Investigation Finds Popular Protein Powders And Shakes Contain Unsafe Levels Of Lead – “Worse Than The Last Time We Tested”

According to a Consumer Reports investigation, more than two-thirds of protein powders and shakes analyzed contained unsafe levels of lead.

“For more than two-thirds of the products we analyzed, a single serving contained more lead than CR’s food safety experts say is safe to consume in a day—some by more than 10 times,” the report said.

23 protein powders and ready-to-drink shakes from popular brands were tested during the investigation.

Investigators tested dairy, beef, and plant-based protein products.

Our tests of popular dairy, beef, and plant-based protein products found plant-based options had the highest lead levels, 9x as much as dairy and 2x as much as beef. Even dairy powders weren’t risk-free: half were too contaminated for safe daily use. pic.twitter.com/DaV9KmR2o9

— Consumer Reports (@ConsumerReports) October 14, 2025

More from Consumer Reports:

Nearly all the plant-based products CR tested had elevated lead levels, but some were particularly concerning. Two had so much lead that CR’s experts caution against using them at all. A single serving of these protein powders contained between 1,200 and 1,600 percent of CR’s level of concern for lead, which is 0.5 micrograms per day. Two others had between 400 and 600 percent of that level per daily serving. CR experts recommend limiting these to once a week.

The lead levels in plant-based products were, on average, nine times the amount found in those made with dairy proteins like whey, and twice as great as beef-based ones. Dairy-based protein powders and shakes generally had the lowest amounts of lead, but half of the products we tested still had high enough levels of contamination that CR’s experts advise against daily use.

There’s no reason to panic if you’ve been using any of the products we tested, or if you take protein supplements generally. Many of these powders are fine to have occasionally, and even those with the highest lead levels are far below the concentration needed to cause immediate harm. That said, because most people don’t actually need protein supplements—nutrition experts say the average American already gets plenty—it makes sense to ask whether these products are worth the added exposure.

Consumers often assume supplements deliver health benefits without risks, says Pieter Cohen, MD, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “But that’s not true.”

“It’s concerning that these results are even worse than the last time we tested,” Consumer Reports safety researcher Tunde Akinleye said.

“We advise against daily use for most protein powders, since many have high levels of heavy metals and none are necessary to hit your protein goals,” Akinleye added.

Popular protein powders and shakes contain increasingly more heavy metal contamination, according to tests conducted by Consumer Reports, which found high levels of lead in some popular brands behind the rapidly growing protein market. Some of the products contained 10 times more… pic.twitter.com/9wldPtp7ra

— Forbes (@Forbes) October 15, 2025

CBS News noted:

“We’ve been knowing for years that there’s this concern that there might be too many heavy metals, specifically lead in supplements that people are taking. And to see that that’s still a problem … is alarming,” Cohen, who was not involved in the investigation, told CBS News.

The products that Consumer Reports found contained the highest amount of lead were Naked Nutrition’s Vegan Mass Gainer and Huel’s Black Edition — which the report categorized as “products to avoid.” A full list of the products tested can be found in the report.

A spokesperson for Huel told Consumer Reports that its ingredients undergo “rigorous testing” and that the company is “confident in the current formulation and safety of the products.”

In a statement to CBS News on Tuesday, Huel’s Head of Nutrition Rebecca Williams said its products “fully comply with international food safety regulations” and are “completely safe to consume.”

“Trace amounts of lead occur naturally in some food ingredients. The level reported by Consumer Reports for Huel Black Edition is well within internationally recognised safety limits and poses no health risk,” the statement added. “We carry out regular testing with accredited independent laboratories to ensure our products consistently meet the highest standards of quality and safety.”

Lead is a natural constituent of the earth, and anything that grows in the earth will contain trace amounts of lead, according to Cohen.

“The problem is that once that lead gets contaminated, or if the soil is contaminated with pollution or other human-made products, the plants can absorb more lead than usual,” Cohen said. “And that lead can build up in products like plant-based protein powders that are being sold as supplements.”

Read the full list of tested products HERE.

What is your thought?