Is your protein powder poisoning you? You might have seen the headline on your newsfeed recently, as a recent consumer review looked at dozens of popular protein supplement brands and found that some contained measurable amounts of heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury. Now before you rush home to dump out your container, let’s look a little deeper to see if you’ve actually been poisoning yourself, or if this is just another headline meant to scare people. The list that drew the most attention highlighted protein powders that scored the worst for contamination, and what surprised many people was that most were plant based or vegan protein powders. This is not because vegan protein is inherently unsafe, but because many plant based protein sources are grown in soil where heavy metals can accumulate. Plants absorb minerals and metals from the soil they grow in, so these substances can concentrate in the final product.
Whey protein and meat consumers rejoice, right? Not so fast. The key thing to understand is that heavy metals are actually very difficult to avoid in our food system. Regardless of what you eat, if the dosage is high enough, almost anything can become harmful. Rice, especially brown rice, is known to have higher levels of arsenic because rice paddies absorb it from the soil and water. Tuna and other large fish contain mercury because they sit higher on the food chain and accumulate more over their lifetime. Drinking excessive amounts of water can disrupt electrolyte balance to dangerous levels. Even apples contain small amounts of cyanogenic compounds and eating several hundred in a short period would be toxic. While I do not think anyone is sitting down to eat 300 apples at once, the point remains that context and dosage matter far more than isolated headlines. That being said, some protein powders did show concerning levels of heavy metals, so it is worth being aware and making informed choices.
So the question becomes whether I will stop consuming protein powder. The answer is no. Protein supplements can be helpful, especially for those who struggle to consume enough high quality protein throughout the day. However, whole food protein sources should always be the foundation, and powders or supplements should fill in the gaps. The old idea of needing to slam a protein shake immediately after a workout to take advantage of the anabolic window has been overstated. What matters much more is your total daily protein intake, ideally around 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day, spread out across your meals. A protein shake simply makes this easier without needing to eat three or four chicken breasts every day.
The main takeaway, aside from prioritizing whole foods, is to be selective with your protein powder. Look for brands that are third party tested and transparent with their sourcing. This is something I consider when choosing the protein powders we carry at AIM Athletic. Another factor to consider is the protein digestibility corrected amino acid score, which reflects how much of the protein your body can actually use. Whey protein scores very high here, which is why it remains a staple in strength and conditioning. Vegan protein powders are not automatically healthier just because they are plant based. A quick practical test is to compare the grams of protein per scoop to the total calories. Since protein contains four calories per gram, the closer the calorie number is to four times the protein count, the fewer fillers and carbohydrates the powder contains.
Protein powder is not essential, but it can be a very practical tool for busy people or those who struggle to hit their protein goals. When used to support a whole food focused diet and chosen carefully, it remains effective for building muscle in our personal and small group training programs, supporting recovery with our active rehab members, and helping our athletes manage their nutrition with busy hockey training schedules.
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