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Photo: Oksana Restenko/Getty ImagesIf protein powder is a key part of your high-protein diet, it may be time to reassess your choices. Recent findings from the Clean Label Project revealed alarming and unsafe levels of lead and cadmium in nearly 50% of the most popular protein powders available today.
The study, released on January 9th, tested 160 protein powder products from the top 70 brands, accounting for approximately 38% of the protein powder market. The products were examined for 258 potential contaminants, including arsenic, mercury, and bisphenols. Shockingly, 47% exceeded California's Proposition 65 safety thresholds for heavy metals, with 21% of those surpassing the lead threshold by more than double.
What Are the Effects of Lead and Cadmium Exposure?
Lead and cadmium are hazardous heavy metals that pose severe health risks, and there are no safe levels of exposure, as stated by the FDA.
Lead can harm the brain, kidneys, nervous system, and blood. It's particularly dangerous for young children, as it can stunt growth, impair development, and reduce IQ.
Cadmium accumulates in your kidneys and liver, where it can stay for years while your body slowly processes it into waste. Consuming excessive amounts of cadmium can overwhelm your organs and cause damage. It can also harm your bones and nervous system, along with your kidneys and liver.
How Do Lead and Cadmium End Up in These Products?
"Plants absorb heavy metals from the air, water, and soil, and these contaminants can remain in the final product long after it's processed," explains Yasi Ansari, MS, RDN, CSSD, Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "Some exposure to heavy metals can originate from natural or industrial sources, but the majority of the pollution concerns are linked to human and industrial activities."
When plants absorb these metals, they can enter our food supply, either through the produce we consume directly or via the animals we eat if they consume contaminated plants.
How to Choose Safer Protein Powders
If you're struggling to give up your protein powder routine, you might be curious about which products failed the lead and cadmium tests. Although the Clean Label Project did not specify which products exceeded the acceptable levels, they did provide a list of trusted protein powder brands such as Puori, Wicked, Needed, Nutrabox, Wellbeing, and Ritual. You can check out the full list of products that passed their tests.
However, there are several steps you can take to minimize your exposure.
Choose whey, collagen, or pea-based protein powders.
According to the Clean Label Project study, whey, collagen, and pea-based protein powders were less likely to exceed the California Proposition 65 lead limits. Only 28% of whey protein powders and 26% of collagen powders contained high levels of lead. Among plant-based proteins, pea protein had the lowest contamination, but overall, plant-based powders had five times more cadmium than whey protein powders.
Steer clear of chocolate-based protein powders.
In the Clean Label Project study, 65% of chocolate-flavored protein powders tested had elevated lead levels, with alarmingly high cadmium content—110 times more than vanilla-flavored powders. This is unsurprising, as chocolate has been in the news for heavy metal contamination. Other chocolate products, especially dark chocolate, have also been found to contain unsafe levels of lead and cadmium, according to Consumer Reports.
Opt for non-organic protein powders.
Surprisingly, organic products contained three times more lead than their non-organic equivalents, with 79% of organic protein powders exceeding the Prop 65 safety limits. In this case, opting for non-organic protein powders might lower your exposure to lead. "We need further research and a deeper understanding of agricultural practices to explain why some organic foods may have higher levels of heavy metals," says Ansari.
Seek third-party testing and certifications.
Ansari advises checking the nutrition labels of the protein powders you purchase to see if they've been independently tested. "I generally recommend products that have undergone third-party testing and certifications like NSF Certified or NSF Certified for Sport," says Ansari. "NSF ensures that the product contains what is listed on the label and verifies that it doesn't contain unsafe levels of heavy metals."
Healthy Protein Powder Alternatives
Variety is key, and it may help reduce your exposure. "Protein powder can be useful, but it's not essential for everyone," says Ansari. "I always advocate for a food-first approach. Consuming protein-rich foods from various sources throughout meals and snacks provides a broad range of vitamins and minerals that support health—nutrients that protein powders alone can't provide."
If you're using protein powder to supplement your diet but want to reduce or stop its use to lower your exposure to lead and cadmium, consider switching to other convenient, healthy high-protein snacks.
Some of the high-protein snacks Ansari recommends are:
- Canned tuna (20-25 grams of protein in 3 ounces)
- Greek yogurt (10-18 grams of protein in 5.3 ounces)
- Chicken (21 grams of protein in 3 ounces)
- Eggs (18-21 grams of protein in 3 eggs)
- Tofu (22 grams of protein per cup)
- Edamame (18 grams of protein per cup)
- Steamed lentils (18 grams of protein per cup)
- Black beans (15 grams of protein per cup)
- Cooked quinoa (8 grams of protein per cup)
- Peanut butter (7 grams of protein per 2 tbsp)
- Cooked pasta (8 grams of protein per cup)
For a protein-packed smoothie, try adding any of these ingredients:
- Nut butters (especially peanuts, which have the highest protein content)
- Silken tofu
- Greek yogurt
- Cottage cheese
- Chia seeds
- Flaxseeds
- Kefir
"To minimize exposure to heavy metals, it's crucial to emphasize variety," Ansari suggests. "Focus on whole foods in your diet, use supplements when necessary, and learn ways to reduce heavy metal exposure during cooking. When considering protein powder supplements, begin by choosing products that have undergone third-party testing."
