With increased intake of protein, increased metabolism of nitrogen takes place, the body excreting a proportionately increased amount of nitrogen, thus maintaining the equilibrium. Similarly proportional will be the output if proteins are reduced from the diet. The body is thus able to regulate the amount metabolised, by the amount taken. But there is a maximum and a minimum to these amounts of protein which will enable the body to maintain nitrogen equilibrium without producing ill effects.
The danger of exceeding the maximum, which is supposed to be 120 grms (roughly) in 24 hours is digestive and other metabolic disturbance such as high blood pressure, etc. The danger of going below the minimum. which has been estimated at 60 grms, in 24 hours, is much more serious, specially at the growing period of life. In fact, it is grave. The body, finding a dearth of available protein in the foods, begins to burn up the protein of the tissues, to keep up the the minimum requirement for metabolism.
The consequences of this vicious process may be well imagines which will be almost the same as partial starvation. More protein will be metabolised than what is taken with the food and thus the body will stop growing and will begin to reduce. The present day BEngali diet, on an average, shows a lamentable dearth of this essential protein, though the total calorific requirement may be more than met up through the other two sources, i.e. fats and carbohydrates, of which again, the latter is consumed in abnormally large quantities.
