Lysine is an amino acid that has several roles throughout the body, such as the creation of proteins and a variety of additional biological processes. Unfortunately, this amino acid cannot be synthesized within your body, which means that your diet will need to introduce the acid to your system. In order for your body to receive enough lysine, you will need to consume around 5-6 milligrams of the substance for every two pounds of your body weight. You can consume this amino acid from supplements or from a variety of different foods. A small sample of the foods that contain a substantial amount of lysine include potatoes, whole milk, beans, and red meat of all kinds.
The majority of people will be able to get enough of this amino acid into their diets to the point where it’s not something that you will need to track. However, if you’re a vegan who doesn’t eat beans or an athlete, there’s a good chance that you will eventually start to suffer from the condition known as lysine deficiency. Over time, symptoms of this condition will begin to develop. If these symptoms are not treated properly in a short period of time, they will start to worsen in severity, potentially leading to additional problems that you will need to obtain medical treatment for.
If you’re starting to experience a deficiency in lysine, the only thing that you need to do to correct this issue is to place more foods that contain lysine into your diet. However, some of the symptoms that can occur with this deficiency may require professional medical help, which is why you should see a doctor or visit a hospital if you experience any of the following symptoms that result from having too little of this amino acid in your body.
1. Loss of Appetite
The primary symptom associated with lysine deficiency is a loss of appetite. While this can be a symptom of a wide range of issues, it’s the main one with a lysine deficiency due to how the amino acid works within the body. You will likely notice that your normal appetite levels continue to decrease on a consistent basis. In most cases, you will start to eat less and lose weight until you have the symptom checked out by a doctor. The loss of appetite is typically accompanied by other symptoms like fatigue. When you are affected by a loss of appetite, you won’t have the same inclination to eat as you once did.
Some of the signs of a decreased appetite include weight loss that was fully unintentional, rarely feeling hungry, and practically never wanting to eat. Nausea is common with a loss of appetite, particularly when you start thinking about eating food. The feeling may be so strong that you believe you will vomit because of it. If you leave this symptom untreated, you may eventually develop anorexia, although this is a long-term effect of a loss of appetite. Since losing your appetite can be a symptom of many different conditions, from lysine deficiency to diabetes, it’s important that you get it checked out right away.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]2. Excessive Hair Loss
One of the more unexpected symptoms of a lysine deficiency is excessive amounts of hair loss. Although this can be a worrisome symptom, it’s also one that’s relatively simple to notice, making it easy to get checked out once you do. During the initial stages of this condition, your hair may appear to be thin and sparse around your scalp. When you are brushing or washing your hair, try to notice whether or not your hair is breaking. If it is, you may be affected by this condition. Standard hair growth should return once you get lysine back into your diet.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]3. Lack of Focus
A lack of focus is not the same as simply not paying attention. You will notice that you are suffering from a lack of focus if you are starting to be easily distracted or are missing some of the finer details after having a conversation. Some of the additional signs of a lack of focus include not being able to complete projects and not listening well to others when in a conversation. Unlike people who are affected by ADHD, a lack of focus due to a lysine deficiency will be sudden in its development, which means that you should be able to notice that you aren’t able to focus on things like you once were.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]4. Fatigue
When the lysine levels in your body are low, you may start to experience excessive amounts of fatigue. You will feel tired on an almost constant basis and will be unable to complete as many tasks throughout the day as you were before your lysine levels were low. This fatigue will typically be accompanied by mood swings. One telltale sign that you are suffering from fatigue is not feeling refreshed when you wake up after a lengthy sleep in the morning. Although most signs of fatigue are physical, they can also be emotional and mental, which is why seeing your doctor for these symptoms is essential.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]5. Bloodshot Eyes
Although this symptom won’t always occur in people who are suffering from a lysine deficiency, it’s easily the most noticeable symptom. When you look into the mirror, you will see that your eyes are redder than normal as opposed to white. Your eyes can become bloodshot when the blood vessels located on the surface of your eyes expand, which will in turn cause the whites of your eyes to develop a pinkish or reddish hue around them. If you wear contact lenses, you may also notice more irritation than normal when wearing them. Your eyes should clear up once your lysine levels get back to normal.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]6. Mood Swings
Mood swings will usually start to occur alongside the symptoms of fatigue that you experience. These mood swings will typically be sudden and unusual. A general irritation, issues with concentration, and agitation are among the most common mood swings for a person to go through. This is one of the more troublesome symptoms associated with this condition due to the fact that it can have negative repercussions on relationships with friends and family. Given the fact that these mood swings are sudden and swift, you should be able to notice them when they occur, which makes it easier to seek timely treatment.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]7. Stunted Growth
If you have a child who is anywhere from a few years old to 17 years old, it’s possible for them to experience stunted growth if they have developed a lysine deficiency. This usually occurs when the condition is paired with poor consumption of essential nutrients. If your children aren’t receiving the nutrients they need, they may not experience the same growth spurts that children are supposed to go through at a young age. This symptom is particularly difficult to notice unless you regularly compare your child’s current height and body mass to the average for their age group, which is why you should look for additional symptoms as well.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]8. Nausea
As touched upon previously, nausea is exceedingly common with a lysine deficiency, particularly among people who also experience a loss of appetite. You will feel as though you need to vomit and that you are sick to your stomach. These feelings will be particularly strong when you are eating or are thinking of eating. Nausea can occur for practically any reason, which is why the best way to identify if the issue is related to this condition is by being on the lookout for other symptoms on this list. When this symptom has worsened, you may actually start to vomit, which is a sign that you need to see a doctor.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]9. Reproductive Disorders
Your body is invariably weakened when you have a deficiency of lysine within it. If this condition subsists and is not treated in a reasonable amount of time, it’s possible for you to experience some reproductive disorders. These disorders are large in number and can either reduce or completely eliminate your ability to become pregnant. A couple of the many reproductive disorders that you could be affected by include polycystic ovary syndrome and endometriosis. If you start to experience any of these other symptoms, schedule an appointment with a fertility specialist to help identify if you are suffering from any reproductive disorders.
