Popular protein powders loaded with lead; vegan diets cut insulin costs; life expectancy is up, though youth deaths rise – Morning Medical Update

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Popular protein powders pack dangerous levels of lead

Consumer Reports (CR) tested 23 protein powders and shakes and found more than two-thirds exceeded its daily “level of concern” for lead in a single serving, with some plant-based products (often pea-protein) reaching 1,200–1,600% of that threshold. Cadmium and inorganic arsenic were also detected in some items. Dairy-based options tended to have lower lead but still weren’t uniformly safe for daily use. With no federal lead limits for supplements and limited FDA premarket oversight, CR advises against routine daily consumption — especially for children and pregnant patients — and suggests favoring whole-food protein sources or carefully vetted products.

Vegan diet slashes insulin costs

A low-fat vegan diet could help people with type 1 diabetes reduce both insulin use and costs, according to new research in BMC Nutrition from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. In a secondary analysis of a 2024 randomized trial, participants following a vegan diet — without calorie or carbohydrate limits — reduced their total daily insulin dose by 28% and insulin expenses by 27%, compared with no significant change in a portion-controlled diet group. Researchers said improved insulin sensitivity from lower dietary fat likely drove the effect. The original study also found better weight, glycemic control, cholesterol and kidney function among vegan participants.

The world lives longer, but youth deaths are on the rise

The latest Global Burden of Disease analysis in The Lancet reports global life expectancy rebounded to 76.3 years for women and 71.5 for men, with a 67% drop in age-standardized mortality since 1950 across all 204 countries. Yet deaths are rising among adolescents and young adults — driven by suicide and substance use in North America and Latin America, and by infections and injuries in sub-Saharan Africa — highlighting widening inequities. Noncommunicable diseases now account for nearly two-thirds of global death and disability, led by ischemic heart disease, stroke and diabetes; anxiety and depression have surged (up 63% and 26% in death and disability, respectively). Nearly half of the global disease burden is attributable to 88 modifiable risks, topped by high systolic blood pressure, particulate pollution, smoking and high fasting glucose.