A very notable fact about protein is that it's very crucial to good health. Come to think of it, the very name Protein comes from a Greek word proteos, which means first place or primary; these gives it first place already. Basically proteins are made up of amino acids which come together to form long chains. You could think of a protein as a string of red coloured beads of which each bead is an amino acid and there exist about twenty (20) amino acids which helps in the formation of the thousands of different proteins which are in the body.
Proteins do most of their work within the cell and perform some other tasks. Let's take a look at some of the important functions of protein in the human body.
- Biochemical Reactions
Enzymes are proteins which help out with the thousands of biochemical reactions which takes place within and outside of the cells. The design of enzymes permits them to combine with other molecules which are inside the cell; they are called substrates. These substrates catalyze reactions which are very essential to the body's metabolism. Enzymes might also function outside the walls of the cell, such as the digestive enzymes, the likes of sucrase and lactase which aids in digesting sugar.
A good number of enzymes need other molecules, such as vitamins or minerals, for a reaction to take place. Bodily functions which depend on enzymes includes digestion, clothing of blood, contraction of muscles, energy production. The non availability of these enzymes could lead to some bodily disease.
- Provision Of Structure
Some proteins are fibrous and thus provide cells and tissues with the stiffness and rigidity they require, they are the likes of keratin, elastin and collagen. These three protein aid in forming the connective framework of certain structures in the human body.
Keratin on one hand is a structural protein which is found inside of the skin, nails and hair also. while collagen on the other hand happens to be the most abundant protein available to the human body and it's the structural protein of the bones, tendons, ligaments and skin. Elastin is a thousand and hundred times more flexible than its fellow collagen. Its very high elasticity permits a lot of tissues in the body to revert back to their original shape after stretching or contracting. The uterus, lungs and arteries are some of such tissues.
- Improves Immune Health
Proteins aids in the formation of immunoglobulins, or antibodies (as you choose to call them) to fight infections. Antibodies are proteins in the blood which aids to protect the body from any sort of harmful invaders, the likes of bacteria and viruses also.
The moment these foreign invaders get entrance into body cells, the body could easily produces antibodies which marks them for elimination. Without these antibodies, viruses and bacteria would be very much free to multiply themselves and overwhelm the human body with all sort of diseases. The moment the body has been able to produce antibodies who would fight against a particular virus or bacteria, the cells never forget the way to go about making them. This then allows the antibodies to quickly respond at any other point in time that a particular disease invades your body. This helps the body to develop immunity against diseases.
- For Growth and Maintenance
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The human body needs protein for growth and also for the maintenance of body tissues. Yet, the body's proteins are still in a constant state of turnover.
Given normal circumstances, the body breaks down the same amount of protein (in smaller particles) which is then used in the building and repairing of tissues. At some other times, it breaks down much more protein than it can create, thereby increasing the body’s needs. This typically happens in times of illness, pregnancy period and then while breastfeeding.
Older adults, athletes, persons who are recovering from an injury and those from surgery, require more protein as well.
- Transportation and Storage of Nutrients
Transport proteins convert substances throughout the body's bloodstream into the cells, out of the cells and within the cells. The substances which are transported by these proteins include nutrients such as vitamins or minerals, oxygen, cholesterol and blood sugar. Take an example, hemoglobin is a protein which carries oxygen from the lungs straight down to a number if body tissues, while glucose transporters (GLUT) transports glucose to the cells, and then lipoproteins move cholesterol and some other fats in the blood.
Protein transporters are however specific, transporting on in specificity. For storage, ferritin is also a storage protein which stores iron and then casein is a principal protein available in milk which aids in the growth of babies.
It doesn't stop here, protein also plays the role of providing energy, balancing fluids, maintaining proper PH levels etc. Protein has so many roles in the human body; collectively, all these functions make protein one of the most (if not the most) important nutrients available this the human body.