Overview
- Consumer Reports tested 23 powders and ready-to-drink shakes and measured lead from 0 to 7.7 micrograms per serving, with most plant-based products showing higher levels than animal-based options.
- Sixteen products exceeded California’s 0.5 microgram-per-day benchmark, yet results were below the FDA reference intake for females of childbearing age, while four servings exceeded the FDA’s daily limit for children.
- Plant-derived proteins showed markedly higher contamination, with nine times the lead found in whey-based products and roughly double that of beef-based options in the sample set.
- The tests also flagged two products above Consumer Reports’ cadmium cutoff and one above its arsenic cutoff, indicating concerns beyond lead alone.
- Canada’s food inspector says it has monitored toxic metals in protein powders since 2011, but no product-specific federal lead limits exist, as companies named in the report cite compliance with U.S. or EU standards and experts recommend limiting routine powder use, especially for vulnerable groups.