Some protein powders and shakes tested by Consumer Reports contained levels of lead, a heavy metal, that experts say could raise the risk of long-term health problems.

Scientists hired by Consumer Reports, an independent non-profit based out of the U.S., tested 23 popular protein products, and found lead levels ranging from zero to 7.7 micrograms per serving — above the stringent limits set by the state of California, but below U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standard for females of childbearing age.

There is no safe level of lead for human consumption, though it finds its way into many foods because lead is present in the environment.

  • CharlesDarwin@lemmy.worldEnglish
    21·
    2 days ago

    Wow, what a great quote. Just perfect:

    We’ve created this health halo around protein. It gives us an excuse to eat a lot of things we shouldn’t be eating."

    I’m a vegetarian, so maybe as a result I’m prone to notice it more (because, even in 2025, I get people asking me “but how do you get your protein?!”), but calling the protein phenomenon when it comes to culture a “health halo” is just one of the best ways I’ve seen it described.

    Probably one of the best examples was the creation of the “protein bar”. And now we see the protein amounts listed prominently even on some restaurant menus. We have people thinking protein is some kind of health food.

    I suggest reading The Protein Myth - great book.

    • chonglibloodsport@lemmy.world
      7·
      2 days ago

      Amazon reviews say the book doesn’t debunk our need for protein. The bigger you are in terms of muscle mass, the more protein you need in your diet. That doesn’t change if you’re vegan.

      Vegan strongman Patrik Baboumian eats 410 grams of plant-based protein per day, a lot of which is made up of vegan protein powders. These are exactly what this report about lead is warning against.

      Plants are ultra-concentrators of metals in soil, including heavy metals like lead and cadmium. Protein powder is an ultra-concentrated product, further increasing the risks of high lead levels. Anyone like Baboumian who wants to build a lot of muscle while maintaining a vegan diet needs to be very careful about where they source their protein powder.

      • CharlesDarwin@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        2 days ago

        Amazon reviews say the book doesn’t debunk our need for protein.

        I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone make that claim. I sure hope no one is out there making that claim. I surely am not. I’m talking about the way it gets treated in society as if it’s somehow “healthy” to be eating massive amounts of protein, especially animal protein. Just pay attention to how it’s marketed for everyday foods, including at restaurants.

        And yes, in some cases, there are people that may need more protein if they are trying to build/maintain muscle mass. I’ve seen the documentary w/ Patrik in it. This is hardly typical kinds of intake, though, and I’d wager a lot of people that are eating lots of protein are just overworking their kidneys and pissing most of it out a few hours later. Even athletes.

        If I had the ability, I’d actually be curious to measure my own intake vs. waste, much like the author of that Bowflex book I mentioned. This guy was also a body builder…

        • chonglibloodsport@lemmy.world
          2·
          1 day ago

          Most people these days are terribly out of shape, overweight/obese, and have way too much body fat and way too little muscle mass. People eat way too much fat and carbs and way too little protein. They also don’t move nearly enough, of course, so eating protein without doing the work is not going to help.

          Since I’ve started lifting weights and trying to build muscle and lose weight, I’ve begun to realize how difficult it is to get enough protein to do that without spending a lot of money on meat or eating a bunch of legumes (and feeling awful all day the next day).

          Forget 410 grams per day. It’s hard enough to get 100 grams per day without supplementing.

    • lightnsfw@reddthat.com
      3·
      2 days ago

      We’ve created this health halo around protein. It gives us an excuse to eat a lot of things we shouldn’t be eating."

      Eating high protein isn’t about health it’s for body building. I don’t know anyone that uses protein supplements that isn’t on some kind of strength training plan. Listing protein on products is useful to those that need more than the recommended minimum to recover and build muscle as it can be difficult to get a sufficient amount in that scenario, especially if your options are limited to fast food crap.

    • Cosmonauticus@lemmy.world
      2·
      2 days ago

      Personally I havent seen the protein craze in real time but I remember a Frontline episode from 3 to 5 years back that called out how unregulated the supliment industry is. None of this is surprising

      • CharlesDarwin@lemmy.worldEnglish
        11·
        1 day ago

        I think it’s just marketing to people that are sort of half-tuned in, but know that protein is something your body does need. And they aren’t wrong. But unless you are eating a very bizarre or restricted diet, it’s not likely you have to count grams of protein. One of the ways you see this kind of thing slip into menus is to have someone select “a protein” as an option to be added to your meal. Typically, it’s a protein from a dead animal, thus reinforcing the false notion that “protein” = meat. It’s extra amusing when the portion already includes egg and/or cheese…and the “protein” is actually a “fat”.

        The author of The Protein Myth has a funny anecdote where he has to dig deeper into people’s proclaimed dietary habits. He asks them what they eat for breakfast, and they’ll say something like “a protein”. He digs deeper and finds out it sausage or the like. It’d be more accurate to describe that as “a fat”, if we are only thinking of foods as what macronutrient they have the most of…

        If you pay attention, you’ll notice the marketing in any case - I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it on fast casual dining boards.

        Look, I have zero problems with the notion of giving a good breakdown of what’s in your food, including protein. But it’s weird to see it as some kind of marketing gimmick, if you ask me. It’s not as if nutrition and health works like that - take one value, dial it way up, and we’re good, LOL. I bet most Americans have little to no idea how much sodium (or even sugar) they consume in a given day, but I am quite sure a few of the “bro science” types could definitely tell you how many grams of protein they ingest…