Proteins are made up of amino acids that join together to form long chains. You can think of a protein as a string of beads in which each bead is an amino acid.
There are 20 amino acids that help form the thousands of different proteins in your body.
Proteins do most of their work in the cell and perform various jobs.
Your body needs protein for growth and maintenance of tissues.
Yet, your body’s proteins are in a constant state of turnover.
Under normal circumstances, your body breaks down the same amount of protein that it uses to build and repair tissues. Other times, it breaks down more protein than it can create, thus increasing your body’s needs.
This typically happens in periods of illness, during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
People recovering from an injury or surgery, older adults and athletes require more protein as well.
Protein is required for the growth and maintenance of tissues. Your body’s protein needs are dependent upon your health and activity level.
Protein has many roles in your body.
It helps repair and build your body’s tissues, allows metabolic reactions to take place and coordinates bodily functions.
In addition to providing your body with a structural framework, proteins also maintain proper pH and fluid balance.
Finally, they keep your immune system strong, transport and store nutrients and can act as an energy source, if needed.
Collectively, these functions make protein one of the most important nutrients for your health.