Protein powders have become a staple among gym-goers and health enthusiasts as a trusted tool for building muscle, fitness, and weight management. But are they safe for long-term health? A recent report reveals a shocking truth: nearly half of the products tested contain toxic metals linked to cancer.
A recent study report from a consumer safety nonprofit group, Clean Label Project, revealed that 47% of protein powders investigated contained heavy metals at levels that exceeded government food safety regulations, with the highest amounts in plant-based, organic, and chocolate-flavored products.
“Organic products, on average, showed higher levels of heavy metal contamination, with three times more lead and twice the amount of cadmium compared to non-organic products. Plant-based protein powders were particularly concerning, showing three times more lead than whey-based alternatives, and chocolate-flavored powders contained four times more lead than vanilla,” the researchers wrote in the report.
To understand the gravity of the situation, no level of lead is considered safe for human consumption, and both lead and cadmium are known carcinogens. Studies have shown that even low levels of lead exposure can affect physical growth and mental development in children. Chronic exposure to cadmium is linked to kidney, bone, and lung diseases.
“Heavy metal contaminant is a global food safety problem. These contaminants are basically everywhere, including in things that are being represented as health foods,” said Jaclyn Bowen, executive director of the Clean Label Project.
The findings were based on analyzing a total of 160 products purchased from 70 best-selling brands of protein powders. However, the brand names were not disclosed in the report “to maintain fairness and consistency and to avoid potential conflicts of interest.”
The researchers believe that their findings serve as “a wake-up call” for not just consumers, but manufacturers and retailers. Since there are no comprehensive federal regulations specifically targeting heavy metals in dietary supplements, they urge all stakeholders to take proactive measures to ensure product safety and protect public health.
“Clean Label Project’s findings call for a new level of transparency and stricter safety standards to protect consumers from long-term exposure to these contaminants,” the report read.
However, the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), an industry group representing supplement manufacturers, criticized the report, citing a lack of transparency in how contamination thresholds were determined and products were selected. “Without such clarity, consumers and industry stakeholders cannot fully evaluate the validity of the claims,” Andrea Wong, CRN’s senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs said in a statement to CNN.
