Consumer Reports announced its findings on October 14th after testing 23 protein powders and ready-to-drink shakes from major brands for heavy metals.
Protein powders and drinks are the most popular muscle-building supplements. Some people use them as a meal replacement in a weight-loss program, or to regain weight lost due to illness or injury. They are also used for recovery after intense workouts.
Consumer Reports evaluated both plant-based products, and those containing animal and dairy protein, including products that were labelled as organic.
After evaluating the data, they discovered that two-thirds of these protein products included more lead than health regulators recommended daily, with some exceeding the limit as high as 10 times. They identified two protein powders that they suggested avoiding entirely due to elevated amounts of lead. Only one product had undetectable levels of lead.
What are the implications of this investigation for people who consume protein powders ?
This is not the first time that lead has been found in supplements
A 2018 testing across 130 protein powders discovered that 70% contained heavy metals.
Another 2021 investigation of 36 protein powders revealed lead levels ranging from 0.8 to 88.4 mcg per kilogram of product. Consuming a single 20-gram serving per day would result in an intake ranging from 0.016 to 1.77 mcg.
What are the harmful effects of lead on human health?
Lead is toxic to the body and can impair practically every organ system.There are no known health benefits associated with lead.
Its main effects are on the brain and nerve system. This can affect children’s cognitive and physical development, as well as cause learning impairments and behavioural issues.
Adults who have been exposed to high amounts of lead are more likely to develop anemia, joint inflammation, kidney damage, and nerve damage that causes tingling, numbness, and muscular weakness.
Lead can be passed on to the fetus during pregnancy, resulting in difficulties such as premature birth, low birth weight, and developmental issues for the newborn. It’s also a problem for breastfeeding moms because some lead can be passed through the breast milk.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer has also identified lead as a potential carcinogen, or cancer-causing agent.
As levels rise in the blood, health issues grow. Very high amounts in the blood (over 120 mcg per decilitre) can result in mortality.
How does lead get into protein powders ?
Gasoline, industrial operations, and paint are examples of man-made sources of lead, as are natural sources including volcanic activity and the chemical weathering of minerals. Lead ends up in the food and water supplies as a result of crops absorbing the metal.
Lead can also be breathed as dust from mining smelters and other industrial activities, or by licking or breathing in pieces of lead-rich paint when handling old toys or other lead equipment, or by eating or coming into touch with tainted soil or water.
Which powders were labelled safe and unsafe for use ?
Products to Avoid:
- Naked Nutrition Vegan Mass Gainer – 315 g (6 scoops per serving)
- Huel Black Edition – 90 g (2 scoops per serving)
Use Occasionally (Limit to About Once a Week or Less):
- Garden of Life Sport – Organic Plant-Based Protein – 45 g (2 scoops)
- Momentous 100% Plant Protein – 37.7 g (1 scoop)
Occasional Use (Once a week or more):
- Quest Protein Shake – 325 ml (1 carton)
- Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Protein Shake – 325 ml (1 carton)
- Muscle Milk Pro Advanced Nutrition Protein Shake – 330 ml (1 carton)
- MuscleMeds Carnivor Mass – 191 g (4 scoops)
- Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass – 340 g (2 scoops)
- Jocko Fuel Mölk Protein Shake – 355 ml (1 carton)
- Vega Premium Sport Plant-Based Protein – 44 g (1 scoop)
- Orgain Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder – 46 g (2 scoops)
- Equip Foods Prime Protein – 25.7 g (1 scoop)
- PlantFusion Complete Protein – 30 g (1 scoop)
- Ensure Plant-Based Protein Nutrition Shake – 330 ml (1 carton)
- KOS Organic Superfood Plant Protein – 37 g (2 scoops)
Better Choices for Regular/Daily Consumption:
- Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey – 30.5 g (1 scoop)
- Transparent Labs Mass Gainer – 194 g (2 scoops)
- Dymatize Super Mass Gainer – 333 g (2.5 scoops)
- Owyn Pro Elite High Protein Shake – 330 ml (1 carton)
- BSN Syntha-6 Protein Powder – 47 g (1 scoop)
- Momentous Whey Protein Isolate – 26.5 g (1 scoop)
- Muscle Tech 100% Mass Gainer – 357 g (6 scoops)
Source : ConsumerReports.org
It’s hard to say whether protein powders are safe to use on a daily basis because we don’t know how much lead is in each scoop. Both things and even containers will have different levels. While occasional usage is probably safe, daily or more frequent use may result in hazardous lead intakes.
Additionally, keep in mind that other foods and environmental exposures will also have an impact on your blood levels.
