Are protein supplements helpful or dangerous?

A huge number of people around the world regularly buy protein supplements and protein powders. Athletes who visit gyms use such supplements to increase muscle volume, women take them to lose weight, and many people simply consume proteins, considering such a diet to be healthy. Is this really so? This question was first voiced after the death of a young Australian athlete Megan Heaford: she adhered to a high-protein diet and took protein for several years. It turned out that the woman suffered from a pathology that is very difficult to diagnose today: it is a genetic disease associated with impaired protein absorption. The frequency of detection of such a disease is one case per 8.5 thousand people. Doctors say that the quality and safety of protein supplements are practically not controlled - as, for example, in the production of medicines. Therefore, one cannot confidently speak about the benefits of this product. At the same time, nutritionist professor Wayne Campbell believes that the main low-quality component may not be the protein itself, but other auxiliary ingredients. In 2010, a research group tested fifteen protein supplements. They were found to contain elevated levels of mercury, cadmium, lead, and arsenic. Three of the supplements tested failed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) compliance test. However, these supplements were freely available. Moreover, most protein shakes contained a different amount of protein than what was stated on the label. As nephrologist Dr. Andrzej Rastogi explains, a healthy person needs 50-60 g of protein per day. This amount of protein is contained in, for example, 180-200 g of chicken fillet. If a person abuses protein, the kidneys experience a huge strain - often ending in kidney failure.. People with diabetes, pyelonephritis, as well as the elderly and children, are at particular risk. Unfortunately, the mass consumption of protein shakes by teenagers (mostly boys) for sports purposes is becoming more and more common. This issue is quite painful and controversial: many experts are inclined to believe that the risk - even for the sake of sports - is not entirely justified. "We often explain to parents that the quality and composition of protein supplements are not controlled, and excess protein damages the kidneys. A child is quite capable of getting the necessary amount of protein from food. Of course, we cannot say that we treat protein shakes as a terrible phenomenon - no. But we cannot recommend them for consumption either," explains the doctor. Doctors recommend: before deciding to use protein powders, take tests and undergo an examination, consult a therapist and nutritionist. It is advisable to undergo such examinations regularly if you still decide to take such supplements.

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