Are Your Protein Drinks Toxic?

Are you a fan of protein powder and ready-to-drink protein shakes? Well it may be time to rethink your drink if you're having several servings a day.

An article in the July 2010 issue of Consumer Reports Magazine details the results of an investigation they conducted into these "hope in a can" protein drinks. They tested 15 protein drinks at an outside laboratory and the results were not only surprising but very concerning. All drinks in the test had at least one sample containing one or more of the following heavy metals: arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. These contaminants are worrisome since they can cause severe organ damage.

Out of the 15 products they tested, three of the products exceeded the safe consumption limit for the heavy metals of arsenic, cadmium or lead when consuming three servings a day.

The 3 products are EAS Myoplex Rich Dark Chocolate Ready-to-Drink Shake, Muscle Milk Chocolate Protein Powder and Muscle Milk Vanilla Creme Protein Powder.

What many people don't realize is that dietary supplements are not regulated like food or drugs, where what it says on the bottle must be in the bottle. Thanks to the Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act (DSHEA) passed by Congress in 1994, nutritional supplements that don't claim to diagnose, prevent, or cure disease are not subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration. Supplements aren't required to be tested before they're sold to make sure they're safe, effective, and free of contaminants. Many supplements have been found not to contain any of the ingredients listed on the label and vice versa. As an example in a recent report, popular weight loss Brazilian diet pills marketed on the Internet were found to contain an addictive and dangerous mix of amphetamines, tranquilizers and antidepressants.

What's a consumer to do?

The best way to achieve peak performance is with a sound training program and good nutrition and hydration. Supplements are just that - supplements and are not a replacement for a solid nutrition foundation based on real food. I recommend rethinking you dietary choices if you're consistently relying on protein powder to meet most of your protein and/or energy needs.

While protein powders are convenient, most people get plenty of protein from lean meats, fish, low fat dairy products, beans, nuts, and whole grains. Consuming more protein than the body requires causes the body to burn protein as energy or store it as fat. Excessive protein intake is hard on the kidneys since when it's broken down it produces the waste product urea. This can lead to increased urination and dehydration. High protein intakes cause a high acid load on the body which results in calcium being excreted from the bones.

In terms of supplements, when in doubt, don't take it. And if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Once again, real food comes out the champion.