{"id":341533,"date":"2025-10-29T20:32:14","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T20:32:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/341533\/"},"modified":"2025-10-29T20:32:14","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T20:32:14","slug":"consumer-reports-found-lead-in-protein-powders-what-this-means-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/341533\/","title":{"rendered":"Consumer Reports Found Lead In Protein Powders\u2014What This Means For You"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s nothing scarier than finding out that the protein powder<\/a> you\u2019ve been using for months to years might be contaminated with\u2014gulp\u2014lead<\/a>. That was the major headline in recent weeks after Consumer Reports, an advocacy organization, shared their latest findings<\/a> that there are high levels of lead in popular protein powders and premade shakes.<\/p>\n

It might have you dumping your post-workout protein smoothie down the drain, scheduling an appointment with your doctor, or both. But before you freak out: experts say that the report isn\u2019t actually cause for concern. There\u2019s more to the story when it comes to lead in protein supplements.
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Meet the experts: <\/strong>Sana Mujahid<\/a>, PhD, is the manager of Food Safety Research and Testing at Consumer Reports. Andrea Love<\/a>, PhD, is a biomedical scientist and writer of the newsletter Immunologic<\/a>. Leslie Bonci<\/a>, RD, MPH, is a dietician who has worked with General Mills, Kellogg’s, and the Kansas City Chiefs. <\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what you need to know about keeping yourself safe from lead exposure\u2014while still getting help hitting those protein goals.<\/p>\n

Here’s a breakdown of what the report uncovered.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Earlier this month, Consumer Reports published an article detailing their look at 23 protein powder and ready-made shakes, including from popular brands Naked Nutrition, Momentous, Optimum Nutrition, Orgain, Quest, and Ensure. They tested the products for levels of metals such as lead, cadmium<\/a>, arsenic<\/a>, and others.<\/p>\n

According to Consumer Reports\u2019 testing, only one product had no levels of lead detected. Two had levels so high that Consumer Reports doesn\u2019t recommend people consume them ever, and six got the stamp of approval for consuming daily. Per the report, plant-based protein supplements<\/a> had nine times the amount of lead compared to dairy-based products.<\/p>\n

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As for why they went looking: the advocacy group tested protein powders 15 years ago<\/a> and found lead back then. Since protein supplements are something people tend to take regularly, even though most Americans hit their protein goals without them, Consumer Reports said that making sure they\u2019re not getting chronic exposure to the metal might be a benefit to their health. <\/p>\n

\u201c[Lead exposure] can lead to adverse health outcomes over time,\u201d says Sana Mujahid, PhD, the manager of Food Safety Research and Testing at Consumer Reports. At certain levels in the body (more on this in a minute), this heavy metal has been linked with adverse health effects including decreased kidney function, heart conditions, nerve disorders, and mood changes, according to the National Institutes of Health<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Between Consumer Reports\u2019 2010 research and now, lead levels in the protein powders they tested have risen, something that Mujahid calls \u201cconcerning.\u201d After calculating lead levels, Consumer Reports issued recommendations about how often to consume each product.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a breakdown of the organization\u2019s recommendations based on their recent findings:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Protein products CR says you should avoid:<\/strong><\/p>\n