A study found lead in popular protein powders. Here's why you shouldn't panic

"The nonprofit organization tested multiple samples of 23 protein powders and ready-to-drink shakes from a range of stores and online retailers over a three-month period beginning last November. Their results, published on Tuesday, show that more than two-thirds of the products contain more lead in a single serving than CR's experts say is safe to consume in an entire day."

""Some of the products had more than 10 times the level that our experts say is safe," Consumer Reports reporter Paris Martineau told NPR on Wednesday. CR says lead levels were especially high across plant-based protein powders on average, nine times higher than those made with dairy proteins and twice as great as those of beef-based powders. "When it came to the protein powders and shakes made with whey or dairy-based proteins, those generally had the lowest amounts of lead," Martineau said."

"It says that modern testing methods are sensitive enough to identify trace amounts of naturally occurring heavy metals, and that alone does not equate to a health hazard. "A finding that a product exceeds CR's self-imposed threshold is not the same as exceeding a government safety limit, nor is it evidence of any safety risk to consumers," the trade group added."

Multiple samples of 23 protein powders and ready-to-drink shakes were tested over a three-month period beginning last November. More than two-thirds of products contained more lead in a single serving than experts consider safe for an entire day. Some products contained more than ten times the indicated safe level. Lead concentrations were highest in plant-based protein powders, averaging nine times those in dairy-based powders and twice those in beef-based powders. Whey and other dairy-based products generally had the lowest lead amounts, yet about half of tested products showed contamination levels that experts advise against daily use. A trade group cautioned that sensitive testing can detect trace naturally occurring heavy metals and that exceeding a non-government threshold does not necessarily indicate a regulatory safety violation.

Read at www.npr.org