 60 g/d for adult male

& 50 g/d for adult female.

Infants: first year 2.2, 1.6 g/kg.

Sources

Animal: meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheeses, eggs.

Plant: legumes, cereals.

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Protein deficiency

♦ Protein deficiency is seen more often in children.

♦ Protein – energy malnutrition (PEM) is the classical term for the class
of clinical disorders resulting from varying combinations and degrees
of protein and energy deficiency.

* Major forms are: Marasmus, Kwashiorkor and Marasmic kwashiorkor.

Hazards of protein excess

♦ A life time excessive protein intake may accelerate age-associated

renal (glomerular sclerosis).

♦ Animal protein accompanies saturated fats and cholesterol.

♦ High protein-diets may be potentially dangerous to individuals with

history of liver or kidney disease.

♦ In gout, may aggravate joint inflammation.

♦ Influence the development of osteoporosis by increasing calcium

excretion.

♦ With high protein-diet, large quantities of fluid should be consumed.

♦ Very high protein diets may lead to dehydration.