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A new investigation has found that many popular protein powders and shakes may contain potentially dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals, including lead, though not all experts agree on how much risk they actually pose.
Consumer Reports tested 23 popular protein products and found more than two-thirds contained more lead per serving than the outlet’s experts consider to be safe in a single day. Some had more than 10 times what some health experts consider a safe daily amount, according to the report published this week.
“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,” said Tunde Akinleye, a chemist and food safety researcher at Consumer Reports.
Plant-based products — especially those made with pea protein — were the worst offenders, averaging about nine times more lead than dairy- and beef-based counterparts. The investigation included both ready-to-drink shakes and powders intended for blending into smoothies.
Some single servings contained between 400% and 1,600% of Consumers Reports’ recommended daily limit for lead, or four to 16 times higher than what it considers safe. For those that were slightly lower, experts recommended limiting consumption to once a week.
Several also contained measurable cadmium and arsenic, with cadmium levels in some cases more than twice what public health authorities consider potentially harmful daily exposure.
Dairy-based protein powders and shakes generally had the lowest amounts of lead, the investigation found, though many still had enough for Consumer Reports’ experts to caution against daily use. Lead levels in the beef-based products were about half those of plant-based products on average. Most fell below Consumer Reports’ daily level of concern, though some exceeded it, and experts say these were safe to consume “occasionally.”
Most of those that they said were better choices for daily consumption were dairy, made using whey, which is a byproduct of the cheese-making process.
