High Levels of Lead Found in Protein Powders

Using protein powders to hit your fitness goals? Or maybe you just want to make sure you’re getting enough protein in your diet. Either way, a recent Consumer Reports investigation suggests it might be time to take a closer look at what’s inside your favorite protein supplement.

Lead in Protein Powders

According to Consumer Reports, high levels of heavy metal contamination, specifically lead, was found in common protein powders and shakes. Their latest test of 23 popular protein products revealed that the average level of lead has increased compared to a study they conducted 15 years ago.

Even more alarming:

Two protein powders contained so much lead that experts recommend avoiding them completely, with single servings exceeding between 1,200 percent and 1,600 percent of Consumer Reports’ level of concern, which is 0.5 micrograms per day.
Two others had between 400 percent and 600 percent of that level.

What You Should Avoid and What’s Safer in Moderation

Based on the findings, Consumer Reports categorized the following protein powder products:

Avoid completely:

Naked Nutrition Vegan Mass Gainer
Huel Black Edition

Limit to once a week:

Garden of Life Sport – Organic Plant-Based Protein
Momentous 100% Plant Protein

(If you still have any; Momentous has since discontinued the products tested in this investigation)

Okay occasionally:

MuscleMeds Carnivor Mass
Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass
Quest Protein Shake

Click HERE for the full list of tested products and results.

Plant Based Vs. Dairy

The report found that plant-based protein powders contained nine times more lead on average than those made with dairy proteins like whey, and twice as much as beef based powders.

Dairy-based products had the lowest levels overall, but still half of them contained enough lead that daily use is not recommended.

Why this matters:

Lead exposure is no small issue. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) exposure to lead can seriously affect a pregnant woman and a child’s health, causing brain and nervous system damage, slowed growth and development, learning and behavior problems, and even hearing and speech difficulties. In adults, chronic exposure has been linked to immune suppressions, kidney damage, reproductive issues, and high blood pressure.

Another key concern is that there are no federal limits that supplement makers need to follow, meaning there’s no limit for the amount of lead that can be present in your protein powder. In theory, they can sell pure lead.

Vineet Dubey of CD Law says, “Some of these lead levels are alarming, with 10 to 15 times more than a consumer should be having in a day. These are products that people consume daily for weeks or months at a time, which could cause significant buildup of lead in their bodies, leading to health issues and complications. Companies must do a better job testing their products before putting them on the market, to ensure the health of their customers, especially when producing a product largely marketed for the health and wellness shelves.” Click HERE to visit our Instagram page for more from Vineet.

Regulations haven’t caught up to the booming supplement industry, so staying informed is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your loved ones!