What's That Rash?
Episode: What is lead doing in protein powder?
Date: October 28, 2025
Host: Dr. Norman Swan & Co-Host
Podcast by: ABC News
Episode Overview
This episode tackles a growing health concern: the presence of lead and other heavy metals in protein powders. Spurred by listener questions and a recent Consumer Reports study, hosts Dr. Norman Swan and his co-host dig into how lead might end up in protein supplements, the health risks of chronic lead exposure, and what practical steps consumers can take to minimize harm—especially for young people and vulnerable groups. The episode reviews scientific, historical, and policy aspects of lead toxicity, balancing serious health information with the hosts’ trademark banter and historical asides.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Listener Question Launches the Topic
[01:35 – 02:34]
- Connor, a listener, describes being gifted a large tub of protein powder for post-run recovery and raises concerns about a study showing heavy metals (especially lead) in some protein powders.
- Lynn, another listener, asks if the risk is real and significant.
How Does Lead Get into Protein Powder?
[03:24 – 05:24]
- Dr. Norman Swan: Summarizes US studies finding "significant quantities of lead in protein powders," with daily consumption sometimes exceeding California’s suggested daily lead limit.
- Lead enters protein powders through various environmental sources:
- Soil contamination: Especially in crops used for powder like peas.
- Manufacturing & machinery: Possible transfer from processing equipment.
- Persistent environmental lead: Old paint, smelters, plumbing, and batteries all contribute to general contamination.
What Did the Consumer Reports Study Find?
[05:24 – 06:17]
- The Consumer Reports research analyzed multiple brands, batches, and time periods.
- Some products, when consumed daily, could expose individuals to potentially hazardous lead levels, particularly concerning for children and adolescents.
"If it's teenage kids taking it when they've still got growing bodies, children are those who are affected most by lead in the environment."
— Dr. Norman Swan [05:48]
Health Risks of Lead Exposure
[06:17 – 08:03]
- Acute (high-dose) and chronic (long-term, lower-dose) lead poisoning can both have serious health effects.
- The body stores lead, particularly in bones, where it can leach out over years.
- Lead disrupts metabolic processes and interferes with sodium and calcium in the body, affecting:
- Nerve function
- Heart and vascular health
- Brain development (especially in children)
- Children are at heightened risk because of behaviors (putting things in their mouths) and biological vulnerability.
"Lead can get in the way of all that... it just starts to interfere in replacing some of these ions in our body with lead. So it's everywhere, and particularly in the brain and particularly in children."
— Dr. Norman Swan [07:03]
Historical Use of Lead & Its Recognition as a Toxin
[08:03 – 12:29]
- Lead’s toxicity has been described for millennia, from Greek physician Nicander ("gleaming, deadly white lead") to Roman physician Dioscorides ("lead makes the mind give way").
- The Romans flavored and sweetened food/drinks with lead (notably in the reduction of grape juice for "sapper"){~9:54}.
"Would you like to hazard a guess as to how much lead we're talking about, like, in terms of concentration?...One gram per litre. One gram of lead per litre."
— Co-Host [09:55]
- Historical connections between lead exposure, gout ("saturnine gout"), and broader public health impacts (including potentially the fall of the Roman Empire).
The Australian Context
[13:21 – 16:16]
- No established maximum lead levels in protein powders in Australia, unlike certain US states.
- Historical research (Gibson & Turner, Brisbane Children’s Hospital, 1892) first linked neurological disease in children to lead in house paint; global policy changes lagged decades behind research.
"It took another 70 years for a legislated reduction of lead and domestic paints to take place, even though in 1892 they made their first description."
— Dr. Norman Swan [12:49]
"Safe" Lead Levels: Is There Such a Thing?
[13:21 – 15:42]
- There is no truly safe level of lead exposure—any amount carries some risk.
- Comparative figures:
- Some protein powders: up to 7.7 micrograms per serving
- US limits: 2.2 micrograms/day for children, 8.8 for women of childbearing age
- Chronic, low-level exposure can “lower IQ, lower school performance” in children and contribute to kidney damage, high blood pressure, and possibly dementia in adults.
Socioeconomic Disparities in Lead Exposure
[15:42 – 16:46]
- Higher lead exposure risks in communities with historic use of leaded petrol, old housing (paint), and generally lower socioeconomic status.
Practical Advice – Should You Take Protein Powder?
[16:16 – 18:32]
- Most Australians get enough protein from food if following a varied, balanced diet. Only specific populations (elderly, frail, people with restricted diets) may benefit from supplementation.
- Australian versus US products: lack of data on local powders; imported products may have been part of studies showing high lead content.
- Key recommendation:
- Prefer food-based protein.
- If using powder, select carefully, avoid excess, and be mindful of potential risks.
"Work out whether you really do need protein powders, given that there's a chance that there is lead in them, particularly if you've imported them from overseas. You just don't know what's there..."
— Dr. Norman Swan [18:12]
Memorable Moments, Quotes & Tone
- Historical digressions: Ancient Rome’s culinary lead habit; Saturnine gout; Roman "sapper" compared to modern protein powder contamination.
- Host banter: The "Mediterranean diet bell," dinner table conversations with Norman’s teenage sons (and their likely skepticism).
- Running gag: Cats’ attraction to Norman, recounted during mailbag section.
Listener Mailbag (Fragrances & Cat Antics)
[19:04 onward]
- Quick detour into ongoing listener questions:
- Lavender for PTSD: Ongoing drug-company-sponsored trial explores its utility in reducing anxiety symptoms.
- Cat stories: Listeners suggest Norman’s avoidance attracts cats (“Treat them mean, keep them keen”), and some report cats love the smell of male armpits.
Segment Timestamps
- 01:35 – Listener question on protein powder & lead
- 03:24 – How lead enters protein powder
- 05:24 – Findings of the Consumer Reports study
- 06:17 – Health impacts of lead; children’s vulnerability
- 08:03 – History of lead poisoning (ancient to modern)
- 13:21 – Standards & “safe” exposure levels: US vs Australia
- 15:42 – Socioeconomic disparities in exposure
- 16:16 – Australian protein powders: what’s known, what’s not
- 16:46 – When protein supplementation is justified
- 18:12 – Key takeaways on making safe protein choices
- 19:04 – Listener mailbag (lavender for PTSD, cat behaviour)
Notable Quotes
"If it's teenage kids taking it when they've still got growing bodies, children are those who are affected most by lead in the environment."
— Dr. Norman Swan [05:48]
"Lead can get in the way of all that... it just starts to interfere in replacing some of these ions in our body with lead. So it's everywhere, and particularly in the brain and particularly in children."
— Dr. Norman Swan [07:03]
"There is no recognised safe level of lead, but there is a kind of baseline exposure because it is in the environment that we're all exposed to to varying extents."
— Co-Host [13:21]
"Work out whether you really do need protein powders, given that there's a chance that there is lead in them, particularly if you've imported them from overseas. You just don't know what's there..."
— Dr. Norman Swan [18:12]
"It's not nothing. And the issue here is, in the past, lead poisoning was blamed for the fall of the Roman Empire."
— Dr. Norman Swan [14:41]
Summary & Takeaways
- The presence of lead in protein powders is a legitimate health concern according to US research, with concentrations that could approach or exceed recommended daily limits—especially worrisome in children and adolescents.
- Lead exposure remains a chronic, cumulative risk factor—impairing brain development in children and linked to vascular, kidney, and even cognitive issues in adults.
- The contamination stems from environmental persistence of lead (soil, manufacturing equipment) and historical misuse in products.
- Regulatory standards differ internationally. In Australia, there are no formal limits for protein powders, and no comprehensive testing data.
- Most healthy individuals can get sufficient protein from their regular diet.
- Supplementation may be appropriate for some, but cautious selection and moderation are essential, particularly for imported powders.
- The episode is rich with historical vignettes, playful banter, and practical advice, making a complex topic accessible and engaging.
For Further Listening
The hosts reference their earlier episode: “How much protein do you really need?” for those interested in the health benefits and necessity of protein supplementation.