A protein shortage also may lead to edema, a condition in which fluids accumulate in body tissues, causing the tissues to swell. In developing countries, many infants and children have a disease called kwashiorkor as a result of eating little or no food containing complete proteins. Severe cases of kwashiorkor may cause liver damage and eventual death. See Kwashiorkor . How the body uses proteins.
Proteins make up a large part of each cell in the human body.
Therefore, they are important in building, maintaining, and repairing tissues in the human body, especially bone cartilage and muscle. In addition, every cell contains proteins called enzymes, which speed up chemical reactions. Without enzymes, the cells could not function. Certain proteins perform specific jobs. For example, the blood contains such proteins as albumin and hemoglobin.