Should you worry about heavy metals in protein powder?

Short answer

At 1 scoop (30 g) a day, it was not a level to worry about. The metals are there, but most analyses found them within limits, and whey stayed below a risk index of 1 even at 100 g a day. Plant-based products had 3~5 times more lead and cadmium, and 90 g a day came close to the limit.

Should you worry about heavy metals in protein powder?
'Protein powder → heavy metals → build-up in the body' — does this formula hold?
Every so often, news reports say protein supplements contain lead, cadmium or arsenic. We checked whether they really do, and if so, whether the amount is safe to take every day.
Are they really in there?
Yes, and more in plant-based products
An analysis of 30 products in China found at least one heavy metal in every one. Plant-based products averaged 0.18 mg of lead per 1 kg, 3 times dairy protein (0.06), and 0.05 mg of cadmium, 5 times 0.01. The highest was a brown rice and cocoa flavored product (lead 0.60).
What about 1 scoop a day?
European products were all within limits
For 56 European plant-based protein products eaten at 30 g a day, no element, lead and cadmium included, went over intake limits. For 47 whey products, even 30 g, 60 g or 100 g a day for 25 years kept the metal risk index below 1 (the caution line).
The products US reports warned about?
Even 3 scoops a day stayed below a risk index of 1
A US consumer group flagged 15 products, and another survey said 40% of 133 had high heavy metals. Using those measurements, the risk index stayed below 1 at 1 or 3 scoops a day, and estimated blood lead was below the guideline (5) in every case. Mass gainers scored highest, whey lowest.
What if you eat a lot?
At 90 g a day, it neared the limit
For the 30 Chinese products, the risk index was 0.45 at 30 g a day and 0.90 at 90 g. Running 10,000 simulations of heavy use, the top 5% reached 1.28, over the limit. Arsenic and cadmium drove the number up.
Only some products went over
Cadmium varied 78-fold between products
All 22 Hungarian products were under limits, and mercury in all 50 Polish products was under the EU limit. What went over was cadmium in 25 products from Pakistani pharmacies: it ranged from 0.01 to 0.78 mg per 1 kg, a 78-fold spread, and weekly intake exceeded the European limit.
Bottom line: 1 scoop is not a level to worry about
Heavy use of plant-based powders and gainers gets close to the limit
In most analyses, 30 g a day stayed within limits, and whey stayed below a risk index of 1 up to 100 g a day. Plant-based products had 3~5 times more lead and cadmium, and 90 g a day pushed the risk index up to 0.90. Mass gainers had the highest risk index.