Protein drinks can damage body with heavy metals

William Atkins
Wednesday, 02 June 2010 23:31

Science - Health

A Consumer Reports magazine study, published in June 2010, by an independent laboratory found protein powders and drinks are beneficial for the most part, but risks do exist in the form of too much lead, arsenic, and cadmium.

 

Consumer Reports magazine asked an independent laboratory to look into popular supplement powders and drinks that help to build muscle by increasing the amount of protein in the body, which promotes efficient growth and repair of muscle tissue.

These protein powders and drinks, sometimes also called bodybuilding supplements, were found to be safe to drink, even by "teenagers and pregnant women." However, risks were found to be associated with their use.

According to the NPR article Heavy Metals in Protein Drinks Raise Concern, the study found that “… one kind of chocolate drink contains more lead and more cadmium than the daily allowances recommended by the U.S. Pharmacopia, the authority on these things.”

According to the United States Pharmacopia (USP) website About USP: “The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) is a non–governmental, official public standards–setting authority for prescription and over–the–counter medicines and other healthcare products manufactured or sold in the United States. USP also sets widely recognized standards for food ingredients and dietary supplements. USP sets standards for the quality, purity, strength, and consistency of these products–critical to the public health. USP's standards are recognized and used in more than 130 countries around the globe. These standards have helped to ensure public health throughout the world for close to 200 years.”

Specifically, Consumer Reports magazine highlighted this problem in its article “What's in your protein drink,” which was published within the June 2010 issue of the magazine.

Consumer Reports magazine stated, “Here are the average amounts of metals we found in three servings of these protein drinks. The maximum limits for them in dietary supplements proposed by the U.S. Pharmacopeia are: arsenic (inorganic), 15 micrograms (µg) per day; cadmium, 5 µg; lead, 10 µg; mercury, 15 µg. Amounts at or exceeding those limits are in bold. Experts said three servings a day is common.”

Heavy metals are elements that exhibit metallic properties, including metals often contained in the groups metalloids, lanthanides, and actinides. Sometimes the term "toxic metal" is used as a synonym for heavy metal.

 

Humans need varous amounts of heavy metals. For instance, iron, cobalt, copper, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc are necessary for a healthy body. However, excessive amounts of such heavy metals can be damaging to the human body.

 

Other heavy metals, such as mercury and lead, are toxic metals, which do not benefit the human body and, instead, can be detrimental when they accumulate in the body over time.

Page two continues with the Consumer Reports article on heavy metals and protein drinks.