Do We Need to Worry About Lead in Protein Powder?
/This week Consumer Reports published an article with the headline Protein Powders and Shakes Contain High Levels of Lead. The article sparked lots of clicks, social media posts, texts and forwards (which I can only assume was the goal of the article). Several clients texted it to me for my input. I encourage folks who use protein powder/products regularly to read the article. I’ll point out that the article states:
“There’s no reason to panic if you’ve been using any of the products we tested, or if you take protein supplements generally. Many of these powders are fine to have occasionally, and even those with the highest lead levels are far below the concentration needed to cause immediate harm. ”
It also lists products that were tested and noted as safe to use daily. I’d also encourage you to check out this post in Arnold Schwarzenegger's excellent newsletter: Lead in Protein Power: What Consumer Reports Got Wrong About Heavy Metals Standards. And author Ben Carpenter did an excellent job addressing this issue in this IG video.
And for a discussion on how much protein we really need and how/if protein powders/bars have a place in a healthy diet, check out my recent conversation with Tarah Valenti, Register Dietitian.