Naked Nutrition Vegan Mass Gainer: Why It Ranked WORST in Consumer Reports Lead Testing (2025)

The Shocking Results: Naked Nutrition's Complete Failure

Naked Nutrition has built its brand on a simple premise: pure, clean, "naked" ingredients with nothing to hide. Their marketing emphasizes transparency, minimal processing, and no additives.

Yet when Consumer Reports tested their Vegan Mass Gainer for heavy metal contamination, it failed spectacularly - posting the worst results in the entire study.

How Bad Is 7.7 µg of Lead?

To put this in perspective, here's where Naked Nutrition stands compared to other tested products:

Naked Nutrition had nearly DOUBLE the lead contamination of second-worst Huel Black Edition (6.3 µg). This isn't a marginal difference - it's a massive failure in quality control.

Why Searches for Naked Nutrition Are Exploding

Google Trends shows searches for "naked nutrition vegan mass gainer" are up 350% in the past week. Here's why:

1. Popular in Vegan/Plant-Based Communities

Naked Nutrition's Vegan Mass Gainer is one of the most recommended plant-based gainers on Reddit, YouTube, and vegan fitness communities. Thousands of people have been using it daily for months or years.

2. Premium Price Suggests Premium Quality

At $50-60 for 2.5 lbs, Naked Nutrition positions itself as a premium product. Users assumed the higher price meant better sourcing and testing. They were wrong.

3. "Clean" Brand Image

The minimalist branding and "one ingredient" marketing created trust. Users believed they were making the healthiest choice.

4. Mass Gainer = Higher Consumption

Unlike regular protein powder (1 scoop = 30g), mass gainers use larger servings (4-6 scoops = 150-200g). This means:

• Higher total lead exposure per shake
• Users often consume 2+ servings per day for bulking
• Cumulative exposure adds up extremely fast

The Cumulative Exposure Nightmare

What makes Naked Nutrition's contamination especially dangerous is how mass gainers are typically consumed.

This isn't theoretical - these are REAL consumption patterns for people trying to gain weight. And with 7.7 µg per serving, the bioaccumulation is severe.

Why Is Naked Nutrition So Contaminated?

Naked Nutrition Vegan Mass Gainer contains:

• Pea protein isolate
• Organic rice protein
• Organic tapioca maltodextrin

The Triple Threat of Plant-Based Mass Gainers:

1. Plant Proteins Absorb Heavy Metals from Soil

Peas and rice naturally uptake lead, arsenic, and cadmium from soil. This is unavoidable - it's how plants absorb minerals. However, sourcing from low-contamination regions and rigorous testing can minimize this. Naked Nutrition clearly isn't doing either.

2. Multiple Plant Sources = Compounding Contamination

Unlike whey protein (one source = milk), Naked uses pea + rice. Each agricultural source adds its own contamination load. The lead levels compound.

3. Mass Gainer Formula = Larger Serving Sizes

Mass gainers use 4-6 scoops per serving (vs. 1 scoop for regular protein). This means you're consuming 4-6x the contaminated ingredients per shake.

The Consumer Reports Pattern:

Looking at the full testing results:

• Plant proteins dominated the bottom rankings: #13, #14, #15, #16, #17 were all plant-based
• The only "AVOID" products: Both plant-based (#16 Huel, #17 Naked)
• All top-7 "better for daily" products: Whey-based or whey gainers (except #7 OWYN)

This proves plant protein CAN be clean (OWYN #7) - but most brands aren't doing the work. Naked Nutrition is the worst offender.

What Naked Nutrition Users Should Do Immediately

Step 1: Stop Using It Today

Consumer Reports' "AVOID" rating is unambiguous. With 15.4x exceedance of safe lead limits, continued use poses unnecessary health risks. Stop immediately.

Step 2: Don't Panic About Past Use

Lead toxicity is primarily a chronic, long-term concern. Unless you've been consuming 2+ servings daily for over a year, acute toxicity is unlikely. But bioaccumulation is real, so stopping now is critical.

Step 3: Consider Heavy Metal Testing

You should get tested if you:

• Consumed 1+ servings daily for 6+ months
• Consumed 2+ servings daily for any period
• Used it during pregnancy or while breastfeeding
• Experience any symptoms of lead exposure (see below)

Talk to your doctor about a blood lead level test. It's a simple blood draw that measures current lead in your system.

Step 4: Switch to Verified-Safe Alternatives

See recommendations below.

Symptoms of Lead Exposure to Watch For

If you've been a heavy Naked Nutrition user (especially 2+ servings daily for months), watch for these symptoms:

Neurological Symptoms:

• Headaches
• Memory problems or "brain fog"
• Difficulty concentrating
• Mood changes (irritability, depression)
• Sleep disturbances

Physical Symptoms:

• Fatigue and weakness
• Joint and muscle pain
• Digestive issues (nausea, constipation, abdominal pain)
• High blood pressure

Reproductive Health (Critical for Women):

• Reduced fertility
• Pregnancy complications
• Lead crosses the placental barrier and affects fetal development

If you experience any of these symptoms AND have been using Naked Nutrition heavily, see a doctor immediately and mention your protein powder consumption.

Safe Alternatives to Naked Nutrition Vegan Mass Gainer

If you need a vegan mass gainer or plant-based protein for bulking, here are verified-safe options:

Best Plant-Based Alternative (Verified Safe):

OWYN Pro Elite High Protein

• CR Rank #7 - "Better for daily consumption"
• ONLY plant-based protein in top tier
• Pea protein (like Naked) but sourced and tested properly
• Ready-to-drink (convenient)
• 20g protein per serving
• Price: ~$3/shake (comparable to Naked per-serving)

Why OWYN works where Naked failed: Careful sourcing from low-contamination regions + rigorous third-party testing. Proves vegan protein CAN be safe.

For mass gaining: Drink 2-3 OWYN shakes + whole food meals. You'll hit calorie goals safely.

Clean Label Certified Plant Options:

If You're Open to Whey (MUCH Safer for Mass Gaining):

Whey-based mass gainers showed dramatically lower lead levels in CR testing. Consider:

Reality check: If your goal is gaining weight safely, whey-based mass gainers tested 100-1000x cleaner than Naked Nutrition. Unless you have a medical reason to avoid dairy, whey is the safer choice.

DIY Vegan Mass Gainer (Safest Option):

Build your own with verified-clean ingredients:

Base recipe:

• 2 scoops OWYN or Ritual protein (verified clean)
• 2 cups oat milk or soy milk
• 2 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter (healthy fats + calories)
• 1 banana (carbs + potassium)
• 1/4 cup oats (complex carbs)
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed (omega-3s)

Nutrition: ~600-700 calories, 40-50g protein

Advantages over Naked Nutrition:

• Protein source is verified clean (not 15.4x over safe limits)
• Whole food ingredients = better micronutrients
• Costs 30-50% less per serving
• No lead contamination from sketchy mass gainer formulas

What About Other Naked Nutrition Products?

Consumer Reports only tested Naked Nutrition Vegan Mass Gainer. Their other products were NOT tested:

• Naked Whey - Not tested, safety UNKNOWN
• Naked Casein - Not tested, safety UNKNOWN
• Naked Pea - Not tested, safety UNKNOWN
• Naked Rice - Not tested, safety UNKNOWN

Has Naked Nutrition Responded?

As of October 17, 2025, Naked Nutrition has not issued any public statement about the Consumer Reports findings.

No:

• Acknowledgment of the test results
• Explanation of their testing protocols
• Commitment to reformulation or improved sourcing
• Refund offers for concerned customers
• Third-party testing certificates to dispute CR findings

The silence is deafening. A responsible company would:

1. Immediately pull the product from shelves
2. Issue a public statement
3. Offer refunds and health guidance to users
4. Commit to independent testing and transparency
5. Reformulate with better sourcing

Instead: crickets. This tells you everything about Naked Nutrition's priorities.

The Bottom Line on Naked Nutrition

Naked Nutrition Vegan Mass Gainer is the most contaminated protein powder Consumer Reports tested.

With 7.7 µg of lead per serving - 15.4x over California's safe limit - and a rank of #17 out of 17 products, this is an unmitigated disaster for a brand that markets itself on purity and transparency.

The irony is rich: a product called "Naked" - implying nothing to hide - contains dangerous levels of lead that the company won't address publicly.

Our recommendation is unequivocal:

• ✅ Stop using Naked Nutrition Vegan Mass Gainer immediately
• ✅ Consider heavy metal testing if you've been a daily user for 6+ months
• ✅ Switch to verified-safe alternatives like OWYN (#7) for plant-based or MuscleTech (#1) for whey
• ✅ Demand transparency from supplement brands - if they won't publish test results, don't buy their products

Your health isn't worth the risk. And with safer, cleaner alternatives available at similar prices, there's absolutely no reason to continue using the worst-ranked protein powder on the market.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I've been using Naked Nutrition for a year. Am I going to die?

A: No, you're not going to die from past use. Lead toxicity is a chronic, cumulative issue. Stop using it immediately and consider getting a blood lead test. Most symptoms are reversible once exposure stops.

Q: Can I sue Naked Nutrition?

A: That's a legal question beyond our scope. California Prop 65 requires warnings for products exceeding lead limits - Naked clearly exceeds them. Consult a lawyer if you experienced health issues from long-term use.

Q: Is Naked Whey also contaminated?

A: We don't know - it wasn't tested. However, whey proteins generally test much cleaner than plant proteins. That said, Naked's failure with the vegan mass gainer raises questions about their quality control across ALL products.

Q: Why is OWYN safe but Naked isn't? They're both pea protein.

A: OWYN sources their pea protein from regions with lower soil contamination and has rigorous third-party testing protocols. Naked Nutrition clearly doesn't. Same base ingredient, vastly different quality control.

Q: Should I throw away my remaining Naked Nutrition?

A: Yes. Don't consume it. Consumer Reports' "AVOID" rating means it's unsafe. The $50-60 you spent on the tub isn't worth chronic lead exposure.

Q: What if I'm vegan and bulking? What do I use instead?

A: OWYN Pro Elite for convenience, or make your own mass gainer shake with verified-clean plant protein (Ritual or Puori) + whole food ingredients like oat milk, banana, peanut butter, and oats. You'll hit your calorie goals without poisoning yourself.

Q: How can 7.7 µg of lead be that dangerous? Isn't it a tiny amount?

A: 7.7 µg is NOT tiny in toxicology terms. The safe limit is 0.5 µg/day. This is 15.4x higher. And lead bioaccumulates - your body can't eliminate it as fast as you're consuming it, so it builds up over time. After months of daily use, you've accumulated massive amounts.

Q: Can I trust any plant-based protein powder?

A: Yes, but ONLY if it's been independently tested. OWYN (#7), Ritual, and Puori all have verified clean test results. Don't trust marketing - demand third-party certification (NSF, Informed Choice, Clean Label Project).

Q: Why doesn't the FDA regulate this?

A: The FDA classifies protein powder as a dietary supplement, not a food or drug. Supplements don't require pre-market approval or safety testing. Companies can sell products without proving they're safe. This is why independent testing by Consumer Reports and Clean Label Project is so critical.

Sources:

• Consumer Reports: "Protein Powders and Shakes Contain High Levels of Lead" (October 14, 2025)
• California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment: Proposition 65 Safe Harbor Levels
• EPA: Lead Health Effects and Bioaccumulation
• Google Trends: "Naked Nutrition Vegan Mass Gainer" search data (October 2025 - 350% increase)

Last Updated: October 17, 2025

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links to Amazon. When you purchase through our recommendations, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products with verified safety testing that we believe are genuinely cleaner alternatives. We will NEVER recommend Naked Nutrition products due to their catastrophic safety failure.

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