Your protein powder isn't poisoning you

A recent report about lead levels in protein supplements sparked unnecessary alarm

- Lisa Jarvis, Tribune News Service

Don't toss out your protein powder just yet. A recent report about lead levels in protein supplements sparked unnecessary alarm about a product that an increasing number of Americans are using to meet their fitness and nutrition goals. The alarm is largely overblown.

But the strong public reaction to what was once a niche product should cause us to take a beat and ask whether our growing protein obsession is healthy. Let's start with the study that triggered the panic. Consumer Reports said it tested 23 products, and two-thirds of the protein powders and shakes it analysed contained more lead in a single serving than its experts said should be consumed in a day. Four products contained 400-1,500% of that amount.