Erin Pillon, a former dancer with Zhantra Entertainment, maintains a continuing interest in personal fitness and wellness. Erin Pillon is currently studying for her personal trainer certification and intends to incorporate nutritional counseling into her work with clients.
In the human body, protein serves as a building block for each and every structure. It is an essential part of all body tissues, including muscles, bones, and cartilage, and is also critical in the production of hormones and enzymes.
To support these varying functions, the body needs a steady supply of many different kinds of proteins, from the myoglobin and elastin found in muscle fibers to the hemoglobin that carries oxygen throughout the body. None of these proteins occur naturally in the human body, nor can they be ingested in their usable form. Instead, the body must break down the proteins in food and send these elements to where they can be utilized.
Proteins are too large for the body to absorb, so the digestive system breaks them down into their component amino acids and peptides. Most go to the liver, where some become building blocks for new proteins. The liver then breaks down any leftover proteins to be used as fuel.
For this process to function effectively, the body must take in enough protein to supply the essential amino acids. These are amino acids that the body cannot synthesize, even in their most basic form. The ideal diet includes the necessary concentration of amino acids contained within approximately five ounces of protein each day, though active males may need more and women and children may need less.
