Arsenic is a naturally occurring element, present in our soil, water, and some foods (especially flours and rice but also some seafood and poultry). It is known to be a carcinogen at certain levels, and we should do our best to minimize exposure but we probably cannot completely avoid it. There are different forms of arsenic, some more toxic than others, and there are higher levels in different soils and water sources around the country and around the world. Organic arsenic is rapidly cleared from the body (found in seafood and some poultry), while inorganic arsenic is toxic and found in cigarette smoke, water, and some poultry (especially in chickens fed arsenic-containing medicines). I would call the company that made your protein powder and ask them for more information on exposure levels in their product.

As with all contaminants, we can limit exposure to any one by varying our food choices regularly (which most of us don’t do very much), and opting for the ‘cleanest’ version we can find (organic, pasture-raised, wild, locally sourced, minimally processed, etc.). And while it is impossible to avoid all environmental exposures to heavy metals and other toxins, we can support our detoxification pathways (liver, lungs, large intestine, skin, and kidneys) by drinking plenty of filtered water, sweating regularly, eating dark green veggies rich in fiber and phytonutrients that support the liver’s detoxification role, sleep at least 7 hours, and do deep breathing through exercise or other practices like diaphragmatic breathing. 

Best!

Zoe