If you start your day with a protein shake, you’re not alone. But a new Consumer Reports investigation finds that many popular protein powders and shakes pack much more than protein, with some containing troubling levels of toxic heavy metals, including lead and, cadmium.
Watch the report from Keenan in the video player below
Investigators with Consumer Reports tested 23 of the nation’s top-selling products, from vegan blends to whey-based shakes. More than two-thirds of the products had more lead in a single serving than experts say is safe to consume in an entire day. This study is a follow-up to an investigation first conducted 15 years ago.
I contacted the investigative reporter working on this story for Consumer Reports, and she said the contamination concerns are even greater today.
"We were really surprised to learn that not only has the problem of contamination with heavy metals like lead gotten worse since we last tested these powders," said Paris Martineau. "It seems to be kind of more omnipresent."
Consumer reports tested dairy, beef, and Plant-based powders. Beef and dairy-based powders generally performed better. But even some of those were not completely free of contamination. Plant-based protein powder showed much greater contamination.
"One thing that really stuck out from our results was that nearly all the plant-based powders we tested had elevated levels of lead. And plant-based powders as a category were, on average, they had about nine times as much as dairy-based powders and twice as much as beef-based ones," Paris said.
There are no federal limits for lead or other heavy metals in these supplements. Manufacturers are not required to prove safety before putting their products on store shelves.
Experts recommend getting protein from real foods, like yogurt, eggs, beans, and lean meats.
