Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Many protein powders and shakes contain alarming levels of lead and other heavy metals, according to an investigation released Tuesday by a consumer watchdog group.
Consumer Reports' investigation centered on tests of 23 protein powders and ready-to-drink shakes that found that more than two-thirds had more lead in a single serving than the group's experts said was safe to consume in a day. Some products contained more than 10 times the amount of the neurotoxin Consumer Reports said was safe for daily consumption.
The nonprofit group first looked into the health risks of protein shakes 15 years ago, and updated its findings as bars, supplements and other foods packed with the nutrient have proliferated as they've been marketed as a way to build muscle and shed weight despite potential downsides. The investigation also argued that Americans don't need to be consuming all that extra protein anyway.
"We've created this health halo around protein," Hannah Cutting-Jones, a food historian and assistant professor at the University of Oregon, told Consumer Reports. "It gives us an excuse to eat a lot of things we shouldn't be eating."
Consumer Reports purchased multiple samples of each product from distinct lots and multiple retailers over the span of three months starting in November.
