Is My Protein Shake Killing me?

[fnet]

I've been seeing this story making the rounds. I'm sure most of us who frequent this website down our share of protein shakes to reach the old "1 gram of protein per pound of body weight formula". I'm really not sure what to make of this.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2010/06/01/127350211/heavy-metals-found-in-protein-drinks-raise-concern?ft=1&f=1001

[beast]

I'm doubtful, in the same article they link to how 30g of protein is the optimum amount of any meal and any more is pointless. People have been taking shakes for decades now, i'm more likely to die of something else, just buy something from a reputable company and you'll probably be fine. However i don't even take shakes anymore because they taste so nasty.

[Dastardly]

The article is ridiculously brief and offers no detailed information & sources to describe what they are talking about.

They say some heavy metals in protein drinks, but thats it?

That article is a joke.

[fnet]

Yeah, I definitely thought the article was definitely lacking. I've heard this story reported on a couple different media outlets, none of which offered any significant details.

[Dastardly]

Is doesnt even describe whether they mean whey protein or some ready made protein drink. If there is any truth to the story, my money is on it being in some sort of "mass gainer" product, as they seem to be full off shit.

Also does not hint at what brand.

There is not much reason for whey protein to contain heavy metals considering cows are not exposed to much and the whey is heavily filtered.

Whey protein is also a major ingredient in Baby Formula Milk.

[Patrick]

Not sure what the confusion is about... the story links explicity here: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/july/food/protein-drinks/whats-in-your-protein-drink/index.htm?loginMethod=auto

So if you're curious, there you go.

[rdp]

Not sure what the confusion is about... the story links explicity here: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/july/food/protein-drinks/whats-in-your-protein-drink/index.htm?loginMethod=auto
Next thing you'll want articles to include language like "Click here for full information" :D

The other point in the article is to eat protein throughout the day, rather than just a small number of big servings. Is this controversial? Our own John Sheaffer recommends six meals a day. Let me know if you need a link to his forum.

[Rorschach]

If anyone needed an excuse to pass on products with names like "Nitrotech Hardcore Pro-Series" or "Nutrition Platinum Hydro Whey Velocity", they're doing it wrong.

Platinum's a heavy metal too. :O

[MazdaMatt]

I eat lead every day to gain weight.

[DCon]

Kathleen Laquale is a moron,

"The body can only break down 5 to 9 grams of protein an hour. Any excess that is not burned for energy is converted to fat or excreted, so it's a ridiculous waste to be recommending so much more than you really need,"

apparently she is a licensed nutritionist. I don't know where she got her license from? Possibly toysRus? As she should know that excess protein cannot be converted to fat, only excreted.

Reduces the credibility of the article IMO

[BCGuy]

Kathleen Laquale is a moron,

"The body can only break down 5 to 9 grams of protein an hour. Any excess that is not burned for energy is converted to fat or excreted, so it's a ridiculous waste to be recommending so much more than you really need,"

apparently she is a licensed nutritionist. I don't know where she got her license from? Possibly toysRus? As she should know that excess protein cannot be converted to fat, only excreted.

Reduces the credibility of the article IMO

When I saw the 5 to 9 grams of protein an hour, I stopped reading the article after that.

[Patrick]

Kathleen Laquale is a moron,
...
Reduces the credibility of the article IMO


When I saw the 5 to 9 grams of protein an hour, I stopped reading the article after that.

Everyone's free to listen to and ignore whomever he wants, yadda yadda yadda, but I think these responses miss the point.

The point of the article is that some protein supplements -- pretty popular ones -- were found to have what the FDA considers dangerously high levels of heavy metals. These analyses were done by machines that simply tell you how many micrograms per gram of arsenic are in whatever you put in them and have nothing whatsoever to do with the words of a misinformed nutritionist who probably hasn't gotten near a mass spectrometer in her life much less took these measurements.

If you have beef with the FDA guidelines, you don't believe that such exposure is dangerous, or you think the measurements were taken inexpertly then you should ignore the news topic and feel good about it. But what some retard nutritionist thinks about protein intake has nothing whatsoever to do with empirical determinations of heavy metal concentration and you shouldn't confuse one with the other.

[MazdaMatt]

Patrick, sound reasoning is the sort of stuff that gets you ostrisized and banned around here. Its negative hoopla or the road.

[TomC]

Actually reading the Consumer Reports pages on the topic is worthwhile. They don't specify how many samples they measured of each brand so statistical significance cannot be established. However, even taken a single data points, the results are not comforting. I am glad I don't drink protein powders.

[BCGuy]

Everyone's free to listen to and ignore whomever he wants, yadda yadda yadda, but I think these responses miss the point.

The point of the article is that some protein supplements -- pretty popular ones -- were found to have what the FDA considers dangerously high levels of heavy metals. These analyses were done by machines that simply tell you how many micrograms per gram of arsenic are in whatever you put in them and have nothing whatsoever to do with the words of a misinformed nutritionist who probably hasn't gotten near a mass spectrometer in her life much less took these measurements.

If you have beef with the FDA guidelines, you don't believe that such exposure is dangerous, or you think the measurements were taken inexpertly then you should ignore the news topic and feel good about it. But what some retard nutritionist thinks about protein intake has nothing whatsoever to do with empirical determinations of heavy metal concentration and you shouldn't confuse one with the other.

I admit I did read the full article with the link to the data. I certainly would agree that any heavy metals in supplements should not be tolerated. I suppose I was a bit of an ass for trying to add fuel to the fire, but old habits are hard to break sometimes.

On a serious side note, Optimum Nutrition appears to have some sketchy products. I remember reading findings on http://www.consumerlab.com/ that showed lead in Optimum's multivitamin.

I wonder where some manufacturers source their materials. I am starting to think that a fair bit is coming from China... if true, this would be appalling.

[Flying Fox]

As she should know that excess protein cannot be converted to fat, only excreted.
What makes you say that?

[DCon]

my degree

[DCon]

in biomedical sciences

[Flying Fox]

in biomedical sciences
My knowledge of fatty acid metabolism is limited, so I could very well be wrong here.
Amino acids are broken down to acetyl CoA, pyruvate, oxaloacetate, alfa-ketoglutaric acid and other metabolytes in the citric acid cycle. Can't these metabolytes be used in the biosynthesis of fatty acids in de human body?

[LimieJosh]

in biomedical sciences


Which should have taught you that no protein is excreted. Protein that is considered "excess" will be deaminated, with the nitrogen then excreted by way of the urine, but the carbon skeleton that is left can certainly alter metabolism in a way that encourages fat accumulation (even if not directly turned into fat itself).

[BCGuy]

Which should have taught you that no protein is excreted. Protein that is considered "excess" will be deaminated, with the nitrogen then excreted by way of the urine, but the carbon skeleton that is left can certainly alter metabolism in a way that encourages fat accumulation (even if not directly turned into fat itself).

For a lay person on this subject, when the nitrogen is excreted by way of urine, are there any chemical indicators in the urine, such as color or even smell that could be used to tell if you are dare I say 'eating too much protein.'?

[LimieJosh]

In short, no. Not that I understand how that fits into the conversation.

[Flying Fox]

Which should have taught you that no protein is excreted. Protein that is considered "excess" will be deaminated, with the nitrogen then excreted by way of the urine, but the carbon skeleton that is left can certainly alter metabolism in a way that encourages fat accumulation (even if not directly turned into fat itself).
I'm wondering when DCon is going to answer. I study biochemistry and biotechnology myself, so I'm happy to learn.

[Brian14]

I saw this on the health portion of my local news station. Musclemilk was one of the brands they listed, among others that I can't remember. Although the article was brief and that lady really didn't know what she was talking about, I think it's still a legitimate concern. That article and the news said that it got dangerous when you have 3 or more servings a day. So I've just been drinking 2 a day now. And if I still don't get enough protein that day, well I guess I'll just have to eat more food.

[Patrick]

I saw this on the health portion of my local news station. Musclemilk was one of the brands they listed, among others that I can't remember. Although the article was brief and that lady really didn't know what she was talking about, I think it's still a legitimate concern. That article and the news said that it got dangerous when you have 3 or more servings a day. So I've just been drinking 2 a day now. And if I still don't get enough protein that day, well I guess I'll just have to eat more food.

One of the faults I found with this article was that it didn't spell out the context of the heavy metal limits that are being offered. For instance, if 300 micrograms is the maximum 'safe' intake for a day, what am I looking at if I get 300 from my protein shakes alone -- what's an average daily value? Is it 10, so I'm eating 310 instead of 300 or is it closer to 250 so that I'd be getting 550 instead of 300? To me that's insanely important.

The way these values are set is almost certainly along the lines of an epidemiological study -- look at tons of folks, measure arsenic intake, and then determine a number that's (statistically) significantly under the average of folks who showed symptoms. You just can't get away with dosing folks with harmful substances and seeing who gets fucked up first.

In any event, it opened my eyes that some of the bigger brands got called out. I hope there's some public response to this from the companies involved.

[Carlos Daniel]

For a lay person on this subject, when the nitrogen is excreted by way of urine, are there any chemical indicators in the urine, such as color or even smell that could be used to tell if you are dare I say 'eating too much protein.'?

The nitrogen in question is urea and I'm quite sure it's dumb easy to measure.

EDIT: Sorry, I misunderstood your question. What I meant is that it probably dumb easy to measure in a properly equipped lab but not easy or maybe even possible to do by looking and smelling your urine.

[Carlos Daniel]

Kathleen Laquale is a moron,

"The body can only break down 5 to 9 grams of protein an hour. Any excess that is not burned for energy is converted to fat or excreted, so it's a ridiculous waste to be recommending so much more than you really need,"

apparently she is a licensed nutritionist. I don't know where she got her license from? Possibly toysRus? As she should know that excess protein cannot be converted to fat, only excreted.

Reduces the credibility of the article IMO


Which should have taught you that no protein is excreted. Protein that is considered "excess" will be deaminated, with the nitrogen then excreted by way of the urine, but the carbon skeleton that is left can certainly alter metabolism in a way that encourages fat accumulation (even if not directly turned into fat itself).


I'm with LimieJosh on this one. I am yet to know why and how would the body dispose of aminoacids. I'm guessing aminoacid transporters in the proximal tubules are just kidney decoration.

And if one is interested in "diploma waving" I am a fourth year medical student and have worked as in intern for two years in a lab that deals with aminoacid metabolism and protein biochemistry and the lab's P.I. is with me on this one.

[Monster]

Actual test results:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/july/food/protein-drinks/whats-in-your-protein-drink/index.htm (http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/july/food/protein-drinks/whats-in-your-protein-drink/index.htm)

They tested and averaged three samples each of 15 protein drinks from 8 brands.

Of the 15 drinks, 3 drinks came back with high levels* of arsenic, cadmium or lead. (None tested high for mercury.) Two of the 3 are from Muscle Milk and one is from EAS. Muscle Milk is from Cytosport. Cytosport blows.

You ingest these high levels only if you take 3 servings in one day of one of these drinks.

This because "Experts said three servings a day is common." But apparently both companies recommend a maximum of two servings a day of these drinks.

Every one of the "high" readings is very slightly over the limit, which apparently are proposed limits.


*The maximum limits for daily intake for dietary supplements proposed by (not actual limits, proposed limits) the U.S. Pharmacopeia are: arsenic (inorganic), 15 micrograms (µg) per day; cadmium, 5 µg; lead, 10 µg; mercury, 15 µg.



Update:

Here are the (ridiculously similar) responses by EAS and Cytosport http://www.vikingbodybuilding.com/update-eas-cytosport-issue-statements-regarding-heavy-metals-in-myoplex/:


EAS and CytoSport have issued remarkably similar statements on their sites regarding the issue of heavy metals being found in some of their protein supplements – something that I commented on earlier today.

From EAS:

To our EAS Myoplex Original customers:

A recent Consumer Reports story (July 2010 issue) raised questions about the trace levels of cadmium and arsenic found in popular protein shakes including our Myoplex® Original Rich Dark Chocolate shakes. We want to assure you that there is no safety risk from the trace levels of cadmium and arsenic in Myoplex protein shakes.

Consumer Reports testing was based on consumption of three shakes per day and the testing applied proposed U.S. Pharmacopeia standards — not current, accepted or approved guidelines. Our recommended up to two servings of Myoplex daily, as stated on the label, is well below the current accepted standards and below the proposed U.S. Pharmacopeia limits.

Trace levels of these elements are naturally found in the environment and in many foods we eat daily (such as shellfish, potatoes, rice, and leafy greens). We conduct extensive testing to ensure the quality of our products. Each time the shakes have been tested for elements, such as arsenic and cadmium, the results are below the limit of all current, well-established safety standards.

You can continue to use Myoplex shakes with confidence. If you have questions about how much protein is appropriate for your needs, you should talk to your doctor or other health care professional."

And from CytoSport we have this:

“To Our CytoSport Muscle Milk Customers,

A recent Consumer Reports story raised questions about the trace levels of cadmium and lead found in popular protein shakes including CytoSport Muscle Milk Chocolate and Vanilla Créme powdered shakes. We want to assure you that there is no safety risk from the responsible use of CytoSport Muscle Milk protein shakes.

Consumer Reports testing was based on consumption of three shakes per day and the testing applied proposed U.S Pharmacopeia standards – not current, accepted or approved guidelines. Our recommended up to two servings of Muscle Milk daily, as stated on the label, is well below the current accepted standards and below the proposed U.S. Pharmacopeia limits.

Trace levels of these elements are naturally found in the environment and in many foods we eat daily (such as shellfish, potatoes, rice, and leafy greens). We conduct extensive testing to ensure the quality of our products. Each time the shakes have been tested for elements, such as cadmium and lead, the results are below the limit of all current, well-established safety standards.

You can continue to use Muscle Milk shakes with confidence. To calculate your estimated daily protein needs, please use the protein calculator by clicking on the image below (pop-up window). If you have questions about how much protein is appropriate for your needs, you should talk to your doctor or a licensed nutritionist.”

There’s obviously no coincidence behind the similarity of these statements, and whether that’s due to these companies discussing matters with each other or just having the same legal / PR advisors, I don’t know.

I do think, however, that they have a point. These companies have not asked you to take three servings a day – they recommend two. With two servings, they are not over the proposed limit by the US Pharmacopeia – and that is what it is: a proposed limit.

Still, this probably isn’t an issue that is going die that easily – I guess a lot of us are going to follow this with interest – and perhaps with the hope that manufacturers will do their absolute best to ensure that what they’re asking us to EAT is not contaminated with something that could put our health at serious risk.

[Carlos Daniel]

I don't know if it's a coincidence, but the ones with the highest heavy metals are the chocolate flavored. I know muscle milk makes the chocolate flavour with some real cocoa, I'm just wondering if the fact that it has cocoa, which is a plant that could be absorbing heavy metals from the environment, has anything to do with that. Maybe the other chocolate flavored protein drinks that didn't have a lot of heavy metal use artificial flavoring. Any thoughts on that?

It would be nice to have an idea of the variation in the values measured and one would have to take into consideration that the sample size is quite small, they only took three measurements if I understood correctly.

And shit, I just finished a tub of chocolate muscle milk, and have already ordered another one. It does taste wonderful, though.

[rdp]

I don't know if it's a coincidence, but the ones with the highest heavy metals are the chocolate flavored.
Some of the others also are chocolate flavored and have rather low levels. OTOH, compare Muscle Milk Chocolate to Vanilla Creme - only difference seems to be the flavoring and chocolate has more metal, including a lot more cadmium.

I've been using the Optimum Nutrition chocolate, which I'm pleased to see has levels way below the proposed standard, although higher than zero.

Note that the study is based on serving size rather than metals per gram of protein. I'd imagine people are measuring out grams of protein rather than just taking what the manufacturer regards as a serving.

[Luke]

Optimum Nutrition's "Serious Mass" is off the shelves here in Australia now allegedly due to its lead and arsenic content.

Even though the brand I'm using hasn't been called out I'm seriously wondering now what the fuck is in it. I'm ready to do away with this crap altogether.

[ColoWayno]

Optimum Nutrition's "Serious Mass" is off the shelves here in Australia now allegedly due to its lead and arsenic content.

Even though the brand I'm using hasn't been called out I'm seriously wondering now what the fuck is in it. I'm ready to do away with this crap altogether.

I'm leaning that way too. I'm thinking about 4 nicely balanced meals a day with some cottage cheese before I go off to sleep. Life's too short to get more complicated than that.