how do you know if you have a protein defiency ?!

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Your hair starts to lose color.

Your hair will be dull, nails like paper, loose teeth and a general fatigue due to progressed protein deficiency where the body will digest its own organs and muscles for protein. A protein deficiency happens most likely amongs the starving/ poor or maybe those with an eating disorder such as anorexia or bullimia. It's very rare but possible a vegan or vegetarian could have a protein deficiency unless they are a junk food vegan.

Vegan

Basically you will not see it occurring in the Western World. There is protein in nearly all foods (except for water, sugar, oil, salt, etc. of course), so as long as you are eating enough food you will most likely be getting enough protein. If you're still worried, check out these protein-deficiency diseases:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwashiorkor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marasmus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catabolysis

Common Protein Deficiency Symptoms

--"Edema - A collection of fluid under the skin, which most commonly affects the legs, feet, and ankles, but can occur anywhere on the body.
Weight loss
Thinning or brittle hair, hair loss
Ridges or deep lines in finger and toe nails
Skin becomes very light, burns easily in the sun
Reduced pigmentation in the hair on scalp and body
Skin rashes, dryness, flakiness
General weakness and lethargy
Muscle soreness and weakness, cramps
Slowness in healing wounds, cuts, scrapes, and bruises
Bedsores and other skin ulcers
Difficulty sleeping
Headache
Nausea and stomach pain
Fainting"--

http://vegetarian.lovetoknow.com/Protein…

Well, number one, you could look at your diet to see what you're eating. You'd be surprised how much protein you're eating if you're eating a variety of real food-- fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts and seeds, and meeting your calorie needs for the day. Protein deficiency is rare in the developed world, except where people may not be eating enough food-- like elderly people in institutions-- or people living on junk food, or little food at all. One easy way to see it is to look at your hair and fingernails to see if they're still growing healthy, and also if your wounds are healing normally.

Is this a concern about you? What kind of food do you eat? Do you eat enough food to maintain a healthy weight? A trip to your dietitian or doctor will settle the concern in your mind.

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From the Vegetarian Resource Group: "It is very easy for a vegan diet to meet the recommendations for protein, as long as calorie intake is adequate. Strict protein combining is not necessary; it is more important to eat a varied diet throughout the day. " http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm

From the American Dietetic Association: "Plant protein can meet protein requirements
when a variety of plant foods is consumed and energy needs are met. Research indicates that an
assortment of plant foods eaten over the course of a day can provide all essential amino acids and ensure adequate nitrogen retention and use in healthy adults; thus, complementary proteins do not need to be consumed at the same meal (8)." http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/2009_ADA_po… On pg. 1268, there's other detailed information.

From the Mayo Clinic: "You can also get sufficient protein from plant-based foods if you eat a variety of them throughout the day. " http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vegetar…

The American Heart Association: "Protein: You don't need to eat foods from animals to have enough protein in your diet. Plant proteins alone can provide enough of the essential and non-essential amino acids, as long as sources of dietary protein are varied and caloric intake is high enough to meet energy needs." http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.j…

From the United States Department of Agriculture: "Protein needs can easily be met by eating a variety of plant-based foods. Combining different protein sources in the same meal is not necessary. " http://www.mypyramid.gov/tips_resources/…

http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional…
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA48892
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/…

You go to the doctor and get tested.

But it's highly unlikely and most people eat far to much protein.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_def…

If you eat only one food or not food, then you'll have a protein deficiency.

Seriously, it's found in all foods.

vegan bodybuilder and personal trainer

Protein deficiency? Hmm if its anything like having iron deficiency then you'd feel cold, hair falls off, craving ice.