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Mental Health
Beware: Deadly Toxins Found in Many Protein Shakes
Date: 29/06/10
It’s not just bodybuilders and fitness fanatics that use protein shakes. Enticed by promises that they can help you lose weight, increase your stamina, fight the ageing process... in addition to their traditional use of helping to improve muscle tone... more and more people are turning to them.
That’s what makes the latest research findings so disturbing. They've been found to contain harmful metals, including arsenic, cadmium and lead.
More shocking still, in view of these findings, is that one protein shake is advertised as "ideal" for pregnant women and growing children. It also offers this promise for ageing adults: "You will rarely if ever be sick and you will begin to look and feel years younger." But the reality is that they could make you very sick indeed.
Increased muscle definition and tone – but at what price?
Tests conducted by Consumer Reports, in the US, showed that out of the 15 protein shakes tested, three of them contained very worrisome levels of arsenic, cadmium and lead.
Three daily servings of the ready-to-drink liquid EAS Myoplex Original Rich Dark Chocolate Shake provides an average of 16.9 micrograms (µg) of arsenic, and an average of 5.1 µg of cadmium.
This exceeds the proposed United States Pharmacopoeia's (USP) limits for these two toxins which are set at 15 and 5 µg respectively. USP limits are given to provide greater patient/consumer protection against metal impurities and toxins in dietary supplements.
The two other main culprits exposed by the study were Muscle Milk Chocolate powder and Muscle Milk Vanilla Crème. Muscle Milk Chocolate powder contained cadmium levels of 5.6 µg, lead levels of 13.5 µg and arsenic levels of 12.2 µg. Muscle Milk Vanilla Crème contained 12.2 µg of lead, exceeding lead limits, and 11.2 µg of arsenic.
Arsenic and cadmium pose the biggest risk, as the levels of these two compounds in some cases exceeded maximum "safe" limits. However, ideally, you don't want to ingest these toxins at ANY level, as even low-dose exposure can contribute to lingering health problems.
Cadmium poses a particularly high risk because it accumulates in the kidneys and can damage these important organs. It can take 20 years for the body to eliminate even half the cadmium absorbed at the levels mentioned above.
Dr. Michael Harbut, director of the Environmental Cancer Initiative at the Karmanos Cancer Institute, in the US, said the following about the cadmium test results: "This is a highly toxic metal, and while there are some cases where decisions have to be weighed against relative risks, accepting that you have to be exposed to any cadmium at all in your protein drink after your workout is definitely not one of them."
Let’s not forget that all three metals, arsenic, cadmium and lead are toxic metals. They pose a particularly high toxin risk when they are combined in one product – especially when the product is marketed for daily use.
Being exposed to a mixture of toxins simultaneously can dramatically increase the health risks, especially when the toxins target the same organs or systems. All three of these metals target the kidneys and the digestive system.
To put the health risks these metals pose into perspective, consider the American Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) list of 275 dangerous substances at toxic waste sites: Arsenic, lead, and mercury rank Nos. 1, 2, and 3, and cadmium is No. 7, based on risks to people around those sites.
Safer alternatives
It’s not just protein shakes that expose us to heavy metals like these, but they are a source that is easy to avoid.
Most of us can meet our daily protein requirements, minimize our exposure to toxins, and save money simply by choosing the right foods.
Foods such as milk, yoghurt, eggs, poultry, fish, and red meats are generally good protein sources that contain little or no toxic metals. Protein can also be obtained from plants like legumes (soybean, peas and beans), and nuts.
Cadmium is sometimes prevalent in plant foods such as potatoes, rice, and leafy greens. This is due to the fact that conventionally-farmed produce is frequently grown using fertilizers that contain cadmium. This is then absorbed by the plants through the soil. However, organic farms do not use toxic fertilizers, which prevents the soil and crops from being contaminated. This is another reason why buying organic is best...
In the same sense, organic whey protein produced from grass- fed, non-hormonally treated cows is a guarantee for purity. Whey protein, a by-product of milk and cheese, is often referred to as the gold standard of protein.
Buyer beware: Most commercial whey products are derived from pasteurized dairy and processed with heat and acid. Some even contain artificial sweeteners. All of these factors make them almost useless from a health perspective.
However, as already mentioned, whey from organic grass-fed dairy, contains beneficial immuno-components, including immunoglobins, bovine serum albomin, and lactoferins, in addition to all the key amino acids and other beneficial nutrients you typically get from a high quality whey protein.
So, when you choose a whey product, make sure your whey protein supplement has the following features:
* Derived from grass-fed cows that are not treated with hormones
* Cold processed, since heat can affect whey's fragile molecular structure
* Whey protein concentrate, not protein isolates
* Low in carbohydrates and naturally sweetened
Sources:
‘Warning about protein drinks’ published online 02.06.10, abclocal.go.com
‘Protein drinks: You don't need the extra protein or the heavy metals our tests found’ published online June 2010, consumerreports.org
‘Elemental Impurities’ published online, usp.org/hottopics/metals.html
‘Food sources of protein’ published online, dietaryfiberfood.com/food-protein-sources.php
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