Some protein powders, especially plant-based and chocolate-flavored varieties, have been found to contain heavy metals such as lead and cadmium, according to a recent report from the US.
the The report was released on January 9 From the Clean Label Project (a nonprofit organization that studies label safety issues) tested 160 protein powder products from 70 leading brands, representing 83 percent of the U.S. market share.
The tests were screened for heavy metals, including lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury. The report did not reveal the names of the companies tested or the specific levels of metals identified in the testing of each product.
Although this is a US study, many of the major protein powders sold in the country are also available in Canada.
“The study results highlight that despite a growing health-conscious market, many products may contain high levels of contaminants that are not reflected in conventional nutrition labels,” the report stated.
The report found that organic protein powders contain on average three times more lead and twice as much cadmium than their inorganic counterparts. Plant-based protein powders (such as soy, rice, pea, and other plants) showed three times the lead levels compared to whey-based alternatives. The report stated that chocolate-flavored powders contained four times more lead than vanilla-flavored options.
Depending on the level of exposure, Driving and Cadmium It has been shown to cause various health problems, including kidney damage, bone loss, reproductive problems and increased risk of cancer. Both minerals occur naturally in the environment, while human activities have greatly increased their presence in the environment.
As a result, it is found in trace amounts in almost all the foods we eat. In addition to natural lead, food can be contaminated from several sources, Health Canada says on its website. “Lead is widespread in the human environment, so manufacturing a lead-free product is generally not possible.”
The report stated that these chemicals can enter protein powders through environmental exposure, agricultural practices, and packaging materials.
Protein powders tested by the Clean Label Project had a range of positive results for arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury levels.
The report found that 47 percent of the products tested exceeded at least one federal or state safety standard in the United States. For example, under California’s Proposition 65, the maximum permissible level of lead in food products is set at 0.5 micrograms per day.
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To put that in perspective, Felicia Wu, a professor of food safety, toxicology and risk assessment at Michigan State University, explained that this amount is extremely small — much lighter than a paper clip.
In Canada, Health Canada Specifies the maximum permissible levels Chemical contaminants, including lead, in various foods. While no specific limits are available for protein powders, general maximum levels of lead in foods are set forth in this list of maximum levels for various chemical contaminants in foods.
For example, Maximum lead level In fruit juices: 0.05 ppm.
In infant formula, the maximum allowable lead level is 0.001 ppm.
The problem with the report
Wu explained that lead and cadmium occur naturally in the environment and can be found in many foods (such as chocolate), making their discovery in food unsurprising.
Wu added that the real problem with the Clean Label Project report is the lack of data on how metals are detected and measured in protein powder.
“The authors of this report never said what assumptions they made about how much protein powder a person consumes in a day. So there is no way we can know how to calculate it,” she said.
For example, California’s Proposition 65 provides specific guidelines on the permissible daily limit of lead, measured in micrograms, that a person can consume.
“To get this kind of information, you have to know two other things. First, you have to know how much of a certain food the average person consumes daily, for example, how many grams? Then you have to know what the lead concentration is,” Wu said. “Cadmium is in this particular food.”
She added that since the report did not provide this information, it is impossible to determine the amount found or the concentrations of lead and cadmium in the various protein powders.
Health Canada states that “trace amounts of lead in a consumer product should not pose a health risk.”
However, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) He asserts that there is no safe level of lead exposure for humans.
“Lead is a toxic metal that can be harmful to human health even at low exposure levels. Lead is a persistent substance and can bioaccumulate in the body over time,” the agency said.
Children, infants and fetuses are particularly vulnerable to lead exposure because developing organs and systems are more susceptible to the toxic effects of lead, the EPA says.
Even low levels of lead can negatively impact their health, leading to delayed development, learning difficulties, irritability, loss of appetite, weight loss, lethargy, fatigue, abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, hearing loss, and, in severe cases, seizures.
It is also dangerous for pregnant women. Lead can build up in our bodies over time, where it is stored in the bones along with calcium. During pregnancy, lead is released from bones in the form of maternal calcium and is used to help form fetal bones, the EPA said.
Health Canada said lead may not cause specific symptoms if consumed at low levels, but exposure to large amounts may cause more noticeable symptoms including headache, irritability, abdominal pain, vomiting, general weakness and paleness.
Should you ditch protein powder?
This is not the first time lead and other metals have been found in protein powders.
A report by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) looked into toxic metals in selected foods Between 2018 and 2019 It found that protein powders contain a wider range of lead levels than other types of products (such as infant formula).
Lead levels ranged from 0 ppm to 0.237 ppm. Protein powders also contain the highest levels of mercury and cadmium detected.
However, when it comes to the report from the Clean Label Project, until more data is provided, Wu doesn’t think people should rush to ditch their protein powder.
“I don’t think there’s a reason for people to throw this away, but I think it’s always helpful for people to be aware and maybe ask for more data,” she said.
People are constantly exposed to toxic metals in the environment, so a key consideration is whether consuming a particular protein powder significantly increases that exposure, Wu said.
“And that question is something that we need more information about before we can determine that.”
