Protein powder is full of lead

Yes, but. In Consumer Reports’ 2025 tests, more than two thirds of 23 protein powders and shakes had more lead in one serving than its very cautious daily level of 0.5 micrograms, and plant-based ones averaged about nine times the lead of dairy ones. CR also said none was anywhere near the amount that causes immediate harm. Use food or a dairy powder, and not every day.

Where this came from

In October 2025, Consumer Reports published its first lead test of protein powders and shakes since 2010. It bought 23 products from stores and online retailers, tested samples from several lots of each, and found the average lead level higher than 15 years earlier, with fewer products where none could be detected. The article spread fast, and “protein powder is full of lead” is how most people heard it.

What the tests found

Dairy products generally had the lowest amounts, but not all of them were under the line. CR’s advice covered the whole category: “We advise against daily use for most protein powders.”

What “level of concern” means

CR’s level is 0.5 micrograms of lead a day, taken from California’s Prop 65 limit, which CR says has “a wide safety margin built in.” It works like the speed limit outside a school. It’s set low on purpose, with a lot of room before anyone gets hurt, and most of these powders went over it.

That’s why CR wrote both things at once. “There’s no reason to panic if you’ve been using any of the products we tested,” and even those with the highest levels “are far below the concentration needed to cause immediate harm.” But CR’s food safety lead also said “There is no safe amount of lead,” and the worry with lead is repeated exposure over time. A scoop every morning is a dose every morning. CR’s experts say children and pregnant people are the most vulnerable.

There are no federal limits for heavy metals in protein powder, and the FDA doesn’t test supplements before they’re sold.

The part the headline gets wrong

“Full of lead” makes it sound like every tub is dangerous. The tests found a wide range. A few plant powders were far over the line and some products had no lead detected, and the type of protein predicted a lot of it. Dairy did best.

It also makes powder sound like the only way to get protein into a shake. A cup of 1% cottage cheese has 28 g of protein. A cup of 2% milk and 7 oz of plain Greek yogurt have 28 g together. CR itself suggests making your own shakes by swapping the powder for high-protein foods like Greek yogurt.

Whey or plant, after the tests

For most people, whey: it tested lowest for lead and has more leucine. If you avoid dairy, soy milk and tofu give you soy protein as food, and soy matched milk for muscle across 17 trials in a 2025 review. If you do use a plant powder, use it less often. CR suggested limiting two of the plant powders it tested to once a week. What’s in a protein powder has more on choosing one and reading the label.