Collagen supplements on Amazon: 64% contains arsenic. Also found lead, cadmium and mercury

64% of collagen supplements contain heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury. A new report denounces him

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They promise to counteract skin aging, but actually in the 64% of collagen supplements heavy metals such as arsenic. This is denounced by a new report from the Organic Consumers Association and the Clean Label Project which have analyzed the best-selling collagen peptide supplements on Amazon. A little reassuring picture: 64% of collagen supplements tested positive for arsenic, 37% for lead, 34% contain traces of mercury and 17% for cadmium.

"Consumers buy collagen products largely for the perceived health benefits, without realizing that many of these products are sources of heavy metals," said Katherine Paul, associate director of OCA, noting that words like "Pure, everything natural, possible nutrition ”, consumers are in fact deceived.

We often hear about collagen, which is the protein that is concentrated in particular in the bones, tendons, cartilages, skin, membranes and blood vessels. At the skin level it is this precious ally that contributes to the tone of our skin. For this reason, there are many who rely on supplements that promise to reduce wrinkles and improve the complexion.

But inside them there are also arsenic, lead and more. As OCA writes, a 2014 study titled "Heavy Metal Toxicity and the Environment," heavy metals, even at low levels, are known to cause organ damage, and some are classified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as known or probable carcinogens.

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“Animals in industrial farms (from which the collagen of supplements is obtained) are exposed to heavy metals through GMO feeds grown with pesticides and fertilizers and through water contaminated with manure,” writes OCA.

The products analyzed, 28 in all, considered bestsellers on Amazon, were purchased from local, national and online retailers using the Clean Label project's chain of custody and sampling methodology. “Consumers buy collagen products largely for the perceived health benefits, without realizing that many of these products are derived from industrial farms that contain heavy metals,” explains Paul.

The American Public Health Association (APHA) recently called for a moratorium on Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) that generate manure containing antibiotics, pathogenic bacteria, nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as dust, mold, bacterial endotoxins, volatile gases and heavy metals.

"We hope this is a call to action for consumers who demand better from collagen brands and that the brands, in turn, set minimum standards for products that claim to be 'natural,' says Jaclyn Bowen, engineering engineer. food safety and quality systems and executive director of the Clean Label Project.

For testing, OCA and CLP used independent accredited laboratories to test for arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury. The method used for the tests was the Environmental Protection Agency's plasma mass spectrometry (EPA 6020A, 3015). The level of quantification for the tests was 8 parts per billion. In the following table you will find the brands and names of the products analyzed, alongside the percentages of heavy metals present: first column arsenic, second cadmium, third mercury, fourth lead.

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Recall that as the Higher Institute of Health explains, exposure to heavy metals is associated with multiple effects on health, with different degrees of severity and conditions: kidney and bone problems, neuro-behavioral and developmental disorders, high blood pressure and potentially lung cancer.

Specifically:

Cadmium
Exposure to cadmium can damage kidneys and bones: among the main effects is an increase in the secretion of low molecular weight proteins in the urine and an increased risk of osteoporosis. Cadmium has been identified as a potential cause of lung cancer in humans: the population groups most at risk are the elderly, diabetics, smokers and pregnant women. Food is the main source of cadmium exposure for the general population.

Grey
Lead is a powerful neurotoxin. Exposure to this heavy metal can lead to effects on the behavior and development of the fetus, infants and children, as well as increase blood pressure in adults. Epidemiological studies show that health effects on children are associated with blood lead levels of approximately 100-150 μg / L, but there are indications of lead's danger even at concentrations below 100 μg / L. Currently, the lowest average lead level in Europe is around 20 μg / l, but there is a lack of reliable information for many areas.

Mercury
Mercury is a toxic substance and has both anthropogenic and natural origins. In both cases it is emitted into the air in its elemental and inorganic form, which can be biologically converted into organic compounds. Among these, methylmercury is the one of most concern, because it accumulates in the food chain, increasing the risks for humans.

Read the REPORT

Source: Organic Consumers Association / Clean label Project / Istituto Superiore di Sanità

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