When it comes to nutritional trends, protein looms large. Browse the aisles of any grocery store and you can find protein-infused popcorn, yogurt, ice cream, and more. And of course, there are plenty of protein powders and shakes to buy. If you’re counting on the latter to get more protein in your diet, you need to pay attention: Recently, Consumer Reports launched an investigation to examine what’s actually in these powders and shakes. The results: Of the 23 brands tested, more than two-thirds contained more lead than the amount food safety experts estimate you can consume in a day.
Before you rush to throw out all the protein products currently in your pantry, read on to learn more about what this news really means, including how concerned you should be.
Is there lead in protein powders and shakes?
Consumer Reports tested 23 ready-to-drink protein powders and shakes. Through these tests, it was found that about two-thirds of those tested contained more lead in a single serving than experts believe is safe, which is less than 0.5 micrograms per day. Some even consumed up to 10 times the recommended daily intake, according to the report.
Among all protein powders and shakes tested, plant-based options had, on average, much higher lead levels than those made from dairy or animal sources. Dairy-based protein products contained the lowest amount of lead, but several still contained high enough amounts that Consumer Reports experts recommended against using them daily. NBC Select has not independently verified these results.
Why is high lead consumption potentially dangerous?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), consuming high levels of lead can impact your body in a variety of ways and is considered harmful. Once consumed, lead is distributed to various organs, including the brain, kidneys and bones. According to the WHO, high levels of lead exposure have been linked to anemia, hypertension, kidney failure, cardiovascular problems and more.
Which brands had high lead levels?
As mentioned, Consumer Reports tested 23 ready-to-drink protein powders and shakes. Based on the results, it classified the tested items into three categories: what you should avoid, what you should limit, and what its experts deemed safe to consume. NBC Select has not independently verified these results.
These results can be found below:
Products to avoid
- Naked Nutrition Vegan Mass Gainer
- Huel Black Edition
It is suggested to limit to once a week
- Garden of Life Sport Organic Plant Protein
- Momentous 100% plant-based protein (no longer available)
OK for occasional use
How protein companies are reacting to this new report
We contacted the 23 manufacturers with protein powders and shakes deemed unsafe for daily consumption by Consumer Reports. At the time of publication, six companies responded to our request for comment.
Here’s what they said:
Garden of Life: “At Garden of Life, we carefully select ingredients to meet our high standards of quality and safety to ensure the safety of our products. Certain substances, such as heavy metals, are commonly found in the environment in soil and water. This can result in low levels of heavy metals in agricultural raw materials. Garden of Life products are tested for heavy metals and the levels are below established food safety thresholds.
All of our products are safe for consumption and consistently meet our own government standards and food safety guidelines. We can guarantee that our products are safe for everyday use because we apply these food safety guidelines as criteria for releasing our products.
Huel: “We are extremely disappointed by this report, which the NPA here described as “alarmist, misleading and unscientific” and which the CRN described here as creating a “misleading impression of risk”. We have answered this in full in this article.
Trace elements such as lead occur naturally on our planet and are therefore found in soil, water and plants. As a reminder, a meal of sausage, potatoes, cabbage and carrots can contain about 5 micrograms (µg) of lead, and most adults consume between 20 and 80 micrograms (µg) per day from normal foods. Huel is no different from everyday meals in this regard.
The Consumer Reports article is based on California’s Proposition 65, which uses an ultra-conservative threshold of 0.5 micrograms (µg) of lead per day. California’s rules divide the observable effect limit by 1,000 to allow for a margin of error. For comparison, the European reference is 270 micrograms (µg) per serving.
It is important to understand that Consumer Reports’ approach reflects a particularly conservative regulation rather than an internationally accepted measure of consumer safety.
Over the past three years, we have conducted 17 independent tests on Huel Black Edition powder alone, with results consistently showing lead levels between 1.5 and 2.2 micrograms (µg) per 90g serving. These results are well within all recognized safety limits. Huel was also recently accredited by the NSF, the gold standard for product safety and quality, and the most recent NSF report showed undetectable levels of lead (“non-detectable” at their tolerance of 3.6 micrograms (µg)). It is important to note that we are talking about minute variations here of 2 millionths of a gram versus 6 millionths of a gram.
cos: “Please note that all KOS products are third-party tested according to USDA Organic and FDA standards… Traces of metal and lead are found in the natural environment, and we do our best to filter them out as much as possible. »
Important: You can find a full brand statement here. A spokesperson for the brand also told us: “(The) Momentous products tested have been discontinued and are no longer commercially available. Momentous began selling its latest formulation for whey and plant-based proteins earlier this year, with the v1 products (used for the report) being completely phased out across all channels by March 2025.”
Organize: “At Orgain, we carefully select ingredients to meet our high standards of quality and safety to ensure the safety of our products. Certain substances, such as heavy metals, are commonly found in the environment in soil and water. This may result in trace amounts being present in agricultural ingredients – such as plants, grains and other raw materials – that go into our products. Orgain products are tested for heavy metals and levels are below established food safety thresholds.
Our products are safe for consumption and consistently meet our own government standards and food safety guidelines. We can guarantee that our products are safe for everyday use because we apply these food safety guidelines as criteria for releasing our products.
Optimal nutrition: “We share Consumer Reports’ commitment to consumer safety. All of our Optimum Nutrition and BSN products are manufactured under FDA Good Manufacturing Practices, and we hold ourselves to even higher standards.”
We test the raw materials we use for heavy metals, formulate products to meet California Prop 65 criteria (among the strictest in the world), and test finished products by accredited third-party laboratories.
The health and safety of our consumers is our top priority. We’re pleased to see that Consumer Reports recommends our Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey and BSN Syntha-6 as “better choices for daily consumption.”
Other protein powders and shakes from Consumer Reports testing
Through its testing, Consumer Reports has identified the seven protein powders and shakes below that contain levels of lead low enough that experts can consider them safe for daily consumption.
This ready-to-drink chocolate shake is plant-based and packs 32 grams of protein in one bottle, according to the brand. The formula is sugar-free and contains 9 amino acids, which can help with energy, according to Owyn. I have had this drink on several occasions and find it to have a pleasantly sweet chocolate taste. The consistency is thicker, so if that bothers you, you may want to skip.
This protein powder is for those looking to gain muscle. It contains 53 grams of grass-fed protein, 110 grams of carbohydrates and 15 grams of healthy fats, according to the brand. It also contains creatine, which may help with muscle gain and post-workout recovery, according to Transparent Labs.
Made from whey, this protein powder contains 24 grams of protein for 120 calories per serving. You can use it before a workout, as a meal replacement or between meals. Reviewers love the rich chocolate flavor and note that it dissolves easily in liquid.
This powder is made from whey and contains 24 grams of protein and two grams of sugar in a single serving. Reviewers note that the cookies and cream flavor tastes like a milkshake. You can drink it by simply mixing it with water or milk or mix it into a smoothie or oatmeal.
The protein in this powder comes from grass-fed European dairy cows, according to the brand. It contains 20 grams of protein per serving and is soy-free. A 1.4 pound jar contains 25 servings and you can choose from vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, or unflavored.
Another option for those looking to gain muscle, this powder is high in calories and contains 52 grams of protein in a single serving. It also contains creatine to support muscle growth and vitamins A, C, and E for overall health, according to the brand.
Why trust NBC Select?
Bethany Heitman is a weekend editor at NBC Select and a reporter who regularly reports on recall alerts, including recalls on air conditioners and hand soap. She also frequently addresses common health and wellness questions, like the safety of plastic baby bottles.
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