High levels of lead found in some protein powders

Protein powder users should check the brand they’re using.

A new Consumer Reports investigation revealed that some protein powders and ready-to-drink shakes contain high levels of lead.

Published this week, the findings said 23 products were tested, and more than two-thirds of them were found to contain more lead in a single serving than experts say is safe to have in one day — some by more than 10 times.

The organization purchased multiple samples of protein products over a three-month period starting in November 2024 for the research, USA Today reported.

Compared to previous Consumer Reports research on protein powder products 15 years ago, these findings said heavy metal contamination has become even more common among protein products, which raises concern that risks are growing alongside the expanding industry. There were also fewer products with undetectable amounts of it.

Naked Nutrition’s Vegan Mass Gainer powder was the product with the highest lead levels, 7.7 micrograms of lead per serving, which is roughly 1,570 percent of CR’s level of concern for the heavy metal. That’s nearly twice as much lead per serving as the worst product analyzed in 2010, the findings said.

Also, one serving of Huel’s Black Edition powder contained 6.3 micrograms of lead, or about 1,290 percent of CR’s daily lead limit. Both of these products should not be consumed, experts said.

“It’s concerning that these results are even worse than the last time we tested,” said Tunde Akinleye, the chemist and food safety researcher who led the testing project at Consumer Reports. “We advise against daily use for most protein powders, since many have high levels of heavy metals and none are necessary to hit your protein goals.”

The products that should be limited are Garden of Life’s Sport Organic Plant-Based Protein and Momentous’ 100% Plant Protein.

Products that are OK to eat occasionally include:

• MuscleMeds’ Carnivor Mass
• Optimum Nutrition’s Serious Mass
• Jocko Fuel’s Mölk Protein Shake
• Vega’s Premium Sport Plant-Based Protein
• Quest’s Protein Shakes
• Orgain’s Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder
• Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard Protein Shake
• Equip Foods’ Prime Protein
• PlantFusion’s Complete Protein
• Ensure’s Plant-Based Protein Nutrition Shakes
• Muscle Milk’s Pro Advanced Nutrition Protein Shake
• KOS’ Organic Superfood Plant Protein

Better choices for daily consumption, according to the findings, include:

• Owyn’s Pro Elite High Protein Shake
• Transparent Labs’ Mass Gainer
• Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard 100% Whey
• BSN’s Syntha-6 Protein Powder
• Momentous’ Whey Protein Isolate
• Dymatize’s Super Mass Gainer
• Muscle Tech’s 100% Mass Gainer