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Protein supplement maker Naked Whey Inc. is facing a proposed class action lawsuit accusing the company of knowingly selling protein powders tainted with toxic heavy metals, including lead — while falsely advertising them as clean, safe, and independently tested products.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday by Sevien Caballero in California federal court, alleges that Naked Whey’s marketing misled health-conscious consumers into believing its protein supplements were “pure” and “premium.” The case erupted after a Consumer Reports investigation revealed alarming levels of lead and other metals in several brands — including Naked Whey — which landed on its “Products to Avoid” list.

Allegations of “Nothing to Hide” Marketing Gone Wrong

According to the complaint, Naked Whey promotes its products as vegan-friendly, independently tested, and made with “nothing to hide” ingredients that support wellness and athletic performance. But Caballero says the company concealed a toxic truth: testing by Consumer Reports found 7.7 micrograms of lead in a single serving of Naked Nutrition’s Vegan Naked Mass Gainer — more than 15 times the limit recommended by California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), which caps daily exposure at 0.5 micrograms.

Caballero told the court that lead exposure has no safe threshold, citing the World Health Organization’s warning that even minimal contact can damage the brain, nervous system, and other organs. “It’s a slow, invisible poison — one consumers should never find in products claiming to be pure and safe,” the suit contends.

FDA Standards Cited as “Misleading”

The complaint further argues that Naked Whey’s labels falsely imply compliance with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety standards, even though the FDA has no official safety reference level for heavy metals in supplements. Caballero accuses the company of exploiting this gap to deceive buyers about the risks associated with its products.

Legal Claims and Representation

Caballero seeks to represent a nationwide class of consumers, along with a California subclass, pursuing claims under the Unfair Competition Law, False Advertising Law, and Consumers Legal Remedies Act. The complaint also includes charges of fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and unjust enrichment.

Caballero is represented by Lisa T. Omoto and Zachary M. Winkler of Faruqi & Faruqi LLP.
Legal counsel for Naked Whey was not immediately available for comment Wednesday.

The Broader Implication

The Naked Whey Lead lawsuit underscores growing scrutiny over heavy metal contamination in the booming nutritional supplement industry. As consumers lean toward “clean label” products, the case could set a precedent for how far companies can go in marketing purity — before their claims turn toxic.