How do you show that kwashiorkor is caused by protein deficiency using the scientific method?

Answer 1

Kwashiorkor is a condition of protein deficiency characterized by lack of musculature, "moon face" and discoloration of hair, for example from normal black hair to reddish brown. In order to create a scientific study to prove kwashiorkor is from protein deficiency, you would have to have subjects who would be willing to participate in the testing. There will be no human volunteers for this type of study.

It is already proven that the cause of kwashiorkor is protein deficiency. In my opinion, proving this using the scientific method would be redundant and cruel. Cruel because you would have to induce a protein deficient state in humans and compare these results with normal subjects. It is not necessary to do this type of study.

If you have a test population of subjects with the disease, you could take blood samples and prove their serum albumin levels are lower than the normal subjects in your test. Then you could have a double blind controlled study and employ scientific method. Finding kwashiorkor patients before they have had any protein replacement is most difficult unless you are working in seriously underdeveloped parts of the world. Even when you find them, you may want to feed them rather than study them.