New investigation finds high levels of lead in protein powders and shakes

A new Consumer Reports investigation has found that most protein powders and shakes — dietary supplements that have exploded in popularity in recent years — contain more lead in a single serving than is considered safe to ingest in an entire day.

The worst performer in Consumer Reports’ testing — Naked Nutrition’s vegan mass gainer — contains a full 7.7 micrograms of lead per serving, or nearly 16 times experts’ daily “level of concern” for the heavy metal. Only one of the 23 products that Consumer Reports tested — Muscle Tech 100% Mass Gainer — showed zero lead contamination. 

Technically, there’s no amount of lead that is considered safe to consume. But because lead builds up in the body over time, the greatest risk comes from repeated or continuous exposure. That’s what makes protein powders and shakes such worrisome delivery mechanisms for the heavy metal. 

Amid the current protein craze — known in its most extreme form as protein-maxxing — food companies had started adding protein isolates to bread, pasta, cereal, popcorn, ice cream, soda and even bottled water. Meanwhile, millions of Americans — thinking it will help them build muscle or lose weight — have made a regular habit of adding even more protein to their diet with, say, a meal-replacement shake every morning.

In other words, “protein powder isn’t usually treated as an occasional indulgence,” as Consumer Reports explained. “For many people, it’s part of their daily routine.”

Compounding the problem is the fact that the average American already consumes more protein than they need each day, with men clocking in at 155% of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recommended dietary allowances and women at 135%.

The question then becomes “why take in unnecessary lead with protein powder?” according to Dr. Rose Goldman, an associate professor of medicine and physician at Cambridge Health Alliance in Medford, Mass., who spoke to Consumer Reports.

To be sure, lead in protein powder is not a new phenomenon. It primarily — but not exclusively — affects concentrated protein derived from plants such as peas, which can absorb the toxin from their environment before absorbing even more during the complex, highly mechanized process of extraction. 

But the last time Consumer Reports tested protein powders and shakes, about 15 years ago, it found a lower average level of lead contamination (and more lead-free products as well). Today, the worst-performing powder contains twice as much lead per serving as the worst-performing powder from back then. At the same time, protein powders and shakes are considered dietary supplements — which means there’s no federal limit on the amount of lead they can contain, and neither manufacturers nor the Food and Drug Administration have to prove they’re safe before they’re sold in stores. 

Consumer Reports does not necessarily recommend abandoning all protein powders and shakes. But the publication’s experts do suggest “limiting the number of servings you have each week and avoiding products with the highest amounts of lead in our tests.” 

They also question the whole protein craze — and say that if Americans feel compelled to up their intake, real foods such as beans, lentils, tofu, eggs, dairy, fish, poultry and lean meats are a safer way to do it.