Protein Malnourishment May Occur If the Diet is Deficient In

Question

Protein malnourishment may occur if the diet is deficient in
A) essential amino acids.
B) nonessential amino acids.
C) urea.
D) ammonia.
E) keto acids.

Accepted Answer

Essential amino acids cannot be synthesized by the body and must be obtained from the diet. Therefore, if the diet is deficient in essential amino acids, the body will not be able to synthesize all the necessary proteins, leading to protein malnourishment. Nonessential amino acids can be synthesized by the body, so their absence from the diet would not necessarily lead to protein malnourishment. Urea, ammonia, and keto acids are not directly involved in protein synthesis and would not contribute to protein malnourishment.