Protein Structure and Metabolism

Proteins are necessary for building the structural components of the human body, such as muscles and organs. You also need proteins to keep your immune system healthy, synthesize neurotransmitters, create and signal hormones, and much more.

Protein Structure

Proteins tend to be large molecules made from building blocks called amino acids. The general structure of an amino acid molecule includes a carboxyl group of atoms, an amine group, and a side chain. The carboxyl group contains one carbon, two oxygen, and one hydrogen atom. The amine group contains one nitrogen atom with two hydrogen atoms attached to it.

All 20 amino acids have different side chains, which vary in shape. There are straight chains of atoms, branched chains of atoms, and rings of atoms, plus the side chains may include carbon, hydrogen, sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms.

The configuration and molecules found in the side chain are what differentiates one amino acid from another. The branched-chain amino acids are isoleucine, leucine, and valine and are necessary for muscle structure.

Tyrosine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan are called aromatic amino acids and each one contains a side chain with a ring-shaped formation. These three amino acids are needed for neurotransmitter production.

Non-Essential and Essential Amino Acids

Amino acids are considered either "essential" or "non-essential" based on where they come from—some must be consumed in your diet while others do not.

Non-Essential Amino Acids

The 11 non-essential amino acids are not called "non-essential" because they are not important. They are important, and your body requires them to perform several functions.

The non-essential amino acids include:

• Alanine
• Arginine
• Asparagine
• Aspartic Acid
• Cysteine
• Glutamic Acid
• Glutamine
• Glycine
• Proline
• Serine
• Tyrosine

The amino acids arginine, cysteine, glycine, glutamine, proline, and tyrosine are sometimes also considered to be "conditionally essential." That means most people manufacture them on their own, but individuals with certain illnesses or genetic abnormalities can't make them, so they need to get them through their diets.

Essential Amino Acids

The nine essential amino acids are called "essential" because you can't manufacture them; you have to eat proteins that contain those amino acids. They are:

• Histidine
• Isoleucine
• Leucine
• Lysine
• Methionine
• Phenylalanine
• Threonine
• Tryptophan
• Valine

Do you need to worry about essential amino acids when you plan your daily meals? Not really. Animal sources of protein such as meat, eggs, and dairy products are "complete proteins." That means that each protein found in an animal product contains each of the nine essential amino acids.

However, every amino acid is found in some plant, so you can combine different plant proteins to get all of the amino acids you need.

Protein Function

There are many different proteins in your body, and they perform different functions.

Primary Functions

The primary functions of proteins include:

• Contributing to enzyme activity that promotes chemical reactions in the body
• Helping blood clot
• Keeping fluids and pH balanced in the body
• Promoting antibody activity that controls immune and allergy functions
• Serving as building blocks for hormone production
• Serving as structural components that give our body parts their shapes
• Signaling cells what to do and when to do it
• Transporting substances around the body

Protein as Energy

You may not think of protein as an energy source, but proteins do contribute calories to your diet. Those calories need to be acknowledged if you are watching your weight. Each gram of protein you eat has four calories.

Protein Deficiency

In underdeveloped countries, malnutrition and protein deficiency is more prevalent. Severe protein deficiency is called kwashiorkor. Children with kwashiorkor tend to have very thin arms and legs and large, distended bellies. Lack of protein can cause growth failure, loss of muscle mass, depressed immune system function, lung problems, heart problems, and death.

Digestion

The digestion of protein begins in the mouth with chewing, which makes food easier to swallow. It also helps with digestion by chopping food up into smaller bits. Remember that it's important to chew your food thoroughly; don't gulp your food down in huge bites.

Protein digestion continues in the stomach with the release of digestive juices that include hydrochloric acid and pepsinogen. Hydrochloric acid converts pepsinogen to pepsin, which begins to break down the bonds between the amino acids. This process takes place while the muscles surrounding the stomach squeeze and squish the foods and stomach fluids together.

The next step occurs in the small intestine where the hydrochloric acid is neutralized with bicarbonates released from the pancreas. The pancreas also releases an enzyme called trypsin. Trypsin continues to break apart the amino acids, which are then absorbed into the bloodstream.

Once in the bloodstream, the amino acids are carried to the cells in various parts of your body. Your body uses the individual amino acids to build the proteins needed for the different functions.

Protein Sources

Meats, fish, seafood, poultry, eggs, and dairy products are significant sources of protein, but you can also get protein from a variety of grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. It isn't difficult to get enough protein in your diet.

Three ounces of chicken will provide you with about 21 grams of protein. Three ounces of salmon has about 18 grams of protein, a cup of oatmeal has six grams of protein, and a cup of asparagus even has 3 grams of protein. Since most people get enough protein from their diet, protein deficiency is rare in developed countries.