A recent Consumer Reports investigation has found that many protein powders and shakes contain troubling amounts of lead.

A study of 23 protein products suggested that many powders could have risk due to lead contamination. The experts reviewed dairy, beef and plant-based protein supplements, including powders and ready-to-drink shakes. Testing showed that plant-based and chocolate flavors had the highest lead levels. Dairy-based options typically had lower lead levels but were not completely safe.

According to Nicole O’Neill, a dietitian with OSF HealthCare, there is no way to avoid small amounts of lead in products. “The concern is lead as a heavy metal probably shouldn't be in our bodies,” says O’Neill. “Sure, makes all kinds of sense. There are systems in place in our bodies that there's things that we can do to mitigate that. But if you're eating a protein shake daily and it has a significant amount of lead in it, that could be problematic.”

The investigation is based on what some experts say is a conservative maximum daily dose level of 0.5 micrograms per day, which was set by California’s Proposition 65, a law that protects the state's drinking water sources from being contaminated with chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.

Experts like O’Neill say there isn’t really a safe level of exposure to lead. It can impact any organ and can cause neurological disorders ranging from behavioral problems to brain damage. It can also impact kidney function and high blood pressure.

Lead is found in the soil virtually anywhere in the world. “If you do a lot of gardening, lead is in the dirt,” says O’Neill. “If you work in a garage, lead can be in the batteries or the paint. If you're renovating a home, it's going to maybe be in the paint or some of the other building materials.”

Who needs protein? 

O’Neill says if you examine the topic of lead and how much is too much, the underlying question is, do you even need a protein shake in the first place?

A healthy adult probably doesn’t need a protein shake, she says. Same goes for young children. “People who need a protein shake are people who just don't eat enough, they have a poor appetite, or they're just never hungry in the morning,” says O’Neill. “People who are trying to build muscle, like an athlete, especially a younger athlete who’s trying to really bulk up, food is always going to be a better option.”

The best sources of protein include beef, pork, chicken, turkey and fish. Eggs are good, and so is Greek yogurt. Other options are tofu, nuts, seeds and beans. 

O’Neill says if you decide to use a supplement with protein powder, go with a whey-based vanilla and don’t rely on it every day.

“My biggest gripe with a protein shake is it's pretty one dimensional,” says O’Neill. “You drink it down, it's gone. Whereas food, you chew it, it takes a little bit more time and you get some actual satisfaction out of it.”

If you're struggling getting enough protein in your diet, O’Neill suggests talking to your provider or a dietitian. “You need protein,” she adds. “If you find yourself in a position where you need more protein, you’re not getting enough, a protein shake does make sense.”

Regarding the Consumer Reports investigation, O’Neill says more information is needed before going into a full-blown panic over lead in protein powder. But if you are concerned, take some time researching companies to see if they do lead testing on certain products. You can find options that are third-party tested or NSF certified for sport.

Interview Clips 

“He wasn’t able to do this before,” Burk’s wife Gloria whispers as Michael walked unassisted into OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana, Illinois, to talk about the most recent heart procedure that changed his life: a dual leadless pacemaker.

Old vs. new

Pacemakers work to pace a slow heartbeat, which left unchecked can cause fatigue, shortness of breath and fainting. A typical pacemaker includes the battery and circuitry in a device about the size of a Post-it note that’s implanted in the upper chest. Two wires – called leads – wind their way to the heart. One is typically in the right atrium, and the other ends in the right ventricle.

“That type of pacemaker works very well, but there are limitations,” says Michael Broman, PhD, MD, a cardiac electrophysiologist at OSF Heart of Mary who performed Burk’s procedure. “You have a bump here [on the chest]. There’s a scar involved with having the battery placed. Having leads in veins can also cause problems. You can get vein obstructions. Infections can occur.”

Luckily, Dr. Broman says pacemaker technology is evolving yearly. Dual leadless pacemakers, using technology from Abbott, can be an answer to some of the challenges of a traditional pacemaker. It means another option for patients, too. In downstate Illinois, OSF Heart of Mary is the only hospital implanting dual leadless pacemakers outside of a medical trial.

“No battery in the chest. No scar on the chest,” Dr. Broman explains. “Instead, we deploy the system into the leg veins. We use a catheter to deliver very small batteries – about the size of pen caps. One of them sits inside the heart in the right ventricle. The other sits in the right atrium.”

“I was positive about it,” Burk says, recalling when Dr. Broman suggested he try this new option.

Dr. Broman says the devices last 15 to 20 years, longer than the traditional option (also called a transvenous pacemaker). Infection risk is lower, and the devices can communicate with each other within the person and an outside computer that programs the pacemakers.

“The top device says ‘I’m pacing now, and I want you to pace 30 or 40 milliseconds later’ or whatever the interval is,” Dr. Broman says. “They talk to each other and tell each other what to do.”

Dual leadless pacemaker patients typically have to spend the night in the hospital to allow things to heal. But afterward, they have less post-surgery restrictions. No running, jumping or heavy lifting for a couple days instead of weeks.

On the horizon

Dr. Broman says someone who simply has a slow heartbeat can be a candidate for a dual leadless pacemaker. If you have a slow heartbeat and your weak heart can’t pump blood properly, you’d likely need a traditional system.

Still, Dr. Broman recognizes that this is a major advancement in heart care. It’s technology he says electrophysiologists have been waiting for for decades.

“This is just the beginning,” he says. “We’re going to have more cardiac technologies that involve this type of wireless and small devices that fit inside the heart instead of big, bulky devices outside the heart. I’m very excited to see what the future brings.”

It's a problem worth solving, adds Dr. Broman, who notes he does at least two or three pacemaker procedures a week. Americans are living longer, exposing more of them to age-related heart disturbances. There’s not much to do about it aside from daily healthy habits. This leads to medical intervention.

Burk today

After taking part in cardiac rehabilitation at OSF Heart of Mary, Burk now continues his recovery at home.

“It cleared up my balance. I wouldn’t stand up and feel faint,” Burk says. “As it was explained to me, these pacemaker [devices] stimulated the bottom of my heart and increased oxygen flow. That makes me capable of walking a lot better. It’ll improve as time goes on.”

Burk worked for a quarter-century as a railroad car inspector before slowing down in retirement. What’s he looking forward to now with his new lease on life? Taking a train to Portland, Oregon, where he lived for a few years as a child.

“I’ll take what comes in life,” he says with a smile.

Learn more

Read more about keeping your heart healthy on the OSF HealthCare website.

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