Arsenic in protein powders

[Cup of Joe]

Alert: Protein drinks
You don't need the extra protein or the heavy metals our tests found

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magaz...drink/index.htm

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/july/food/protein-drinks/overview/index.htm

 

[JHZR2]

wow.

 

[Pablo]

I wonder where the base (and additives) come from? Wow and JUST WOW.

Thanks for posting this!

 

[hate2work]

YOWZA!!

I like how they have the worst ones in bold, kind of like a UOA report, which suggestes the lower readings are OK.

Geez, the MM has more lead than M1!!

 

[NightRiderQ45]

I've been using protein shakes/powders for years and never had any problems. I use Optimum Nutrition and it works wonders.

 

[Chris142]

Lead, Arsenic and Mercury are naturally occuring metals. I'm not familiar with Cadnium.

You would think that they would have a way of removing those metals from the drink before it reaches the consumer though.

Many of the abandoned Gold mines around me also contaian Arsenopyrite (Arsenic) and Lead.

Arsenopyrite is more commonly caled Fools Gold.

http://www.mindat.org/min-305.html

 

[Mr Nice]

So these drinks are actually poisoning you.

Maybe some people who are bodybuilding don't mind since their system is already polluted.

 

[sxg6]

Lots of other things contain heavy metals and other hazardous substances,this is just a stupid alarmist article. There are endless "Bad" substances found in foods all over the grocery store, protein powders shouldn't be singled out.

Benzene in soft drinks created by combining either potassaium benzoate or sodium benzoate and citric acid.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/benzene060303.cfm

Mercury in high fructose corn syrup, which is in almost everything these days
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/26/AR2009012601831.html

heavy metals and pesticides found in US beef
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-04-12-tainted-meat_N.htm

I could go on all day long, but my point is that this stuff is everywhere.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: sxg6
Lots of other things contain heavy metals and other hazardous substances,this is just a stupid alarmist article. There are endless "Bad" substances found in foods all over the grocery store, protein powders shouldn't be singled out.

Benzene in soft drinks created by combining either potassaium benzoate or sodium benzoate and citric acid.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/benzene060303.cfm

Mercury in high fructose corn syrup, which is in almost everything these days
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/26/AR2009012601831.html

heavy metals and pesticides found in US beef
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-04-12-tainted-meat_N.htm

I could go on all day long, but my point is that this stuff is everywhere.

What it tells me is the industrial processed food producers only care about the bottom line... They aren't going to fund studies or do tests on their products unless forced too, and will cry bloody murder about competitiveness and profits if the FDA ever grows a set, and ignores the lobbyists to make the industry do tests and set standards...
And that over processed khrap like protein shakes and HFCS should be avoided when possible.

 

[Steve S]

Look at all the health problems caused by the major corporations producing nasty products for the mindless consumers to eat.

 

[CharlieJ]

I'm about to make a protein shake right now. Yum.

 

[sxg6]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan

What it tells me is the industrial processed food producers only care about the bottom line... They aren't going to fund studies or do tests on their products unless forced too, and will cry bloody murder about competitiveness and profits if the FDA ever grows a set, and ignores the lobbyists to make the industry do tests and set standards...
And that over processed khrap like protein shakes and HFCS should be avoided when possible.


Originally Posted By: Steve S
Look at all the health problems caused by the major corporations producing nasty products for the mindless consumers to eat.

 

[Pablo]

How are small companies ever going to start or exist if they must analyze every batch of raw materials down to ppt level?

Let's get to the root of this. Where the heck is the raw material coming from? How is it controlled? Methinks it's imported.

 

[Steve S]

When I was fixing forklifts one of the accounts was a high end vitamin company . They made sublingual spray vitamins . Much of their Raw product "vitamin liquid" was in 55 gallon drums that had product of China on the labels, talking about ripping the consumer a big one.

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
How are small companies ever going to start or exist if they must analyze every batch of raw materials down to ppt level?

Let's get to the root of this. Where the heck is the raw material coming from? How is it controlled? Methinks it's imported.
I have been able to go into many food and vitamin, Ice cream, Chocolate and candy manufactures, soda companies and all the products were lab checked . That is the only way to have quality control.

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
Originally Posted By: Pablo
How are small companies ever going to start or exist if they must analyze every batch of raw materials down to ppt level?

Let's get to the root of this. Where the heck is the raw material coming from? How is it controlled? Methinks it's imported.
I have been able to go into many food and vitamin, Ice cream, Chocolate and candy manufactures, soda companies and all the products were lab checked . That is the only way to have quality control.


Dude I used to work in the industry. Those are standard QC labs. You are fooling yourself if you think they are analyzing raw or finished goods for heavy metals down to the parts per trillion or even billion level.

 

[IndyIan]

That's a good point but I think as start up you probably don't order a container of barrels of mystery "vitamin" from China.
Mostly I'd think if you get the ingredients from quality suppliers and local ones there shouldn't be a problem.

Most of these products really have no reason to exist anyways, you want protein?, eat an egg, preferably an organic one, want more protein?, cook up some beans or a steak, again an organic one if possible... Eating powdered mystery khrap seems like a bad idea in many many ways.

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
That's a good point but I think as start up you probably don't order a container of barrels of mystery "vitamin" from China.
Mostly I'd think if you get the ingredients from quality suppliers and local ones there shouldn't be a problem.

Most of these products really have no reason to exist anyways, you want protein?, eat an egg, preferably an organic one, want more protein?, cook up some beans or a steak, again an organic one if possible... Eating powdered mystery khrap seems like a bad idea in many many ways.


Indeed. Great post!

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

Someone on another forum found this from Optimum Nutrition

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Trace amounts of arsenic, as well as the other elements listed by the original poster, are normal in most foods.

Originally Posted By: Indylan
Most of these products really have no reason to exist anyways, you want protein?, eat an egg, preferably an organic one, want more protein?, cook up some beans or a steak, again an organic one if possible... Eating powdered mystery khrap seems like a bad idea in many many ways.


I'm not a fan of the protein powders, but each item you listed also contains trace amounts of arsenic, even if they are organic. Even drinking water contains trace amounts of arsenic.