The Most Robust and Transparent Heavy Metal Grading System of Any Supplement Company
At least that’s what we’re aiming for here. We value truth and transparency at Lost Empire Herbs. Perhaps it is because we started outside the supplement industry that we do something a bit different.
It is this commitment that has us 3rd party independent lab testing all of our herbs and then posting them for our customers to see for themselves.
Simply click the Lab Results tab on any product page and you’ll see the most recent tests available.
The main reason behind this is that the herbal supplement industry is certainly full of snake oil salesmen who promise much, make the sale and then run away with the profit.
Even among those trying to do the right thing, there’s so much that runs on assumptions that things are okay from one vendor to another. As the saying goes, “Trust, but verify.”
With herbs especially, and with them coming from China, and India, there are valid concerns about heavy metals, of which this article is focused. (Read this post for more information on how China isn’t necessarily a boogeyman to always be avoided.)
Heavy metals are a very real danger, and something you absolutely should be concerned about for your health. (Read Facts about Lead Exposure for instance.)
Many lower quality brands are full of metals that can potentially be dangerous to health. Foods are so often full of heavy metals too, because of how humanity has polluted the world. Arsenic is a big problem in rice for instance and lots of baby foods! Unfortunately, there is almost no testing done on foods.
We wish to calm the fears of our loyal customers. Since we consume these herbs as well it is fair to say we all want the same thing; clean, quality products.
Here is the short summary of our Heavy Metal Grading System:
- We have stricter standards than USA government agencies.
- We have rated
- A as Excellent
- B as Great
- C as Good
- D as Satisfactory
- F as Failed (We will NOT sell anything with an F grade.)
- Even the D grade is good enough to pass. Our grades speak to comparisons to our herbs not to other companies. (Go ahead and ask them for their heavy metals tests or grading system and see what you get.)
- We focus on micrograms instead of PPM (parts per million) as the latter number can be misleading as it is fully dependent on dosage size. This number is shown as that is what laboratory reports come back with, but then it must be converted by the dosage size to find actual microgram amounts of heavy metals. This is what you want to pay attention to.
We’ve adopted the standards of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) which is current as of April 2022. This PDF shows comparisons to other government agencies. Note that “All limits are most applicable to herbal products consumed in a total daily amount of 5 grams or less.”
Any limits equal to or higher than these standards result in an F grade, which does not pass. But we're not only focused on the that. Our higher grades show the lowest amounts of heavy metals.
With that in mind, here are the results of our testing for heavy metals for each herb we sell, listed alphabetically by name. This page is updated with every new test that comes in.
For even more details, scroll past the product list and we’ll go into further details on all of the points above.
Albizia
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade /Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.114 | 0.02 | 0.191 | 0.005 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 1.368 | 0.24 | 2.292 | 0.06 | 12 g / 2.5 Tbsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.
For more information on California’s Proposition 65 warning see our blog post here.
Ashwagandha
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade /Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.001 | 0.001 | 0.002 | 0.001 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.002 | 0.002 | 0.004 | 0.002 | 2 g / 60 drops |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Athena
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade /Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.111 | 0.057 | 0.2 | 0.003 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.7215 | 0.3705 | 1.3 | 0.0195 | 6.5 g / 1 Tbsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.
For more information on California’s Proposition 65 warning see our blog post here.
Bacopa
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 1.78 | 0.017 | 0.641 | 0.001 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.89 | 0.0085 | 0.3205 | 0.0005 | 500 mg / 1/2 tsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Beet
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0 | 0.021 | 0.029 | 0.002 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0 | 0.21 | 0.29 | 0.02 | 10 g / 1 Tbsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Black Ant
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.191 | 0.146 | 0.432 | 0.002 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 1.146 | 0.876 | 2.592 | 0.012 | 6 g / 2 tsp |
Grade |
WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.
For more information on California’s Proposition 65 warning see our blog post here.
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.105 | 0.073 | 0.061 | 0.004 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.105 | 0.073 | 0.061 | 0.004 | 1 g / 30 drops |
Grade |
Blue Vervain
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0 | 0 | 0.002 | 0 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0 | 0 | 0.004 | 0 | 2 g / 60 drops |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Cordyceps
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.31 | 0.017 | 0.641 | 0.001 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.31 | 0.017 | 0.641 | 0.001 | 1 g / 1/2 tsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Chaga
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.052 | 0.136 | 0.633 | 0.005 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.052 | 0.136 | 0.633 | 0.005 | 1 g / 1/2 tsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.
For more information on California’s Proposition 65 warning see our blog post here.
Cistanche
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0 | 0 | 0.013 | 0.001 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0 | 0 | 0.026 | 0.002 | 2 g / 1 tsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Elderberry
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.03 | 0.002 | 0.02 | 0 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.0105 | 0.0007 | 0.007 | 0 | 350mg / 1/8 tsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Elk Velvet Antler
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.085 | 0.005 | 0.264 | 0.001 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.0425 | 0.0025 | 0.132 | 0.0005 | 500 mg / 2 Caps |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0 | 0.002 | 0.142 | 0.001 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0 | 0.002 | 0.142 | 0.001 | 1 g / 30 drops |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Goji
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0 | 0.088 | 0 | 0 | 22g / 2 Tbsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Goji & Schisandra
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0 | 0.015 | 0 | 0 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0 | 0.015 | 0 | 0 | 1 g / 1 mL |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Gynostemma
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0 | 0.005 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0 | 0.005 | 0.01 | 0 | 1 g / 1 tsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
He Shou Wu
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.069 | 0.01 | 0.08 | 0.014 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.552 | 0.08 | 0.64 | 0.112 | 8 g / 2 tsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.
For more information on California’s Proposition 65 warning see our blog post here.
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0 | 0.004 | 0.01 | 0.003 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0 | 0.004 | 0.01 | 0.003 | 1 g / 1 mL |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Hercules
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.22 | 0.048 | 0.177 | 0.002 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 1.76 | 0.384 | 1.416 | 0.016 | 8 g / 1 Tbsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.
For more information on California’s Proposition 65 warning see our blog post here.
Horny Goat Weed
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.041 | 0.007 | 0.039 | 0.001 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.328 | 0.056 | 0.312 | 0.008 | 8 g / 2 tsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Maca
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.142 | 0.301 | 0.199 | 0 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 1.42 | 3.01 | 1.99 | 0 | 10 g / 1 Tbsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.
For more information on California’s Proposition 65 warning see our blog post here.
Mucuna
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.041 | 0.003 | 0.056 | 0.001 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.041 | 0.003 | 0.056 | 0.001 | 1 g / 1/4 tsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.
For more information on California’s Proposition 65 warning see our blog post here.
Mushroom Alchemy
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0 | 0 | 0.008 | 0.014 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0 | 0 | 0.008 | 0.014 | 1 g / 1 mL |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Mushroom Brain
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0 | 0.001 | 0.01 | 0.002 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0 | 0 | 0.008 | 0.014 | 1 g / 1 mL |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Lion’s Mane Mushroom
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.064 | 0.027 | 0.061 | 0.025 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.128 | 0.054 | 0.122 | 0.05 | 2 g / 2 tsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Nettle Root
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.473 | 0.027 | 0.156 | 0.011 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 2.838 | 0.162 | 0.936 | 0.066 | 6 g / 2 tsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.
For more information on California’s Proposition 65 warning see our blog post here.
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0 | 0.001 | 0.002 | 0.003 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0 | 0.002 | 0.004 | 0.006 | 2 g / 2 mL |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Pandora’s Peace
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0 | 0.001 | 0.005 | 0.002 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0 | 0.001 | 0.005 | 0.002 | 1 g / 1 mL |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Pearl
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0 | 0.001 | 0.02 | 0 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0 | 0.0018 | 0.036 | 0 | 1.8 g / 3/4 tsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Phoenix Formula
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.179 | 0.175 | 0.334 | 0.003 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 2.148 | 2.1 | 4.008 | 0.036 | 12 g / 2 Tbsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.
For more information on California’s Proposition 65 warning see our blog post here.
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.36 | 0.173 | 0.304 | 0.004 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.648 | 0.3114 | 0.5472 | 0.0072 | 1.8 g / 3 Caps |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.
For more information on California’s Proposition 65 warning see our blog post here.
Pine Pollen
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.097 | 0.363 | 0.398 | 0.005 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.2328 | 0.8712 | 0.9552 | 0.012 | 2.4 g / 2 tsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.
For more information on California’s Proposition 65 warning see our blog post here.
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.097 | 0.363 | 0.398 | 0.005 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.97 | 3.63 | 3.98 | 0.05 | 10 g / 3 Tbsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.
For more information on California’s Proposition 65 warning see our blog post here.
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.22 | 0.396 | 0.49 | 0.005 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.5676 | 1.02168 | 1.2642 | 0.0129 | 2.58 g / 6 Caps |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.
For more information on California’s Proposition 65 warning see our blog post here.
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.198 | 0.016 | 0.012 | 0.006 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.396 | 0.032 | 0.024 | 0.012 | 2 g / 2 mL |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Reishi
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.439 | 0.414 | 0.093 | 0.007 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.439 | 0.414 | 0.093 | 0.007 | 1 g / 1/2 tsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Rhodiola
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.212 | 0.006 | 0.139 | 0.002 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.106 | 0.003 | 0.0695 | 0.001 | 500mg / 1/4 tsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Schisandra
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.071 | 0.002 | 0.019 | 0.013 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.213 | 0.005 | 0.057 | 0.039 | 3 g / 1 tsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Sea Buckthorn
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.02 | 0.007 | 0.11 | 0 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.34 | 0.119 | 1.87 | 0 | 1 g / 1 tsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.
For more information on California’s Proposition 65 warning see our blog post here.
Shilajit
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.628 | 0.034 | 0.162 | 0.008 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.628 | 0.034 | 0.162 | 0.008 | 1 g / 1/2 tsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 1.108 | 0.029 | 0.42 | 0.001 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.1108 | 0.0029 | 0.042 | 0.0001 | 100 mg |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Spartan
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.113 | 0.018 | 0.069 | 0.002 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 1.808 | 0.288 | 1.104 | 0.032 | 16 g / 2 Tbsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.
For more information on California’s Proposition 65 warning see our blog post here.
Stag Swag
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0 | 0.036 | 2.811 | 0 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0 | 0.036 | 2.811 | 0 | 1 g / 1 mL |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.
For more information on California’s Proposition 65 warning see our blog post here.
Thor’s Hammer
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.156 | 0.025 | 0.206 | 0.002 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.2808 | 0.045 | 0.3708 | 0.0036 | 1.8 g / 3 Caps |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.059 | 0.011 | 0.068 | 0.002 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.472 | 0.088 | 0.544 | 0.016 | 8 g / 1 Tbsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.
For more information on California’s Proposition 65 warning see our blog post here.
Tongkat Ali
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 200mg / 2 Caps |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.063 | 0.168 | 0.25 | 0.002 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.0126 | 0.0336 | 0.05 | 0.0004 | 200mg / 2 Caps |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | <0.001 | 0.003 | 0.022 | 0.002 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | <0.001 | 0.003 | 0.022 | 0.002 | 1 g / 1 mL |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
Ziziphus
Heavy Metals | Arsenic | Cadmium | Lead | Mercury | Average Grade/Max Dosage |
Test Results (ppm) | 0.091 | 0.003 | 0.018 | 0.001 | |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) | 0.819 | 0.027 | 0.162 | 0.009 | 9 g / 2 Tbsp |
Max Dose Levels (mcg) |
More Details on our Heavy Metals Grading System
Again, we’ve adopted the standards of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) which is current as of April 2022. This PDF shows comparisons to other government agencies with some additional information below.
- Arsenic – 10 mcg
- Cadmium – 4.1 mcg
- Lead – 6 mcg
- Mercury – 2 mcg
You’ll notice that beating these is just a D grade. That’s considered satisfactory for us.
In most cases, this is stricter than government agencies across the world. The FDA doesn’t actually put limits on supplements. Instead, in the USA there’s the NSF International/American National Standard for Dietary Supplements and United States Pharmacopeial Convention. Again, AHPA and our standards are stricter than both of these.
Some other government agencies are stricter. We have built our grading system to take into consideration these other numbers as well.
Canada does have a 2.1 mcg inorganic arsenic limit with up to 10 mcg total arsenic. Our “A” grade passes this, even if it’s organic arsenic, as the test doesn’t differentiate.
The EU has new lower limits of:
- Cadmium – 1 mcg
- Lead – 3 mcg
- Mercury – 0.1 mcg
Our “A” grades pass both the cadmium and mercury levels.
Even “C” grade passes the lead level. Note that the AHPA also lists a 3 mcg limit for children on lead. So those C or better are in this zone.
California Proposition 65 has a 0.5 mcg lead level for “Maximum Allowable Dose Levels for reproductive toxicity”. Our “A” grade on lead passes even this exacting standard. To understand more about this law read this extensive blog post.
Many of our herbs have A’s across the board. But others do have lower numbers. Typically, lead is going to the be the hardest one to pass. There are even a few D’s for lead, but still mostly A’s and B’s.
In addition to giving a grade for each metal, there is an average grade provided for the herb.
If you are trying to avoid heavy metals as much as possible then we recommend you stick to the herbs that have A or B grades.
Why PPM (Parts Per Million) Can Be Misleading
We previously used the grading system of Mike Adams’ lowheavymetalsverified.org for the laboratory results which come in PPM or parts per million. The difficulty is that this number doesn’t really tell you much. It doesn’t tell you how many micrograms you’re taking in which all the other standards are measured by.
PPM is used in that that is the number that laboratory results come back in. But to get to micrograms you need to take PPM, which is equivalent to mg/kg (milligrams per kilogram), and converting it via the maximum recommended dose.
As all government standards, and what you consume, is actually about micrograms, our new system reflects this. A tiny 100mg dose of Tongkat Ali is very different than the up to 3 Tbsp of Pine Pollen as for the actual amounts you get in your body.
On Tinctures
You may notice that almost all of the tinctures are A grades. This is because alcohol does not extract heavy metals well, whereas powdered extracts tend to have more of the original material, including any bioaccumulated minerals and metals.
Doses of tinctures are measured in mL, while doses need to be in grams. We’ve converted one mL to one gram. This is the case for water and is roughly the same for all the tinctures we’ve measured.
We do NOT have testing for all of our VIP Private Reserve tinctures. Since these are tinctures, for the above reasons, it generally isn’t needed. Due to the cost of lab testing we are not doing that at this time. But when some of these become normal products as we are doing, then they go through all the normal testing.
Other Supplement Companies
We want to see the industry as a whole improve. We wish to not be the only transparent and verified ones.
Therefore, for other supplement and herb companies, please feel free to use our heavy metal grading system. All that we ask is that you cite us as the creators and link back to this page in doing so.
For consumers, please ask for the heavy metals tests of the companies you patronize. See if they can provide you these numbers.