z PROTEIN

z THE ROLES PROTEIN

PLAY IN METABOLISM
z

WHAT IS METABOLISM?

METABOLISM is a term that is used to

People often think metabolism how fast your body burns the
describe all chemical reactions involved
fuel or energy in the food you eat or how high your personal
energy level is.
in maintaining the living state of the cells
and the organism.
z
METABOLISM IS DIVIDED INTO
TWO CATEGORIES

CATABOLISM
ANABOLISM
 z
CATABOLISM
the breakdown of
molecules to obtain
energy

ANABOLISM
the synthesis of all
compounds needed
by the cells
 z

PROTEIN IN METABOLISM

While carbohydrates provide energy, and fats

insulate and store energy, then just about
everything else is done with proteins.
Carbohydrates and fats essentially provide
fuel for the body. Proteins, on the other hand,
serve mainly for purposes of synthesis.
 z

PROTEIN IN METABOLISM
Protein form the bulk of your muscle and
connective tissues
The ion channels in your cells are made up of
proteins
Enzymes, which is responsible for most chemical
reaction in your body, are in fact made up of
proteins
 z

PROTEIN IN METABOLISM
Proteins are the main tissue builders in the body.
They are part of every cell in the body. Proteins
help in cell structure, functions, haemoglobin
formation to carry oxygen, enzymes to carry out
vital reactions and a myriad of other functions in
the body. Proteins are also vital in supplying
nitrogen for DNA and RNA genetic material and
energy production.
 z

PROTEIN IN METABOLISM

Proteins are necessary for nutrition because

they contain amino acids.
There are 20 amino acids, 9 of which are
essential amino acids. These are amino
acids that our body cannot make or produce,
but are still needed by the body.
z

PROTEIN IN METABOLISM

Lysine
Phenylalanine
Tryptophan
Valine
Methionine
Threonine
Leucine
Histidine
Isoleucine
 z

PROTEIN IN METABOLISM

GLYCOGEN AND WATER USAGE

Protein promotes the use of glycogen, a short-term storage form of
energy, in the liver and muscles. This process requires a lot of
water, so during the first few days of a high-protein diet, as your
liver uses up its glycogen stores, it depletes your water reserves as
well, leaving you feeling lighter and less bloated. Your body can
store about 500 grams of glycogen, which requires about 1,000
grams of water to metabolize, or burn, for energy, resulting in a
potential loss of about 2 pounds of fluid in the first week of
switching to a high-protein diet.
 z

PROTEIN IN METABOLISM

BONE HEALTH
Dietary protein may promote anabolic activity, which
increases bone density and prevents osteoporosis, according
to a study published in the March 2011 "International Journal
for Vitamin and Nutrition Research. Sufficient protein intake
prevents loss of bone mass after a fracture and increases
muscle strength, which helps prevent bone fractures.
Additionally, older people may need to obtain extra dietary
protein to account for metabolic changes associated with age.
 z

PROTEIN IN METABOLISM

MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT
A high-protein diet promoted muscle growth in a study published in
the September 2005 issue of "The Journal of Clinical
Endocrinology and Metabolism." Participants consumed a standard
Western diet containing 60 percent carbohydrate, 30 percent fat
and 10 percent protein for two days, followed by a high-protein diet
containing 5 percent carbohydrate, 60 percent fat and 35 percent
protein for seven days. Results showed that muscle production
rate and levels of a muscle-specific growth factor were twice
as high after the high-protein diet.
 z

PROTEIN IN METABOLISM

APPETITE CONTROL
Protein helps curb appetite even in a calorie-reduced diet,
according to a review study published in the August 2012 "British
Journal of Nutrition." Protein also improves long-term weight
management by promoting energy burning through and beyond a
period of weight loss. Consuming a diet that includes protein levels
in the upper end of the suggested range of 0.8 to 1.2 grams per
kilogram body weight also lowers blood pressure and promotes
increased fat-free body mass, while consuming too little protein for
your metabolic needs promotes weight gain.