Many popular brands of protein powders have elevated – and worrisome – levels of lead.JENNIFER ROBERTS/The Globe and Mail
If you reach for protein powder to supplement your daily diet, a recent report from Consumer Reports may give you pause.
According to the U.S. non-profit organization, many popular brands of protein powders have elevated – and worrisome – levels of lead.
Here’s a recap of the Consumer Reports investigation, the pros and cons of protein powder, plus tips for replacing powder with real food.
Consumer Reports: Lead in protein supplements
For the report, published Oct. 14, Consumer Reports tested 23 popular U.S. brands of dairy, beef and plant-based supplements, including protein powders and ready-to-drink protein shakes, for heavy metals, including lead. (Some of the tested products can be purchased online and in stores in Canada.)
Most products, nearly 70 per cent, contained more lead in a single serving than the organization deems safe for daily consumption.
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Lead levels for plant-based products were, on average, nine times higher than those for dairy-based products, such as whey. And they were twice as high compared to the lead content of beef-based products.
Consumer Reports identified products that contained more than 0.5 micrograms (mcg) of lead per serving, California’s maximum allowable dose level for lead per day, a much stricter threshold than has been set by other health authorities.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s interim reference levels for lead per day are 2.2 mcg for children, 8.8 mcg for women of childbearing age and 12.5 mcg for other adults.
Health Canada’s maximum acceptable limit for lead in protein powders and other natural health products is less than 10 mcg per day for adults.
Keep in mind these are benchmarks for potential health concern, not safety limits. There is no known safe level of lead exposure.
How does lead get into food?
Lead is a naturally-occurring metal present in the air, dust and soil, so it’s found in trace amounts in virtually all foods.
Food can also become contaminated with heavy metals in various ways.
Airbourne lead dust, for example, can fall onto food crops or into the soil, which is then absorbed into the plants.
Animal-based products like milk and beef can become contaminated from the cow’s feed or water.
Lead could also be introduced into food products at the manufacturing plant.
How does lead harm the body?
Lead has no biological function in the body.
Once absorbed, it circulates in the bloodstream and is distributed to soft tissues, including the brain, liver and kidneys. Most of it accumulates in bone tissue, where it remains for decades.
Health effects of lead exposure include slowed growth, headaches and learning and behavioural difficulties in children.
In adults, it can cause reproductive problems, high blood pressure, memory problems and muscle and joint pain.
What to do?
According to Consumer Reports, there is no reason to worry if you use any of the products tested occasionally.
Even those with the highest lead levels were considerably below the amount needed to cause immediate harm.
The concern is with daily extended consumption. Consumer Reports advises against daily use for most protein powders, especially for children and people who are pregnant or could become pregnant.
Protein powders versus whole foods
For some people protein powders are helpful.
If you’re lifting weights to build muscle while also trying to lose body fat, protein powder allows you to increase your protein intake without a lot of extra calories.
Protein powders may also be a necessary supplement for people with certain medical conditions, as well as athletes who have very high protein requirements.
Many of us, though, don’t need to rely on processed protein powders or ready-to-drink shakes to hit our daily protein target.
A diet based on whole foods such as fish, chicken, lean meat, eggs, dairy, lentils, chickpeas, edamame, tofu, nuts and seeds is the gold standard for getting your protein.
Whole foods cover off far more nutrient bases than powders. In addition to protein, they also deliver vitamins, minerals and, in the case whole plant proteins, dietary fibre and countless protective phytochemicals.
What’s more, whole foods keep you feeling satiated longer.
Whole food protein swaps for powder
Instead of protein powder, use unsweetened Greek or Icelandic yogurt to make a protein shake or smoothie (both have about 24 g protein per one cup).
You can also use ultra-filtered milk, which provides 13 to 19 g of protein per one cup, depending on the brand.
Blending in two tablespoons of powdered peanut butter adds 6 to 8 g of protein.
Or enjoy your smoothie with protein on the side – homemade egg bites, cottage cheese, yogurt, roasted chickpeas, canned fish or pumpkin seeds, for example.
Bottom line: Prioritize whole foods to get your daily protein. When that’s not possible, bridge the gap with a high-quality protein powder.
Choose products that have a NPN (Natural Product Number) on the label. This means they have been tested and approved by Health Canada for safety (e.g., free of contamination from heavy metals, pesticides and pathogenic microbes) and quality.
You can also look for protein supplements tested by third-party certification programs, such as NSF Certified for Sport, to ensure purity and quality.
Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based private practice dietitian, is director of food and nutrition at Medcan. Follow her on X @LeslieBeckRD