Overview

• Testing of 23 powders and ready-to-drink products found more than two-thirds exceeded Consumer Reports’ single-day lead benchmark per serving.
• Some servings measured roughly 4 to 16 times Consumer Reports’ 0.5 microgram daily lead level of concern.
• Plant-based formulas, particularly pea protein, averaged about nine times more lead than dairy or beef options, while whey products generally tested lowest.
• Several products also contained detectable cadmium and arsenic, with cadmium in some cases above levels public health authorities view as potentially harmful for daily exposure.
• Consumer Reports advises against daily use for most powders, while some clinicians call its limits overly conservative and note the amounts are far below adult exposure caps.