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What Does Protein Do For Your Body?

Well, basically EVERYTHING.

Fats and Carbohydrates are used primarily for energy in the body. Protein can also be broken down and used as an energy source, but only when there’s not enough carbohydrates to fuel the body and there’s an over-abundance of protein available.

Proteins are also used by the body to:

·         Create bodily tissues such as muscles, bones, organs, etc.

·         To form Enzymes (catalysts for chemical reactions in the body, such as your metabolism and digestion) and Cellular Transporters (which maintain the balance of electrolytes in the body, the transportation of oxygen and carbon dioxide through the bloodstream, and the transportation of fats in the body)

·         For Cell Signaling (relaying chemical “messages” into and out of the cells)

·         To maintain Fluid Balance (allowing water to move back and forth between cells and the bloodstream, as well as pulling extra fluid from soft tissues back into the bloodstream)

·         For pH Balance within the body

·         As Hormones and Neurotransmitters (depending on whether they are functioning from the Endocrine System – hormones, or from the Nervous System – neurotransmitters)

·         In the Immune System (for white blood cells to function, and also as antibodies to help fight infection and disease)

Making sure to get enough protein in your diet EVERY DAY is crucial for maintaining good health and proper body-functioning. A very basic guideline is to shoot for 1 gram of protein per 1 pound of your ideal body weight.

There are plenty of “grams of protein to body weight” calculators out there if you would like to look up more specific recommendations, but the average suggestion is 0.8-2.2 grams of protein per KILOGRAM of body weight, which means you have to convert from kilograms to pounds for your measurements.

Like I said, the very basic guideline of 1 gram per 1 pound of IDEAL body weight gets you enough protein and any excess should not be an issue unless you have SEVERE kidney disease/dysfunction, and then you should be talking to a doctor.

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