A few weeks back Consumer Reports made quite a splash when they announced test results of some popular protein drinks showed they contained some heavy metals. This article again surfaced this week on several news outlets and can be found in the July Consumer Reports Magazine.
Here is the chart from Consumer Reports:
Now, before you go tossing your favorite protein drink down the drain, you many want to consider a few points put forth by the Natural Products Association. Note – obviously, the folks at NPA are responsible for sticking up for manufacturers of natural products (including protein powders), but their points are still valid. From a recent NPA release:
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- The levels determined were below the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) own standards — the Provisional Total Tolerable Intake (PTTI) level — for what is known to be tolerable. (“Tolerable” means the body can metabolize and excrete the metals efficiently enough at that dose that it does not present a health problem.)
- These levels are far below what is found in many foods. For reference, the FDA’s Total Diet Study Statistics on Element Results report offers summaries of element analytical results in food and nominal element analytical limits across a wide range of foods. From that study one can plainly see that much greater levels are commonly found in the food supply without concern, and certainly without a Consumer Reports article fueling the public’s worry.
- The study was not a peer-reviewed scientific study. Peer review is necessary in university and government scientific settings to ensure the accuracy and precision of results. Additionally it is unclear as to which methods were used to analyze the elements and if Consumer Reports audited the labs they used to ensure the lab’s proficiency at performing such tests.
For me, the issue is serving size. If you look at the chart above you’ll notice Consumer Reports combined and analyzed for 3 servings of some pretty high protein shakes. I drink a protein shake or two just about every day, but I don’t come anywhere near 90-180 grams of protein from these shakes. I wonder what would happen to my lead intake if I tried to eat 100 grams of protein…all from frozen fish sticks?
I’m not excusing the makers of these drinks from producing high quality products, I just feel it’s important to put this report in perspective. For most of us, drinking an extra 20-30 grams of protein from a shake, appears to be no less safe than eating many other ‘regular’ foods. I didn’t hear that on the nightly news.
–Michael Ventresca
