8 Surprising Health Benefits of Increasing Your Protein Intake

Proteins are the very building blocks of your body, starting on a cellular level. Every one of the cells in the human body contains some form of protein, which is a chain of amino acids your body needs to repair damaged cells and create new ones. Vital muscle and bone tissue require ample access to protein for synthesis, and your body is incapable of producing nine different essential amino acids found in nutritionally complete proteins.

In order to keep your body healthy, strong and capable of healing, you must ensure an adequate flow of these proteins. There are also some benefits of increasing your protein intake you may not expect, though.

1. Facilitating the Growth of Lean Muscle Tissue – No matter how hard you work out, you'll likely struggle to develop lean muscle mass if you're not getting enough protein. Protein deficiency can lead to catabolism, which is essentially your body metabolizing its own muscle tissue to provide the energy required for basic function. Strenuous exercise works to build muscle by creating microtears in the muscle tissue, which are then repaired by fibrils made of protein to create a stronger muscle over time. Without protein, your body can't repair those microtears efficiently and will struggle to build lean muscle.
   
   
2. Maintaining a Healthy Weight – Protein helps you feel full more quickly, while satisfying hunger for longer than a low-protein, high-carbohydrate meal or snack. You'll be less likely to reach for unhealthy sweets or carb-filled snacks when your diet is rich in satisfying protein, thus better equipped to maintain a healthy weight.
   
   
3. Controlling Blood Sugar – When your body breaks down protein-rich foods, it produces and requires less insulin than it would to process sugary and high-carbohydrate foods. Blood-sugar fluctuations associated with glucose can be avoided by upping your protein intake and minimizing carbohydrates.
   
   
4. Improving Your Mood – Ample protein consumption helps neurotransmitters function more effectively, better synthesizing the mood-boosting hormones serotonin and dopamine. Protein deficiency, on the other hand, can cause you to feel anxious, depressed and irritable, with more food cravings.
   
   
5. Boosting Brain Power – Your body needs protein for more than just bigger muscles and better weight control. It's also essential in the creation of aforementioned neurotransmitters, along with hormones and enzymes vital to cognitive function. You may find you're better able to focus and retain information if you increase your protein intake.
   
   
6. Supporting Bone Health – Women are at a much higher risk for osteoporosis than men, and protein may be the key to supporting better bone health. Because proteins are needed to create and support bone tissue while boosting calcium absorption, increasing your protein intake may actually decrease your risk of fracture, breakage and brittleness.
   
   
7. Protecting Your Heart – Foods rich in protein can help to lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, thereby potentially warding off cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.
   
   
8. Slowing the Signs of Aging – Your cells store glutathione to aid in detoxification and reduction of aging carcinogens, which is synthesized with the help of proteins. When your body has access to an ample supply of protein, it's better equipped to ward off the oxidative stress that contributes to aging and age-related maladies, like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

Stronger muscles, hair and nails. Increased mental clarity and more stable moods. Delaying the onset of aging and age-related conditions. With so much to gain by simply increasing your protein intake, it's easy to see why this macronutrient gets so much press in health and wellness circles. By adding protein-rich foods to a balanced diet and supplementing with high-quality supplements like Pinup Girl Protein, you're giving your body everything it needs to function at peak efficiency.