Should You Worry About Lead in Protein Powder?

ICYMI, Consumer Reports recently released a study that found high levels of lead in a handful of popular protein powders. But before you chuck your shaker bottle across the room, let's talk about what those findings mean. To understand the implications, I spoke to a registered dietician, as well as REP's VP of Nutrition, Connor Shehan. 

Wait, how does lead even get into protein powder?

Registered dietician Lisa Valente, MS, RD, explains that lead can enter our food via the soil. In fact, lead occurs naturally in soil but — tale as old as time — human activity has increased lead levels over the years. A few culprits include emissions from vehicles that use leaded gasoline, runoff from industrial sites, and residue from older homes that used lead-based paint. 

Grass grows from soil, cows eat grass, milk comes from cows, whey protein comes from milk... ya follow? And the Earth connection means that lead is even more prevalent plant-based products. "Lead occurs naturally in soil, which means plant-derived proteins, including sources like pea, pumpkin, and hemp, inherently contain higher levels than whey protein," explains Connor Shehan, VP of Nutrition for Purist.

What exactly did Consumer Reports find? 

The CR report stacked 23 protein powders and pre-made shakes against the most rigorous limits in the industry and found that the majority of those brands (over two thirds) exceeded what Consumer Reports' team of experts deem a "safe" daily amount. 

"The Consumer Reports investigation used Prop 65 limits which are 0.5 micrograms per day," explains Valente. "The FDA's levels are significantly higher than that, but they don't set strict limits. Rather, they use what they call interim reference levels for children and women of childbearing age." 

Should we freak out?

In short, no. The Consumer Reports article states, "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."

But we should stay vigilant. "It can always feel scary when you hear about lead in your food," says Valente. "That's one reason why it is key to eat a variety of different foods and not overdo it on one food or product." 

The truth is, a little lead is inevitable. "In a dream world we wouldn't get any lead in our diet but that isn't realistic. We need to eat," says Valente. "I think the article does scare people unnecessarily, but it also speaks to the importance of making sure you get a protein powder that is independently tested." (More on that below.)

"I think it's also important to call out that lead and heavy metals aren’t specific to protein powders," adds Shehan. "Any sort of consumable product that comes from the ground has a potential to test high for lead." If you're still feeling spooked, Shehan suggests opting for a whey-based protein powder over a plant-based powder.

What you can do

Know what's in your powder

It seems like a new protein powder brand pops onto the market every other day. For that, we can partially thank the internet and influencer culture, which has helped protein morph from a necessary macro to a buzzy health trend. But the supplement industry is tough to regulate and, as a result, is filled with bad actors. That's why it's extremely important to look for products with third-party seals of approval, such as Informed Sport (which we use here at REP) or NSF Certified for Sport. 

"NSF and Informed Choice are my go-to 3rd party labs that test whether or not products are safe, free of banned substances and accurate related to what’s on their packaging," says Shehan. "I’d also recommend a product with a Nutrition Facts Panel (NFP) rather than products that feature a Supplement Facts Panel (SFP) since products with NFPs are regulated as a food," he adds.

Diversify your protein intake

Busy gym-goers love the ease of protein powder, and rightfully so. But don't rely on powder as your sole source of the macro. There are tons of whole food sources of protein you can incorporate into your diet, such as eggs, cottage cheese, chicken, and beef. "Protein powder helps make hitting your protein goals easier, especially when you're on the go. But we need to be eating real food for protein too," says Valente. 

What About REP's Purist Protein Powder?

Both the whey and plant-based varieties of REP's Purist protein powder are made with minimal, real ingredients. They both also undergo third-party testing and boast the Informed Choice seal of approval.

"When it comes to the ingredients specifically, I’d highly recommend a grass-fed whey protein isolate like what Purist offers," says Shehan. " The removal of fat and lactose in isolate sits in your stomach much better. I’d also highly recommend avoiding artificial flavors, artificial colors, sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners like Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium." As the name implies, you'll find none of that in Purist. 

The takeaway

While there's no cause for panic, Shehan and Valente agree that consumers should always stay vigilant about what’s going in and on their bodies — and protein powder is no exception. "We should all be looking for notable brands that use proven and trustworthy manufacturers with highly capable quality teams and testing standards," says Shehan.

With that in mind, go forth and enjoy your smoothies.

Jamey Powell, NASM-CPT, 200-Hour RYT, is a Brooklyn-based writer with eight years of experience covering a broad range of fitness and lifestyle topics. When she’s not exercising or writing, you can catch her producing indie films, crocheting, and playing video games. 

This article was reviewed by Ashley Boyer, ACE-CPT and Fitness Nutrition Specialist, for accuracy.