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What are Proteins?

Protein is an essential nutrient whose name comes from the Greek word "protos", which means "first". Protein is the basic building block of the human body, being about 16 percent of the total body weight. Protein helps in the formation of muscle and other protein- containing components in the body including immunoglobulin, albumin, enzymes and hormones. We use up protein constantly and it is not stored in the body, so it is important to continually replace it everyday.

Proteins are large molecules made up of several building blocks called amino acids. These amino acids are essential for cell regulation, growth, and repair. There are 21 amino acids, 12 of which are called non-essential amino acids and the other 9 are called essential amino acids.

The nine essential amino acids are called "essential" because you can't manufacture them. You have to eat protein sources that contain those amino acids. Those essential amino acids and the functions performed by them include:

Essential Amino Acids	Their benefits
Isoleucine	Helps in the production of energy in the body together with assisting with the regulation of sugar levels. Also helps in muscle building
Leucine	Needed for protein synthesis and for a sound immune system
Lysine	Helps in Calcium absorption and hence in the treatment of osteoporosis. It also helps the immune system in the production of antibodies
Methionine(& Cysteine)	Facilitates fat and protein metabolism
Phenylalanine(& Tyrosine)	Beneficial in depression, arthritis and healthy joint supplementation
Threonine	Useful in proper functioning of the liver and in the stabilization Of blood sugar
Tryptophan	Regulates appetite, pain, mood and sleep
Valine	A major player in the growth and maintenance of body tissues
Histidine	Promotes growth and the repair of body

The 11 non-essential amino acids are not called "non-essential" because they are not important. These amino acids are called "non-essential" because you don't need to get them from your diet. Your body can build those 11 amino acids from chemicals already present in your body. The non-essential amino acids include:

Alanine Arginine Asparagine Aspartic Acid Cysteine lutamic Acid

Glutamine Glycine Proline Serine Tyrosine

Like other large molecules, polysaccharides and nucleic acid, proteins are essential parts of all living beings and take part in all processes in their cells.

Soy Protein and Health Benefits

Soy protein refers to the protein that is found in soybeans that is often used to replace animal proteins in an individual's diet. The soybean is a legume that contains no cholesterol and is low in saturated fat. Soybeans are approximately 30% carbohydrate (of which 15% is fibre), 18% oil (85% unsaturated), 14% moisture and 38% protein .Soybeans are the only vegetable food that contain all the nine essential amino acids in the amounts required by the human body, and are therefore categorized as a source of high quality and complete protein. A complete protein is one that contains significant amounts of all the essential amino acids that must be provided to the human body because of the body's inability to synthesize them.

For this reason, soy is important to many vegetarians and vegans.

Categories of soy proteins

Soy proteins can be divided into different categories according to their production method:

Soy protein Isolate is the most refined form of soy protein and is mainly used in meat products to improve texture and eating quality. It is made from defatted soy beans, with most other ingredients removed leaving almost all protein. Soy protein isolate contains about 90 % protein on a dry weight basis and virtually carbohydrate and fat-free. The proteins are also cholesterol- and lactose-free, making it an attractive alternative protein ingredient for meat-based and dairy-based products. Soy protein isolates can be used as nutritional, functional and economical alternative to traditional proteins in food bars, beverages, baked goods, breads and cereals.
Soy protein concentrate is basically soybean without the water soluble carbohydrates. It is made from defatted soy beans, by removing most of the water soluble, non protein ingredients. Most of the carbohydrates remain in soy bean concentrate, so it tends to have some soy bean flavors. It contains about 70% of protein on a moisture free basis
Textured soy protein often called TSP, is made from soy protein concentrate by giving it some texture. TSP is available as dry flakes or chunks. It will keep its structure when hydrated. Hydrated textured soy protein chunks have a texture similar to ground beef. It can be used as a meat replacement or can be added to meat. Textured soy protein contains about 70% protein.

The best reasons for preferring soya protein supplements are:

Low fat content
Absence of cholesterol and lactose
High protein and low carbohydrate content
Protective immune system
Low cholesterol absorption and optimum cholesterol level maintenance
Contains effective antioxidants which reduce the chances of cell damage due to the presence of free radical.
Useful for absorption of minerals
Soya is a plant protein; soya is completely free from steroids and the antibiotics that are found in animal proteins
Soya beans contain proteins that are among the easiest in digestion.
Soya bean is a non lactose product, giving a great source of protein to even the people that are lactose intolerant
Many enjoy soya proteins because comparably they are delicious and for vegetarians they do not come from an animal.

Soya protein is emerging as one of the great alternative protein sources for human consumption

Health benefits of soy protein

Soy protein, the complete source of vegetarian protein offers a wide array of benefits for the human body. This section highlights the various benefits of soy protein.

Heart health

Soy protein reduces the cholesterol and help to reduce the risk of heart disease. Meta-study by Anderson et al ^[1] concluded that the consumption of soy protein significantly decreased serum concentrations of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides . Not only this, it also maintains good HDL cholesterol.^[2]

In addition to its ability to lower LDL cholesterol, there is evidence that soy protein can improve cardiovascular health in a variety of other ways including:-

Keeping blood vessels ‘elastic and flexible.^[3]
Acting as anti-oxidants to reduce lipoprotein oxidation. ^[4]
Inhibiting processes that can lead to plaques inside blood vessels. ^[5]

USFDA has approved a health claim for soy protein that states :- “Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 25gm of soy protein a day may reduce the risk of heart diseases”

In recent studies, soy protein contributed to the control of hyperglycemia and reduced body weight, hyperlipidemia, and hyperinsulinemia. These characteristics may be useful to both nondiabetic and diabetic persons in the control of obesity and blood sugar. ^[6]

Bone Health

Soy protein isolate has shown the ability to promote bone health, which in turn aids in the prevention of Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a chronic disease characterized by a decrease in bone density, which results in abnormally porous and fragile bones. It has been suggested that a high protein diet may increase the excretion of calcium in the urine, which can lead to this health condition. Studies have shown that not all proteins have the same effect on calcium excretion. Compared with animal protein, soy does not result in an increased loss of calcium in the urine thus promoting a more optimal calcium balance. In addition, the isoflavones in soy protein have been shown to increase both bone mineral content and bone mineral density which will improve the health of abnormally porous bones.

Menopause

Women are increasingly seeking ways to help manage the symptoms of menopause naturally and research indicates that the isoflavones in soy protein may have a role to play in reducing the frequency and severity of hot flashes, the most common physical symptom of menopause. A recent study ^[7] indicated an improvement in symptoms within just 2 weeks of introducing soy protein with higher isoflavones making soy protein an ideal choice for products targeting women’s health.

Soy protein Isolate in Revitalite does not have estrogenic effects on individuals.

Obesity and Diabetes

In recent studies, soy protein contributed to the control of hyperglycemia and reduced body weight, hyperlipidemia, and hyperinsulinemia ^[8] These characteristics may be useful to both nondiabetic and diabetic persons in the control of obesity and blood sugar.

Respiratory Health

"People who eat lots of soy products have better lung function and are less likely to develop the smoking-associated lung disease COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). A new study has shown that consumption of a wide variety of soy products can be associated with a reduction in the risk of COPD and other respiratory symptoms" ^[9].

References :

1. Meta-analysis of the effects of soy protein intake on serum lipids.
N Engl J Med 1995;333:276-282

2. Anderson JW, Johnstone BM, Cook-Newell ME. Meta – Analysis of the effects
of soy protein intake on serum lipids, N Eng J Med 1995;333:276-282

3. Figtree GA, Griffiths H, Lu Y-Q et al. Plant derived estrogens relax coronary
arteries in vitro by a calcium antagonistic mechanism,J Am Coll Cardiol
2000;35:1977-1985

4. Hodgson JM, Craft KD, Puddey IB, et al.Soybean isoflavonoids and their
metabolic products inhibit in vitro lipoprotein oxidation in serum, J Nutr
Biochem 1996;17:2524-31

5. Anthony MS, Clarkson TB, Bullock BC, et al. Soy protein versus soy
phytoestrogens in prevention of diet-induced coronary artery atherosclerosis
of male cynomolgus monkeys, Arterioscler Thromb Biol 1997;17:2524-31.

6. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002 Dec;76(6):1191-201

7. Albertazzi P, Pansini F, Bonaccorsi G, Zanotti L, Forini E, DeAloysio D. The effect
of dietary soy supplementation on hot flushes. Obstetrics and Gynaecology
91:6-11,1988.

8. Bhathena & Velasquez, 2002. Bhathena SJ, Velasquez MT. Beneficial role of
dietary phytoestrogens inobesity and diabetes. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002
Dec;76(6):1191-201. Review. PubMedPMID: 12450882.)

9. Hirayama, Lee, Binns, Zhao, Hiramatsu, 2009.

Soy Protein for Pregnant and Lactating Women

Protein is a structural element of your body and your baby's body. New tissues and organs grow by laying down and combining millions of proteins. Protein is formed by amino acids, 11 of which the body produces naturally and 9 of which, called essential amino acids, must be added to the body through our food. To make sure this process happens properly, eating complete proteins is necessary during pregnancy.

Importance 1:
It helps develop your baby's brain while he or she is inside of you. Your baby's brain starts developing from the time that an embryo starts to develop inside the egg. This means that you need to start to getting all of the recommended amounts of protein in, as soon as you find out that you are pregnant. It may be hard at first, since a lot of women even after consuming a normal meal seem to become ill with morning sickness within the first few months of their pregnancy they are pregnant, but with a little extra amount of protein such situations can be avoided. Poor protein intake also has a higher risk for impaired brain development of the baby.

Importance 2:
It not only bulks you up, but it helps aid in muscle repair and growth. This is very important for you as a carrier, in order to make the delivery process a little easier.

Importance 3:
Protein provides you with the nutrients and antioxidants that are needed to keep your immune system healthy. A lot of women think that vitamin C is what keeps their immune system going strong, but a lot of it actually also comes from protein. Protein is much easier for you and your baby to digest and does a lot of work on your immune system, to keep you and your little one as healthy as he/she can be.

During lactation period mother’s milk is a major source of nutrition for the baby. So mother's milk should have the right amount of protein for the baby.

Women need an extra 20-30gms of protein during pregnancy and lactation respectively over and above their daily requirements of 0.8-1g per kg of body weight.

Due to altered taste, abdominal compression and nausea during pregnancy there is a reduction in daily diet. It becomes difficult to increase the daily diet to fulfill the increased protein requirement during pregnancy. Hence, protein supplementation becomes essential

Revitalite with its complete profile of all the 9 essential amino acids provides a perfect solution to promote the health of the mother as well as the baby.

Soy Protein for Growing Children

Protein plays a vital role in children's development as well as in their performance. Protein in children is critical for important functions such as:

Growth and repair of muscle and tissue
Providing energy when carbohydrates are unavailable
The creation of enzymes or enzyme subunits
PH regulation in the blood
Controlling metabolism related processes in the body
Building immune systems via protein antibodies

Thus proteins are important for everything from your child's growth to building their immune system to help protect them from illness to keeping everything from their hair and nails to their skin, bones and organs healthy.

A silent epidemic of “Well fed yet undernourished” is spreading at an alarming rate due to the following factors:

Intake of junk food
No exercise
Academic pressure
Excess TV watching

Childhood and adolescence is a period of continuous growth and development. In this period, children accumulate stores of nutrients. During the next adolescent phase, there is rapid growth in height and weight called as growth spurt. The nutrient intake becomes inadequate to meet increased demands.

At this time, the body uses nutrient stores to support the rapid growth. Hence, the way in which children eat, influences their health during childhood, teen years and the years later on. An active child always has an increased apetite. This demand for more food because of the greater level of physical activity. The periods of rapid growth in teens only compound their hunger. During these growth spurts, the increased metabolism makes the body demand more nutrients. It is due to this combination, it may appear to parents that their child is eating all the time. Children and adolescents have a slightly higher need for protein than adults, because young people are still growing.

1 to 3 year-old children: 0.55 grams of protein per pound of body weight
4 to 6 year-old children: 0.50 grams of protein per pound of body weight
7 to 14 year-old children: 0.45 grams of protein per pound of body weight
15+ year old children and adults: 0.40 grams of protein per pound of body weight

Thus, there is a need to provide extra protein to growing children through soya supplements. Soya contains many essential nutrients important for growth and development, and works well as a primary source of protein without contributing excess calories Studies of soya in children and adolescents have shown that soya eases constipation, lowers high cholesterol, and may even decrease risk of breast cancer later in life.

Soy Protein for Elderly People

Muscle loss need not necessarily be a part of the ageing process, if adequate protein is supplied in the diet.

Many elderly people have diets that are low in protein and therefore, experience weakness due to muscle loss. At the same time, high protein foods can be difficult to chew as they require more preparation than carbohydrates. And many are unaware that their diet is low in the muscle craving proteins. Thus, a protein supplement is enough to do the job of preventing. Ingestion of a protein supplement, receives the same muscle protein synthesis stimulation that occurs in the non-elderly.

Many elderly people may have reduced appetite. This is because elderly persons experience a loss of autonomy. It takes place with impairment in performing essential activities of daily living because of functional and physical disabilities. The nutritional implications of frailty include poor appetite, low food intake and involuntary weight loss.

Malnutrition is more common in this age group. It is caused by deterioration of nutritional status which occurs during illness. Such Chronic diseases that may further increase dietary protein needs. It becames necessary to ensure adequate dietary intake of high quality protein for this reason. Chronic diseases being more frequent in the elderly, and can lead to periodic temporary losses of body protein through fever or simply loss of appetite. Such losses have to be replaced from the diet and ensure an added need for dietary protein. It is important to supplement the diet effectively to impove outcomes for older people who remain at the risk of malnutrition.

Therefore, elderly individuals are more likely to be influenced by various biological, environmental and social factors, the effects of which would be generally to increase protein needs above those for younger adults. Thus, in practice, the protein needs of elderly people are probably higher than for the young. The decline in energy intake, together with its possible consequences for reduced dietary protein utilization, will also tend to increase the protein need of elderly subjects, compared with that for physically more active young adults.

Soy Protein for Normal Young Adults

Soy Protein During Illness

Protein is essential to maintain a healthy body. If the body sustains an injury, such as a cut, protein helps with tissue repair. Protein helps the body to fight illness, diseases and keeps the immune system functioning properly.

Protein is essential for the repair of damaged tissues as well as for the creation of new tissues. With amino acids working as building blocks, cancer patients specially, experience a significant health benefit from diets high in protein.

Protein excretion increases in times severe illness. For patients in trauma and those with severe body burns, it can reach upto 250 g/day. The major role of increased rates of protein degradation during metabolic stress is to provide amino acids, especially branched-chain amino acids which donate nitrogen for the synthesis of glutamine. This glutamine, after released by the muscle, is essential for functioning of the immune system.

Under metabolic stress, the muscle and plasma concentrations of glutamine decrease. It has been shown that, there is a correlation between the concentration of glutamine and the rate of protein synthesis. The overall result is that the skeletal muscle breaks down to provide metabolic control during periods of high stress. It also helps to explain why there is such a large increase in protein degradation in skeletal muscle during injury and stress and indicates that it is essential for the survival of the body under normal conditions.

During illness, protein is not only required for repair but is generally used as an energy source; 1.5 to 2gms protein/kg/day is required during illness.

All moderate to severe illness cause a loss of body protein, mainly from skeletal muscle and a fall in body weight. If an injured person takes no food during the first three days and expends 6000-8000 kcal in that time , to which protein contributres 20-25%(1200-2000 kcal_ the lost muscle which is about 80% water and 20 %protein will amount to 1200-2000gms.

Amount of protein loss depends on the severity of illness , including the amount of pain suffered. Fractures of long bones and extensive skin burns are likely to have much protein loss. Prolonged bed rest also produces loss of protein because of atrophy of skeletal muscle. Disease process destroys body tissue. So when loss of body protein is large, it is accompanied by weakness, poor healing and lowered resistance to infections.

Thus, during recovery period, there is a marked need of a good quality and a high biological value protein source as the protein requirement in illness becomes similar to the protein requirement of that in a growing child. Revitalite provides for the increased requirement during illness due to its high quality (PDCAAS 1), high biological value of 81%

Soy Protein for Weight Loss and Management

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