“This explains everything about the manosphere podcast orbit.”

A report by Consumer Reports finds the poisonous steel lead in a number of common protein powders. The web reacts to the budding security concern with jokes and memes.

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Is there lead in protein powder?

In an X publish, the report’s writer, Paris Martineau, shares that over 60 lab checks of “leading protein supplements” contained extra lead than what consultants contemplate protected.

Lead publicity is linked to mind injury and developmental delays, based on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report notes that there isn’t a “safe” quantity of lead publicity, and it ought to be stored as little as attainable, regardless of federal laws.

Two common protein powders within the report—Huel’s Black Edition meal alternative powder and Naked Nutrition’s vegan mass gainer—had such excessive ranges when examined that consultants urged avoiding them fully.

“For context: taking just one serving of one of these powders would expose you to 45% more lead than the average American gets from everything they eat/drink in a day COMBINED,” Martineau writes in a publish.

She notes that dietary supplements, akin to protein powder, fall in a “regulatory grey area.” This means they might not be as extremely scrutinized for harmful contaminants.

Martineau additionally factors to the protein-maxxing development, wherein gym-goers try to include as a lot muscle-building protein as attainable into their diets. However, research present that folks don’t want as a lot protein because the chronically on-line would recommend.

However, one TikToker and meals scientist, Hydroxide, means that the outcomes might not be as alarming as they seem. They word that the report makes use of Prop 65 tips, that are stricter than federal limits. These tips replicate a stage even decrease than a “non-harmful” stage of lead.

“If protein powders were tested in this study and showed heavy metal results that exceeded Prop 65, that could still mean they are well within their limits because the dosage is still so low,” Hydroxide explains.

@hydroxide The new Consumer Reports examine on protein powder jogged my memory of this. #foodscience #foodscientist #prop65 #heavymetals #lead #leadfree #proteinpowder #dietary supplements ♬ authentic sound – hydroxide – meals scientist

How did the web react to the report?

Other X customers react to the report, some joking concerning the security of the protein powders. Others query whether or not the lead in protein powder is the foundation of dangerous conduct they’ve noticed on the fitness center.

“New potential explanation for ‘what’s happening in America in 2025,’” one posts, with an image of the report.

“Ahh, ok, is that why gym guys act like that?” one writes.

“‘Protein powder has lead’ explains A LOT,” a 3rd jokes.

“The lead in protein powder is explaining a lot to me about the average man,” stated one other.

“This explains everything about the manosphere podcast orbit,” left-wing Twitch streamer (and fitness center bro) Hasan Piker tweeted.

Meanwhile, others are responding because the web normally does: with memes.

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