Rainbow Light Prenatal Vitamins Marketed As 'Free Of Heavy Metals' Found To Contain Lead, Arsenic, Cadmium

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Women take prenatal vitamins to keep themselves and their unborn babies healthy.

Now, the Los Angeles City Attorney's office says one brand of prenatal vitamins went too far in their marketing claims.

According to the City Attorney's Office, the case began after officials noted Rainbow Light had advertised its vitamins as "free of heavy metals" and claimed to have been made "with the lowest detectable lead level" on the market.

An investigation using a third-party lab test found that vitamins made by the company Rainbow Light contained lead, arsenic, and cadmium, said Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer.

"The vitamins were not, in fact, free of heavy metals...the vitamins were not, in fact, made with materials with the lowest detectable levels of lead on the market," said Feuer.

The company cooperated and removed its allegedly misleading advertising when Feuer's office brought the results to Rainbow Light's attention, officials said.

On Wednesday, the city attorney announced a $1.5 million settlement with Rainbow Light for false advertising.

The settlement includes $1.5 million in restitution for California consumers who bought prenatal vitamins from the company in the past four years and $250,000 in civil penalties and costs.

The company will also be required to test their prenatal vitamins every six months to make sure they fall below state limits.

Rainbow Light released a statement stating, "Our prenatal and postnatal vitamins are safe and have less lead than you could find in a typical serving of spinach. Because our vitamins include plant and mineral-based ingredients, they contain trace elements of lead and other heavy metals."

Medical experts say when picking a prenatal or any other vitamin, do your research. The longer a brand has been around, the better.