The Clean Label Project, a national nonprofit focused on food and consumer product labels, released a report Jan. 9 detailing a high amount of lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury in protein powders.
A study was conducted by the company, which tested 70 brands and 160 of the top-selling protein powders from Amazon and Nielsen’s best-seller lists that represented 83% of the market share. The company worked with an analytic chemistry lab to test for 258 different chemicals and metals.
In total, 47% of the products surpassed at least one federal or state regulatory set for safety and all the products tested positive for cadmium, lead, arsenic and mercury. It found all the products did not warn people of the dangerous chemicals and metals, which is required by California’s Proposition 65.
The report found of all the tested protein powders, 21% exceeded the Prop 65 maximum by two times, and 65% of all chocolate protein powders exceeded the Prop 65 maximum.
“At Clean Label Project, rather than accepting safety as a given, we rely on data and science to reveal the truth behind what consumers are really ingesting, focusing on ensuring transparency and safety in the market,” the Clean Label Project wrote in the report.
Jack Pepper, an administrator for the Athens City-County Health Department, said he would avoid any products with lead in them. There is no known safe level of lead exposure, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
However, according to Prop 65, the maximum amount of lead that should be consumed daily is 0.5 micrograms, and at most, 15 micrograms can be inhaled.
According to the Ohio Department of Health, lead in products can damage the brain, nervous system, kidneys and reproductive systems. In addition, if exposed while pregnant, lead can cause learning and behavior problems in children and possible complications during pregnancy.
According to a study published by Elsevier in 2015, 66% of college students use dietary supplements with *17% taking protein or amino acid supplements.
Samuel Gould, a freshman studying journalism, started using protein powder to be healthy and add more protein to his diet about 3 years ago.
Gould said he was not surprised when he heard about the report.
“I think the way our food system is set up, I don’t think there’s much care for the health of a lot of Americans,” Gould said. “I think any way to cut corners is just going to happen.”
Gould said he thinks most college students do not care about the report. He said he thinks only researchers are concerned about the report.
“I think we're just not conditioned as a society or a culture to really care about what we're putting into our bodies,” Gould said.
The report by the Clean Label Project says there are currently no comprehensive federal regulations targeting exposure to heavy metals. Dietary safety is mainly focused on physical and microbiological contaminants.
Billy Coley, a senior studying sports management and marketing, has been using protein powder for 5-6 years.
For Coley to stop using protein powders, he said it would depend on the mineral or chemical found in it and the amount.
Coley said it is important to research any protein products students use. He recently switched from protein powder made by the company RYSE to protein drinks like Fairlife.
“I've looked into what ingredients are in the different protein powders and drinks that I consume to see what they classify as,” Coley said. “I've always researched that and made sure what they have there is what I want.”
Coley advises looking into proteins that are from well-known brands and trying them out before sticking to them.
“Look at all the ingredients again and see what they have,” Coley said. “If it happens to have a bunch of filler ingredients, maybe stay away from it.”
The Clean Label Project recommended in its report to use protein powders from brands such as Genetic Nutrition, Ritual, Puori, WICKED Protein, Gorilla Formula 23, OZiva, Wellbeing Nutrition and Nutrabox.
