Overview

• Testing of 23 powders and ready-to-drink shakes found that about 70% exceeded Consumer Reports’ 0.5 microgram-per-day lead benchmark, with some servings topping it by more than tenfold.
• Plant-derived products were the most contaminated on average—about nine times higher than dairy and twice beef—prompting warnings to avoid two specific plant-based powders altogether.
• Products with the highest measured lead included Naked Nutrition’s Vegan Mass Gainer at 7.7 micrograms per serving and Huel’s Black Edition at about 6.3 micrograms, according to the report.
• Other heavy metals were detected as well, including cadmium and inorganic arsenic, and Consumer Reports advises against daily use of most protein powders despite noting no immediate harm from occasional consumption.
• With no enforceable federal limits for heavy metals in these supplements, Consumer Reports launched a petition urging FDA action as the agency said it will review the findings and some companies disputed the results using different safety benchmarks.