Popular Protein Powders, Shakes Test Positive for Lead. Are They Safe?

• A 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’s 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.

A new Consumer Reports (CR) investigation has found that many popular protein powders and shakes contain high levels of lead.

The CR report found that over two‐thirds of the 23 products tested exceeded the nonprofit’s self-set safety threshold of 0.5 µg (micrograms) per serving.

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’s food safety experts say is safe to consume in a day, some by more than 10 times.

Notably, one serving of the Naked Nutrition Vegan Mass Gainer contained 7.7 µg of lead, and the Huel Black Edition measured 6.3 µg.

“It’s concerning that these results are even worse than the last time we tested,” Tunde Akinleye, a chemist and the CR food safety researcher who led the testing project, said in the report.

If you regularly consume protein powders or shakes, here’s what you need to know about lead exposure and what to look for on nutrition labels.

Consumer Reports contacted the protein powder companies included in their analysis.

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

Eight companies — Equip Foods, Garden of Life, KOS, Momentous, Muscle Meds, Muscle Tech, Orgain, and Vega — told CR that their ingredients and final products are tested for heavy metals.

Healthline reached out to Naked Nutrition and Huel, who expressed disappointment in the report.

“We take our customers’ health and product transparency extremely seriously and have reviewed the findings closely,” a spokesperson for Naked Nutrition told Healthline.

“It’s important to note that Naked Vegan Mass Gainer was the only vegan weight gainer included in the CR testing. As a weight gainer, it has a significantly larger serving size — approximately 315 grams, or about six scoops — 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,” the spokesperson said.

Naked Nutrition claims that all of its ingredients are sourced from select suppliers that provide certificates of analysis, including heavy metals testing.

“We also retain samples from every production lot for ongoing verification, and Naked Vegan Mass Gainer is currently undergoing NSF content certification, which includes label-claim, toxicology, and contaminant testing,” the spokesperson said.

“We 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,” they continued.

A spokesperson from Huel said that the Natural Products Association (NPA) described the report as “alarmist, misleading, and unscientific,” and the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) said it creates a “misleading impression of risk.”

“Huel 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 (‘non-detectable’ at their 3.6 microgram (µg) tolerance),” the spokesperson told Healthline.

“It is important to note that we are talking about minuscule variations here of 2 millionths of a gram versus 6 millionths of a gram,” they said.

Shannon O’Grady, CEO of Gnarly Nutrition, explained that the threshold for lead contaminants in the products included in the report may have been overly cautious. O’Grady wasn’t involved in the report.

“When considering the health risks of lead exposure, it’s important to talk about the levels that CR used as a threshold,” O’Grady told Healthline.

“CR used the same standards of safety as California’s Prop 65, which takes the expected lead exposure that won’t cause reproductive harm and divides it by 1,000. Some have said this threshold is extremely cautious and isn’t supported by the scientific literature,” she said.

According to O’Grady, the Food and Drug Administration’s current safety threshold for lead is precautionary yet realistic, given that lead is ubiquitous in the environment. Eating any food from the earth will expose an individual to lead.

“It’s estimated that the average American consumes 5.3 ug of lead daily via their diet, so it’s important for individuals to consider whether they are in a risk group for lead exposure (e.g., children and women of childbearing age),” O’Grady explained.

O’Grady said it’s unlikely that a single serving of plant-based protein powder would result in serious health effects. Still, it’s important to consider your cumulative exposure to lead in your diet and what you can do to minimize that exposure.

Registered dietitian Amy Chow agreed. “Low-level exposure over the long term can contribute to neurodevelopmental, renal, cardiovascular, reproductive, and bone health risks,” she told Healthline.

“However, the amount that would trigger concerns is dependent on a person’s absorption, age, health conditions, nutritional status, and other exposures,” said Chow, who wasn’t involved in the report.

Despite what the CR investigation revealed, it’s probably safe to include protein powder and shakes in a balanced diet in reasonable amounts.

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

However, she added that no blood lead levels are considered safe, as lead has no useful function in the body.

“There tends to be higher levels of heavy metals in plant-based protein powders,” she said.

“You can minimize your risk by choosing a whey protein powder 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.”

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

“Consumers should be aware that plant-based proteins will always be the worst offenders because plants absorb heavy metals directly from the soil,” O’Grady explained.

Additionally, products such as mass gainers with a larger serving size will have higher heavy metals than a regular protein supplement.

Flavor matters, too. “Chocolate flavors of these products will also have higher levels of lead because of the addition of cocoa,” O’Grady said.

“Consumers 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,” she noted.

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.

Many people may rely on protein powder supplementation to meet their recommended daily intake.

“The recommended range for protein needs varies depending on a person’s 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,” Chow said.

“While most people can consume enough protein through food alone, some people may benefit from protein supplementation for several reasons.”

• 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 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.

O’Grady said that protein supplements are an easy way for people to meet various dietary protein goals.

If you’re 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.