Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Agricultural Sciences: Protein Supplements?


Protein supplements can be an easy and fast way to metabolize nutrients, but depending on the breed, species, and condition, can have different effects. In humans, protein supplements are not regulated as harshly as for animals. This leads to substandard regulation and oversight which can lead to contamination results such as Consumer Reports found in 2010. "The amount of lead in a single daily serving of eight of the protein supplements we tested would require that the products carry a warning in California (Consumer Reports, 2010)". They go on to say how teens are especially prone to marketing and that pregnant women are the most at risk.


Agriculture, on the other hand, seems to be unanimous in their pro-supplement support. A study by the University of Wales concluded that “…there was no evidence that the welfare of cows fed a low level of concentrates without supplementary feeding was compromised…[the only] adverse effects…was when …calving [cows] were provided with a lactation supplement, because this caused them to increase milk yield, which was not supported by increased food intake, and…had increased levels of aggression (Phillips & Kitwood, 2010)”.  It is interesting that of the first few pages of results online, not a single one said anything bad about animal supplements.

References

Consumer Reports. (2010, July). Health risks of protein drinks. Retrieved from Consumer Reports: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/04/protein-drinks/index.htm

Phillips, C. C., & Kitwood, S. E. (2010). The Effects of Feed Supplements on the Production, Metabolism, and Behavior of Dairy Cows Fed Low Levels of Concentrates During Lactation. Retrieved from The International Journal of Applied Research In Veterinary Medicine: http://www.jarvm.com/articles/Vol1Iss3/Kitwood.htm

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