Consumer Reports\u2019 (CR) latest investigation<\/a> revealed this week, finding that many protein powders and shakes contain alarmingly high levels of lead.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n The report found that over two-thirds of the 23 protein powders and shakes reviewed by the nonprofit contained a single serving with more lead than what Consumer Reports\u2019 food safety experts deemed safe to consume in a day \u2014 in some cases, more than 10 times the limit.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
This may sound alarming, especially if you religiously crush a protein shake daily, but there\u2019s no need to panic. \u201cMany of these powders are fine to have occasionally, and even those with the highest lead levels are far below the concentration needed to cause harm,\u201d the report said. Instead, the point is to raise awareness about exactly what you\u2019re consuming so you can take the right steps to lower your heavy metal exposure in the long term.\n<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a closer look at the report\u2019s results, along with tips on how to mitigate your risk of heavy metal exposure.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
What did Consumer Reports\u2019 investigation on protein powders find? <\/p>\n
Protein supplements such as powders and ready-to-drink shakes are marketed as quick and easy ways to meet your nutritional goals, but that doesn\u2019t mean they are free from environmental pollution, health concerns, or contamination.\n<\/p>\n
According to the report, more than two-thirds of the tested protein products contained a single serving with more lead than CR food safety experts deem safe for daily consumption \u2014 and some exceeded this limit by more than 10 times. There were some exceptions, but products made with plant-based proteins generally tested higher for lead than those derived from animal sources (FYI: all plant-based products relied on pea protein as the main ingredient). Dairy-based proteins had the lowest lead levels, but half of the dairy products still had contamination levels high enough for experts to advise against daily use.\n<\/p>\n
The reason for this is likely because plants, including peas, are known to absorb whatever nutrients or contaminants are naturally present in the soil, water, and air around them. The exact culprit depends on where the plant is grown and ultimately processed, but heavy metal contamination can originate from natural sources like the earth\u2019s crust or from human activity such as industrial pollution, wastewater irrigation, road dust, or pesticides used in farming. Animal products, on the other hand, typically contain heavy metals that enter through contaminated feed, soil, water, and air in the animal\u2019s environment.\n<\/p>\n
Protein powder and lead contamination test results\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Consumer Reports tested 23 different dairy, beef, and plant-based protein supplements, including powders and ready-to-drink shakes, for heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, and lead. Multiple samples of each product were purchased from various retailers over a three-month period.\n<\/p>\n
Lead was the primary heavy metal that emerged in the results, with about 70 percent of tested products exceeding 120 percent of Consumer Report\u2019s levels of concern, which is 0.5 micrograms of lead per day. Three products also surpassed the concern levels for cadmium and inorganic arsenic, a toxic heavy metal classified as a known carcinogen.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
These results are especially concerning because ongoing lead exposure can negatively affect neurological development in infants and children. Some data indicate that long-term exposure is also associated with high blood pressure, nerve damage, kidney issues, and reproductive concerns in adults. At high levels, arsenic and cadmium are also linked to an increased risk of cancer across all age groups.\n<\/p>\n
Here are the products Consumer Reports recommends limiting and\/or avoiding entirely, based on the nonprofit\u2019s findings.<\/p>\n
Products to avoid\u00a0
\n Naked Nutrition\u2019s Vegan Mass Gainer\u00a0Huel\u2019s Black Edition\u00a0<\/p>\n
Products to limit to once a week\u00a0
\n Garden of Life\u2019s Sport Organic Plant-Based Protein\u00a0Momentous\u2019 100% Plant Protein\u00a0<\/p>\n
Okay to eat occasionally\u00a0
\n MuscleMeds\u2019 Carnivor Mass\u00a0Jocko Fuel\u2019s M\u00f6lk Protein Shake\u00a0Optimum Nutrition\u2019s Serious MassVega\u2019s Premium Sport Plant-Based Protein\u00a0Quest\u2019s Protein Shake\u00a0Orgain\u2019s Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder\u00a0Optimum Nutrition\u2019s Gold Standard Protein ShakeEquip Foods\u2019 Prime Protein\u00a0PlantFusion\u2019s Complete Protein\u00a0Ensure\u2019s Plant-Based Protein Nutrition Shake\u00a0Muscle Milk\u2019s Pro Advanced Nutrition Protein Shake\u00a0KOS Organic Superfood Plant Protein\u00a0<\/p>\n
Better choices for daily consumption
\n Owyn\u2019s Pro Elite High Protein Shake\u00a0Transparent Labs\u2019 Mass Gainer\u00a0Optimum Nutrition\u2019s Gold Standard 100% WheyBSN\u2019s Synthia-6 Protein Powder\u00a0Momentous\u2019 Whey Protein IsolateDymatize\u2019s Super Mass Gainer\u00a0Muscle Tech\u2019s 100% Mass Gainer\u00a0<\/p>\n
How to mitigate risk from heavy metals in food\u00a0 <\/p>\n
No amount of lead is considered safe, but there\u2019s no need to panic if you\u2019ve been supplementing with any of the above brands. This is because many of these products are safe to consume occasionally, and even those with the highest lead levels are well below the concentration required to cause immediate harm.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
You want your lead exposure to be as low as possible, so based on the findings, it\u2019s worth reconsidering using the two products Consumer Reports listed to avoid (Naked Nutrition\u2019s Vegan Mass Gainer and Huel\u2019s Black Edition). Another pro tip? Avoid any product with a Prop 65 warning on the label, which serves as a disclosure that products contain chemicals identified by California as potentially causing cancer, birth defects, or reproductive harm at certain exposure levels.\n<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re set on using a protein supplement, it\u2019s best to choose one of the \u201cbetter choice\u201d products to reduce your potential lead exposure. If none of those appeal to you, Consumer Reports suggests limiting your weekly intake of protein supplements.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
To meet your protein needs, consider incorporating fresh, whole foods that naturally contain protein, such as chicken, fish, tofu, lentils, eggs, Greek yogurt, lean beef, and beans. After all, most adults actually don\u2019t need a protein supplement to reach the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s general recommendation of 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight.\n<\/p>\n
Last but not least, keep in mind that heavy metal toxicity is primarily about mitigating long-term risk, as the greatest danger comes from repeated exposure, especially at high doses. So, if you occasionally drink a protein shake, you\u2019re likely fine. That said, if you have concerns about your dietary choices, protein intake, or heavy metal exposure, consulting a medical professional is always a smart move.<\/p>\n
Reviewed by<\/p>\n
Lauren Manaker MS, RDN, LD, CLEC: Lauren is an award-winning registered dietitian and three-time book author, with more than 22 years in the field.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A Consumer Reports investigation found that more than two-thirds of tested protein powders and shakes contained more lead…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":224226,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[97,269],"class_list":{"0":"post-224225","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-nutrition"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/224225","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=224225"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/224225\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/224226"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=224225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=224225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=224225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}