Hail the Pro of Them All – Protein!
As a fitness enthusiast, you have heard from everyone emphasizing on protein intake. There should be a reason for it apart from the general hype.
Amino acids join together to create long chains and that’s how you get proteins. It’s basically a string of beads made up of amino acids. Your magnificent body has 20 amino acids that help form thousands of different types of proteins. Understanding the science behind why your body needs this nutrient and what significance it holds is great. Let’s start with understanding how they are synthesized in the body.
Protein synthesis begins with a stage called transcription. It is where a messenger molecule (mRNA) is created from our DNA. The 2nd stage, known as translation is when this molecule leaves the nucleus of your cell to go to the site where the information it is carrying can be read. This happens in the cytoplasm where ribosomes read the information and act to assemble a protein.
There are 64 possible combinations that can be created out of only 20 amino acids! It is this particular arrangement that determines the function and the shape of the protein. This process can be affected by nutrition, temperature, stress and other exposure to chemicals.
Proteins do a lot for your body, more than you might know about. Let’s take you deep into how they help your body.
They help you stay in form, literally!
Proteins by nature are fibrous and hence provide your cells and tissues with rigidity, flexibility, and structure. Proteins like keratin, elastin, and collagen help form the connective framework of many bodily structures. Crucial parts like bones, tendons, skin, and hair are the most abundant and depend a lot on protein for their basic functioning and form. It’s not just a rigid structure, the protein also lends elasticity to many tissues, which allows them to get back safely to their original shape after continuous contraction.
Build a Stronger You
Growth and maintenance are lead to completion by the proteins you take. Normally, your body breaks down the number of proteins it needs to repair broken tissues and build new ones. On other occasions, it can break down more protein than it creates, which happens during an illness or damage. Remember your physiotherapist’s advice when you have a grave injury? The function of the protein in the food you eat leads to building a stronger, better you.
The Carriers
Did you know that some hormones in your body are proteins? The role of Proteins builds an effective communication network between your cells, tissues, and organs. Created and secreted by endocrine glands, they are sent to target organs via blood. They transport oxygen and other essentials from cell to cell. This should be your motivation to not compromise on your protein portions.