{"id":217265,"date":"2025-10-22T06:48:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T06:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/217265\/"},"modified":"2025-10-22T06:48:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T06:48:09","slug":"popular-protein-powders-shakes-test-positive-for-lead-are-they-safe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/217265\/","title":{"rendered":"Popular Protein Powders, Shakes Test Positive for Lead. Are They Safe?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"FemaleShare on Pinterest<\/a>Many popular protein powders and shakes may contain lead, according to Consumer Reports. Anna Blazhuk\/Getty ImagesA new Consumer Reports investigation found that many popular protein powders and shakes contain high levels of lead.More than two-thirds of the 23 products tested exceeded the organization\u2019s self-set safety threshold of 0.5 micrograms per serving.Plant-based powders, including products from Naked Nutrition and Huel, showed the highest levels of lead.Experts say occasional use is unlikely to cause harm, but cumulative exposure could pose health risks for children and females of reproductive age.<\/p>\n

A new Consumer Reports (CR) investigation has found that many popular protein powders and shakes contain high levels of lead. <\/p>\n

The CR report<\/a> found that over two\u2010thirds of the 23 products tested exceeded the nonprofit\u2019s self-set safety threshold of 0.5 \u00b5g (micrograms) per serving. <\/p>\n

The highest lead readings were found in plant-based powders. In more than two-thirds of the products analyzed, a single serving contained more lead than CR\u2019s food safety experts say is safe to consume in a day, some by more than 10 times.<\/p>\n

Notably, one serving of the Naked Nutrition Vegan Mass Gainer contained 7.7 \u00b5g of lead, and the Huel Black Edition measured 6.3 \u00b5g. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s concerning that these results are even worse than the last time we tested,\u201d Tunde Akinleye, a chemist and the CR food safety researcher who led the testing project, said<\/a> in the report.<\/p>\n

If you regularly consume protein powders or shakes<\/a>, here\u2019s what you need to know about lead exposure and what to look for on nutrition labels. <\/p>\n

Consumer Reports contacted the protein powder companies included in their analysis. <\/p>\n

Many companies responded<\/a> that lead is a naturally occurring substance, and trace amounts can be present in plant-based ingredients worldwide. <\/p>\n

Eight companies \u2014 Equip Foods, Garden of Life, KOS, Momentous, Muscle Meds, Muscle Tech, Orgain, and Vega \u2014 told CR that their ingredients and final products are tested for heavy metals. <\/p>\n

Healthline reached out to Naked Nutrition and Huel, who expressed disappointment in the report.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe take our customers\u2019 health and product transparency extremely seriously and have reviewed the findings closely,\u201d a spokesperson for Naked Nutrition told Healthline.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important to note that Naked Vegan Mass Gainer was the only vegan weight gainer included in the CR testing. As a weight gainer<\/a>, it has a significantly larger serving size \u2014 approximately 315 grams, or about six scoops \u2014 compared with the 30 to 50 grams typical of standard protein powders. When viewed on a per-gram basis, our results are consistent with other plant-based protein products,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n

Naked Nutrition claims that all of its ingredients are sourced from select suppliers that provide certificates of analysis, including heavy metals testing. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe also retain samples from every production lot for ongoing verification, and Naked Vegan Mass Gainer is currently undergoing NSF content certification<\/a>, which includes label-claim, toxicology, and contaminant testing,\u201d the spokesperson said. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe reviewed the available information and verified results through independent third-party testing, which confirmed that no heavy metals exceeded FDA reference intake levels for adults, including for sensitive groups such as women of childbearing age,\u201d they continued.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson from Huel said that the Natural Products Association (NPA) described<\/a> the report as \u201calarmist, misleading, and unscientific,\u201d and the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) said<\/a> it creates a \u201cmisleading impression of risk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHuel has also recently been accredited by NSF, the gold standard for product safety and quality, and the most recent NSF report showed undetectable levels of lead (\u2018non-detectable\u2019 at their 3.6 microgram (\u00b5g) tolerance),\u201d the spokesperson told Healthline. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt is important to note that we are talking about minuscule variations here of 2 millionths of a gram versus 6 millionths of a gram,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n

Shannon O\u2019Grady, CEO of Gnarly Nutrition<\/a>, explained that the threshold for lead contaminants in the products included in the report may have been overly cautious. O\u2019Grady wasn\u2019t involved in the report.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen considering the health risks of lead exposure, it\u2019s important to talk about the levels that CR used as a threshold,\u201d O\u2019Grady told Healthline. <\/p>\n

\u201cCR used the same standards of safety as California\u2019s Prop 65<\/a>, which takes the expected lead exposure that won\u2019t cause reproductive harm and divides it by 1,000. Some have said this threshold is extremely cautious and isn\u2019t supported by the scientific literature,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

According to O\u2019Grady, the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s current safety threshold for lead<\/a> is precautionary yet realistic, given that lead is ubiquitous in the environment. Eating any food from the earth will expose an individual to lead.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s estimated that the average American consumes 5.3 ug of lead daily via their diet, so it\u2019s important for individuals to consider whether they are in a risk group for lead exposure (e.g., children and women of childbearing age),\u201d O\u2019Grady explained. <\/p>\n

O\u2019Grady said it\u2019s unlikely that a single serving of plant-based protein powder would result in serious health effects. Still, it\u2019s important to consider your cumulative exposure to lead in your diet and what you can do to minimize that exposure.<\/p>\n

Registered dietitian Amy Chow<\/a> agreed. \u201cLow-level exposure over the long term can contribute to neurodevelopmental, renal, cardiovascular, reproductive, and bone health risks,\u201d she told Healthline. <\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, the amount that would trigger concerns is dependent on a person\u2019s absorption, age, health conditions, nutritional status, and other exposures,\u201d said Chow, who wasn\u2019t involved in the report.<\/p>\n

Despite what the CR investigation revealed, it\u2019s probably safe to include protein powder and shakes in a balanced diet<\/a> in reasonable amounts.<\/p>\n

Chow said that the levels found in the CR report are unlikely to cause lead poisoning<\/a> (which is primarily from contaminated water, lead-based paint, and contaminated soil). <\/p>\n

However, she added that no blood lead levels are considered safe, as lead has no useful function in the body.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere tends to be higher levels of heavy metals in plant-based protein powders,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can minimize your risk by choosing a whey protein powder<\/a> or a whey protein blend, using no more than one serving per day as a supplement (and not in place of whole foods), and eating a variety of protein-rich foods as your main source of protein.\u201d <\/p>\n

Chow recommended being more conservative with protein supplementation, especially for children, pregnant people, and older adults who are more vulnerable to heavy metal exposure. <\/p>\n

\u201cConsumers should be aware that plant-based proteins will always be the worst offenders because plants absorb heavy metals directly from the soil,\u201d O\u2019Grady explained. <\/p>\n

Additionally, products such as mass gainers with a larger serving size will have higher heavy metals than a regular protein supplement.<\/p>\n

Flavor matters, too. \u201cChocolate flavors of these products will also have higher levels of lead because of the addition of cocoa,\u201d O\u2019Grady said.<\/p>\n

\u201cConsumers should always look out for products that are third-party tested by groups like NSF, USP, and Informed Choice. Products that are third-party tested will display the logo of these testing groups on the front or back labels of their products,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n

These third-party groups evaluate supplements for safety, validate label claims, and test products for a range of contaminants, including heavy metals, microbials, and pesticides. <\/p>\n

Many people may rely on protein powder supplementation to meet their recommended daily intake. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe recommended range<\/a> for protein needs varies depending on a person\u2019s age, activity level, and nutrition goals (ie, gaining muscles, losing weight), but it can range from 0.8-2g per kilogram [of body weight] for most adults,\u201d Chow said. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhile most people can consume enough protein through food alone, some people may benefit from protein supplementation for several reasons.\u201d <\/p>\n

Athletes who require more protein to repair or build muscle mass.Vegetarians who may have a hard time getting their protein needs from plant-based options.People who are trying to lose weight<\/a> by getting enough protein to manage their hunger levels.Older adults who may experience decreased appetite and want to prevent muscle deterioration.People needing protein to support recovery and repair (e.g., postsurgery and cancer) may require more protein in easier ways than whole foods alone.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Grady said that protein supplements are an easy way for people to meet various dietary protein goals.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re choosing to include them in your diet, be mindful of serving sizes and check that the brand you choose is independently tested for heavy metals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Share on PinterestMany popular protein powders and shakes may contain lead, according to Consumer Reports. Anna Blazhuk\/Getty ImagesA…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":217266,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[102,6636,93158,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-217265","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-nutrition","10":"tag-protein-powders-shakes-lead-consumer-reports","11":"tag-uk","12":"tag-united-kingdom","13":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/217265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=217265"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/217265\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/217266"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=217265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=217265"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=217265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}