Prop 65: Understanding the Warning Labels on Supplements

Why does this product have a Prop 65 warning label?

Understanding Proposition 65: California’s Proposition 65 requires products to carry warnings if they contain detectable amounts of over 800 substances, including certain chemicals, heavy metals, and even nutrients like Vitamin A in high doses. This law aims to inform Californians about potential exposures.

Lead Content in Our Products: The warning on some of our products is due to the presence of lead exceeding 0.5 mcg per recommended daily dose, affecting less than 15% of our products. For perspective, the highest lead level per serving in any of our products is still lower than what is typically found in a 4 oz. serving of lettuce.

Lead in the Environment: Despite our commitment to using the purest ingredients, lead is commonly found in the environment, particularly in soil. This makes it nearly impossible to completely avoid in natural, plant-based ingredients, which means it’s also present in most plant-based foods.

Examples of Lead Content in Common Foods (Data from the U.S. FDA):

Lettuce, leaf, raw:                        Median 0.57 mcg/serving,       Highest 1.59 mcg/serving
Spinach, fresh/frozen, boiled:   Median 1.47 mcg/serving,       Highest 7.03 mcg/serving
Bread, cracked wheat:                Median 0.68 mcg/serving,      Highest 2.38 mcg/serving
Sweet potatoes, fresh, baked:   Median 1.59 mcg/serving,       Highest 7.26 mcg/serving
Fruit juice blend (100% juice):   Median 0.85 mcg/serving,      Highest 2.38 mcg/serving

Does a Prop 65 Warning Mean the Product is Unsafe?

Safety and Standards: A Prop 65 warning does not necessarily mean a product is unsafe. The state of California uses this law to ensure residents are better informed about potential exposures in products they use.

FDA Standards for Lead: The FDA considers a daily lead intake of up to 75 mcg for adults to be safe, which is significantly higher (150 times) than the threshold for a Prop 65 warning.

Lead and Health Risks: The FDA identifies 750 mcg as the exposure level that could potentially cause health problems, which is 1,500 times higher than the amount requiring a Prop 65 warning.

An Industry-wide Consideration:

The challenge of lead content affects all companies producing nutritional supplements. Not all products sold in California without a warning are necessarily free of lead. Different companies may have different levels of compliance with this law. At Just In Health, we choose to label our products when necessary to ensure our consumers are informed and to protect all parties involved. This proactive approach helps us maintain transparency and trust with you, our valued patients.