Proteins Explained: The Body’s Tiny Building Blocks

Proteins are made of smaller units called amino acids, linked like beads on a chain.
There are 20 common amino acids, and their sequence determines each protein’s job.
Proteins fold into unique 3D shapes that let them work as enzymes, messengers, or scaffolds.
Enzymes, a type of protein, speed up chemical reactions that keep us alive.
Muscle, hair, skin, and nails are built largely from structural proteins like collagen and keratin.
Hemoglobin, a protein in blood, carries oxygen to every cell in the body.
Antibodies are proteins that defend against bacteria, viruses, and other invaders.
Proteins are dynamic—constantly built, broken down, and rebuilt inside our cells.
Our diet supplies amino acids, which the body reassembles into the proteins it needs.
Without proteins, life’s machinery would stop—every cell depends on them to function.