I spent the best part of last week at the ExpoWest Natural Products Expo at Anaheim here in California and learned a few things:

• The natural foods business is booming despite the recession
• Most people in the natural products business do not look like they lead a natural lifestyle (read: gone are the days when products are mostly developed by small cottage industries and people who are passionate about the industry.  They have been replaced by big industry, corporate executives and big budgets (it costs minimum 10-15k to exhibit all in just for a small company))
• Soy can come in many forms and it isn’t always what you think!
• Acai, Acai, Acai!!  Can’t get enough! (I am being cynical)
  
• Labeling continues to be fuzzy at best.  Hey, Its Acai!  But read the fine print and who knows what else
• 5 Hour Energy is going the way of 6 Minute Abs.  100 different knock offs.  Note: have you ever read the label on that product?
  

But my main concern is over protein powders and supplements.  Recently I was also at the LA Fitness and Health Convention when all sorts of people claiming to be “fit” were pedaling all sorts of protein powders with the active ingredients being long chain molecules that Harvard professors wouldn’t understand.  I had been concerned for a while but it has really been driven home to be lately as I turn 46 and become more focused on men’s health issues and as I walk around “Health” Expo’s where people are selling products with no knowledge of the potential health effects.

The simple truth is that protein powders could be doing you more harm that good.  The photo above is one I took tonight of all the powders I consigned to the trash this evening.  Why did I do it?  Well, the fact is that all of those powders had at least one, and most many more, substances that have been linked to serious health effects and in the case of men, the calcium and potential hormonal effects of some of the ingredients are a real concern.

Is Soy better than Whey?

Soy protein is derived from the soybean plant and contains all the essential amino acids. In October 1999, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted manufacturers the right to place a claim on their labels that cannot be placed on whey protein products. In essence, the label can state that a daily diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat and that contains 25 grams of soy protein may reduce the risk of heart disease. Soy isoflavones found in soy also have been recognized to reduce the risk of prostate cancer and osteoporosis, and to lower cholesterol levels.

But it seems best to limit your intake of soy isoflavones to 30 mg or less per day. To translate the 25 grams of soy protein into milligrams of isoflavones, you need to do a little math. Soy supplements differ in their isoflavone content, but a typical amount is 3.4 mg of isoflavones per gram of protein. Therefore, the 25 grams of soy protein that the FDA says may redue the risk of heart disease carries 85 mg of isoflavones, nearly three times the suggested daily amount (a major concern especially if you are a man and are concerned about prostate cancer or a woman with the same concern regarding breast cancer; both cancers being linked to hormonal imbalances).

Whey protein is part of the byproducts left over from the process of turning milk into cheese. Whey is a complete protein and the most bioavailable of all food protein sources, which means the body can more efficiently absorb and use it than it can other sources. That’s the good side of whey protein. Now here’s the sinister side.

Whey protein can cause allergic reactions in some people who are lactose intolerant. Some experts also believe consuming too much whey protein can cause kidney problems because it boosts the pH of the blood and increases acidity in the blood. This makes it more difficult for the kidneys to metabolize these proteins. Whey protein can damage the liver because excessive whey increases the ketone level in the blood, resulting in ketosis of the liver. A mineral imbalance can also result from consuming too much whey protein, leading to a calcium and collagen deficiency and ultimately, osteoporosis. Excessive amounts of whey protein can cause gout, as well as headache, nausea, loss of appetite, cramps, and tiredness.

Other ingredients you can expect to see on protein supplement powder labels include soy protein isolate (defatted soy meal), milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate, L-glutamine, taurine,  oils (sunflower, safflower, canola), fructose, sucralose, aspartame,  natural and artificial flavors—the list can get rather long. If you and your healthcare provider decide you need to take a protein supplement, look for those that do not contain added ingredients such as fructose and other sweeteners and natural and artificial flavors. There are some non-whey, non-soy based protein powders, including some made from hemp, but you need to shop around. You should also be aware of all the other ingredients these products may contain.  I have been trying to find a non-whey, non-soy based vegetarian protein powder and have yet to find one that isn’t also loaded with all the usual unnatural ingredients. When I find one I will certainly post it here.

Too Much Protein?

While it’s true that protein supplements can help correct a protein deficiency, taking protein supplements that provide your body with protein above and beyond the amount necessary to promote normal healthy muscle development and overall health can be a problem. This is clearly a case of when taking a little is beneficial, a lot can be hazardous to your health. If the body takes in excessive amount of protein, it must break it down into the amino acid components so the body can eliminate them. In other words, if you take too much protein, you will send the excess down the toilet, along with your money. Another problem is that the process of breaking down the protein produces several byproducts, especially urea, which must be processed further in the liver before the body can eliminate it. All of this extra filtering through the liver creates a significant strain on the kidneys.

The question is, do you really need to take these protein powders? The majority of people can get all the protein and amino acids they need by eating a varied diet that includes lots of plant-based protein foods. So for most it really isn’t more complicated than that.  My recommendation is to save your money, and possibly your kidneys and liver, and skip the protein powder supplements. There is a safer way to get additional protein in your diet—eat it!

Mr JoMo.