Some protein powders and shakes are riddled with high levels of lead, a Consumer Reports investigation has found.

The organization purchased multiple samples of protein products over a three-month period starting in November 2024 and analyzed their lead levels.

Test results revealed that more than two-thirds of the analyzed products contained more lead than the report’s food safety experts consider safe to consume in a day, with some exceeding the limit by more than 10 times.

According to the organization, two plant-based protein powders contained enough lead that experts interviewed by Consumer Reports advised against ingesting them.

What products were tested?

Here's a list of all the products tested by Consumer Reports, their serving sizes, and what they were categorized in the investigation:

  • Naked Nutrition Vegan Mass Gainer (Serving size: 315 grams, which is six scoops)
    • Listed as: Products to avoid
  • Huel Black Edition (Serving size: 90 grams, which is two scoops)
    • Listed as: Products to avoid
  • Garden of Life Sport-Organic Plant-Based Protein (Serving size: 45 grams, which is two scoops)
    • Listed as: Recommend limiting to once a week
  • Momentous 100% Plant Protein (Serving size: 37.7 grams, which is one scoop)
    • Listed as: Recommend limiting to once a week
  • MuscleMeds Carnivor Mass (Serving size: 191 grams, which is four scoops)
    • Listed as: Okay to eat occasionally
  • Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass (Serving size: 340 grams, which is two scoops)
    • Listed as: Okay to eat occasionally
  • Jocko Fuel Mölk Protein Shake (Serving size: 350 ml, which is one carton)
    • Listed as: Okay to eat occasionally
  • Vega Premium Sport Plant-Based Protein (Serving size: 44 grams, which is one scoop)
    • Listed as: Okay to eat occasionally
  • Quest Protein Shake (Serving size: 325 ml, which is one carton)
    • Listed as: Okay to eat occasionally
  • Orgain Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder (Serving size: 46 grams, which is two scoops)
    • Listed as: Okay to eat occasionally
  • Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Protein Shake (Serving size: 325 ml, which is one carton)
    • Listed as: Okay to eat occasionally
  • Equip Foods Prime Protein (Serving size: 25.7 grams, which is one scoop)
    • Listed as: Okay to eat occasionally
  • PlantFusion Complete Protein (Serving size: 30 grams, which is one scoop)
    • Listed as: Okay to eat occasionally
  • Ensure Plant-Based Protein Nutrition Shake (Serving size: 330 ml, which is one carton)
    • Listed as: Okay to eat occasionally
  • Muscle Milk Pro Advanced Nutrition Protein Shake (Serving size: 330 ml, which is one carton)
    • Listed as: Okay to eat occasionally
  • KOS Organic Superfood Plant Protein (Serving size: 37 grams, which is two scoops)
    • Listed as: Okay to eat occasionally
  • Owyn Pro Elite High Protein Shake
    • Listed as: Better choices for daily consumption
  • Transparent Labs Mass Gainer
    • Listed as: Better choices for daily consumption
  • Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey
    • Listed as: Better choices for daily consumption
  • BSN Syntha-6 Protein Powder
    • Listed as: Better choices for daily consumption
  • Momentous Whey Protein Isolate
    • Listed as: Better choices for daily consumption
  • Dymatize Super Mass Gainer
    • Listed as: Better choices for daily consumption
  • Muscle Tech 100% Mass Gainer
    • Listed as: Better choices for daily consumption

What exactly did the Consumer Reports investigation find?

Naked Nutrition’s Mass Gainer powder contained 7.7 micrograms of lead per serving, roughly 1,570% of the organization’s level of concern for the heavy metal. Similarly, one serving of Huel’s Black Edition powder contained 6.3 micrograms of lead, which is about 1,290% of the daily lead limit cited by the organization.

Additionally, two other powders contained lead between 400 and 600% of CR’s levels of concern: Garden of Life’s Sport Organic Plant-Based Protein and Momentous’ 100% Plant Protein. One of the organization’s experts said consumers should limit these powders to once a week.

One non-plant-based protein powder with lead detected at over 200% of the organization’s level of concern was MuscleMeds’ Carnivor Mass powder. One beef powder, six additional plant-based powders, five dairy-based powders, and shakes contained lead above Consumer Reports’ level of concern.

One serving of Huel's Black Edition plant-based protein powder contained 9.2 micrograms of cadmium, which is over double the level that experts say people should ingest on a daily basis, which is 4.1 micrograms.

Vega's Premium Sport powder was also tested by the organization, and the results found that the level of cadmium in the product was enough to be over the acceptable level. Optimum Nutrition's Serious Mass whey protein powder also had 8.5 micrograms per serving of inorganic arsenic. That number is twice the limit of what experts say is safe to consume, the organization said.

Companies respond to Consumer Reports findings

USA TODAY contacted Naked Nutrition, PlantFusion, BSN, KOS, Owyn, Dymatize, Muscle Tech, Muscle Milk, Ensure, Transparent Labs, Quest, Orgain, Equip Foods, Jocko Fuel, Vega Premium Sport, Optimum Nutrition, Huel, Garden of Life, Ensure, Momentous and MuscleMeds for statements.

A spokesperson for Huel said the company is extremely frustrated by this report, which it believes is alarmist. The company's remarks stated the article is based on California's Proposition 65, which uses a threshold of 0.5 micrograms of lead per day."It is important to understand that the Consumer Reports approach reflects a uniquely cautious regulation rather than an internationally accepted measure of consumer safety," the company said.

A spokesperson for Momentous said the products tested as part of the Consumer Reports investigation are no longer available for purchase and were fully discontinued across all channels in March.

How dangerous is it to consume lead?

Rose Goldman, MD, an associate professor of medicine and physician at Cambridge Health Alliance, told the organization that while no amount of lead is technically safe, the real risk derives from continuous intake or exposure to high doses of toxins. Pregnant people and children are most at risk because the toxins can cause neurological issues, learning delays, and behavioral problems, the organization reported.

What’s more is that chronic lead exposure has also been linked to immune suppression, reproductive problems, kidney damage and high blood pressure in adults.

The recommended dietary allowance for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound, according to Harvard Health. The amount is what you need to meet your basic nutritional requirements, or the amount needed to keep from getting sick, per university research.

Good sources of protein include: tuna, salmon, haddock, trout, turkey, chicken, Greek yogurt and beans, among others.

How does lead end up in food?

It’s almost impossible to avoid lead from ending up in food due to farming conditions, according to Consumer Reports. Heavy metal contamination can come from natural sources because lead is found in the earth’s crust.

Moreover, industrial farming contributes to pollution, wastewater irrigation or road dust that may cause toxins to end up in foods as plants absorb what is around them. As an example, metals can end up in milk through a cow’s consumption of feed and water.

What should consumers do?

Experts who spoke to Consumer Reports said that consumers who are concerned about their protein intake should limit exposure, check whether the test results for specific products are online prior to making a purchase, and consume foods with high levels of protein instead of protein powder or products.

This story has been updated to add new information.

Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at mdelrey@usatoday.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Use protein powder? New report reveals that some have high levels of lead

Reporting by Michelle Del Rey , USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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