One study shows how many protein powders have traces of these scary toxins.

Protein powder certainly has a positive reputation. Between the benefits of getting more protein in your diet to how protein affects your muscles after a workout, the use of protein powder in smoothies and even baked goods has increased significantly. Yet if you’re not careful with the protein powders you are purchasing, you could be consuming unsafe ingredients.

According to a study done by the Clean Label Project, out of the 134 of the top-selling protein powder products tested, many of those protein powders tested for having high levels of toxins, including heavy metals. They detected 70% of protein powders had lead in it, 74% detected levels of cadmium, and 55% detected levels of BPA (which is used to make plastic). Arsenic was also detected in these protein powders.

Before assuming the type of protein powder that has detected amounts of lead, take a further look at their research. The Clean Label Project actually found plant-based protein powders to be worse in terms of detected levels of heavy metals (75% of them tested positive), as well as the protein powder that is considered organic. Certified “organic” protein powder products had an average of two times more heavy metals compared to the non-organic products tested.