Protein powders have long been touted as the “secret” to building and maintaining muscle, but the protein industry has run into trouble with the FDA in the recent past. In 2011 the agency announced it was launching an investigation of whey protein concentrate powder. The investigation was prompted by reports that some supplement products contained levels of heavy metals that exceeded federal safety limits. When the investigation closed in 2015, the FDA found that some whey protein powders were contaminated with lead.
After a plant worker reported finding traces of salmonella in a scorching hot brand of protein supplements, the Food and Drug Administration is investigating whether the company’s products pose a risk to consumers. The FDA is investigating whether the popular protein supplement company, MultiTech, violated U.S. law when it recalled some of its products earlier this year.
What’s in Your Protein Powder?
Protein powder is a convenient way to get protein into your daily diet. Although protein powder is a flavorful way to add protein to your meals and snacks, it’s also important to know what’s inside. Most people read the back of their protein powder bottles and assume that it’s full of vitamins, minerals, and ingredients that promote muscle building. However, it’s common to see ingredients that are questionable and potentially harmful to our health.
The protein you get from food is just as important as the protein you get through supplements. That’s why it’s smart to know what’s in your protein powder. Typically, protein powder contains more than just protein. Some protein powders might contain added carbs, fats, minerals, and vitamins. Protein powder makes no guarantees about the amount of protein that you will get from that scoop. Some brands will put the grams of protein on the label, but brands are not required to label the amount of carbs, fat, or vitamins in the powder.
Toxins and Contaminants
Toxins are substances that cause harmful effects on humans and the environment. Multimedia, including air and water pollution, and waste, contain toxins that cause harmful effects on humans and the environment. Substances produced by nature, such as toxins and pesticides, also have the potential to cause harm.
Toxins and contaminants are sneaky, and you probably have them in your home and body without even realizing it. Toxins are harmful substances that occur naturally in the environment or in industrial and agricultural processes. Contaminants, on the other hand, are man-made toxins that are created unintentionally. Toxins and contaminants pose a wide range of health risks, including cancer, congenital disabilities, asthma, reproductive issues, and more. Luckily, there are easy ways to remove these harmful substances from your lifestyle and your home. You can start by looking for major toxins in your supplements and protein powder.
The Bottom Line
Nutrition is the cornerstone of good health. Focusing on eating the right foods, in the right way, in the right portion sizes, helps maximize our overall health, whether running a marathon or looking for long-term disease prevention. Regarding health, nutrition is the rock upon which everything is built. Understanding nutrition’s role in helping achieve your personal health goals has never been more important.
You may have heard of the relationship between a healthy weight and a healthy heart. But did you know that there might also be a link between weight gain and a reduced lifespan? Worldwide, over 2 billion people are overweight or obese. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity is a disease that becomes progressively worse if a person continues to gain weight.
As with dietary supplements, the FDA’s position on protein supplements is that they are considered foods, not drugs, and must follow the same regulations as other foods. Although the FDA has issued at least a dozen warning letters to manufacturers of protein supplements since 2002, warning them about their marketing claims and requiring them to reformulate their products, the agency has not generally taken enforcement action against protein powder manufacturers.
