Protein powder is a must for anyone getting serious about building muscle or maintaining muscle as the amino acids provided by protein powder are crucial

Protein powders may contain high levels of lead and cadmium, with chocolate-flavored and plant-based products testing at the highest levels, a new report said.

exceeded California Proposition 65 safety thresholds for toxic metals. The presence of heavy metals was most pronounced in plant-based protein powders, with products made from rice, peas, and soy found to have up to three times the amount of lead compared to whey-based products.

Lead and cadmium, neither good for you, are found in high levels in protein powders. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency identified "plant-based, organic and chocolate-flavored products" as those with the highest amount,

Lead and cadmium were found in a majority of the protein powders that were tested. There is no safe level of lead, which has been linked to developmental disorders and high blood pressure.

Chocolate protein powders contained up to 110 times more cadmium than vanilla-flavored powders, according to the Clean Label Project report from Jan. 9. Photo: Christopher Polk/ Nearly half of some of the most popular protein powders have levels of heavy metals like lead that exceed government food safety regulations,

The report found that 77% of plant-based protein powders, 79% of organic protein powders and 65% of chocolate-flavored protein powders tested over California Proposition 65 safety thresholds for toxic metals.

A new report from the Clean Label Project says some popular protein powders may actually be poisonous. The report found “disturbing” levels of lead and cadmium in over-the-counter protein powers, with the highest amounts of the heavy metals being found in plant-based,