Health and Medicine
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Scientists have raised alarms over a viral social media trend that has spread rapidly across TikTok and other platforms, reaching millions of young people. The trend, known as “dry scooping,” involves swallowing spoonfuls of pre-workout powders without mixing them with water. This, they warn, can cause serious respiratory or cardiovascular complications – and possibly even lead to death.
The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.Pre-workout supplements generally contain high amounts of caffeine, plus amino acids and various other compounds that are supposed to give exercisers a boost. Designed to be diluted in liquid, these powdered products can be highly dangerous when ingested neat.
Little research has been conducted into the safety or efficacy of pre-workout powders, and many contain ingredients that are not suitable for children, which is why their sale is typically restricted to adults. However, a study presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2021 National Conference and Exhibition revealed that these products have become increasingly popular among teenagers.
Even worse, the researchers said many youngsters have filmed themselves dry scooping and uploading the resulting videos to social media as a means of gaining popularity. To investigate the extent of this craze, the study authors searched TikTok using the hashtag “preworkout” and analyzed the content of 100 videos that appeared in the results.
Of these videos, 31 featured dry scooping and had amassed more than 8 million cumulative likes. A further 11 videos depicted users improperly mixing or ingesting supplements, while seven involved diluting pre-workout powders in inappropriate liquids such as alcohol or energy drinks. In total, only eight of the 100 videos depicted the correct use of supplements.
"It can be difficult for physicians to identify novel trends that may pose health hazards among youth. Take for instance the current pervasiveness of pre-workout and the dangerous methods of its consumption,” Nelson Chow, abstract author and Princeton University student and Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Research intern at Cohen Children's Medical Center, said in a statement from 2021. “Sometimes investigating unorthodox platforms like TikTok can yield valuable results."
Given the popularity of TikTok among younger people, the researchers warned that the prevalence of dry scooping videos “may mislead millions of impressionable minors into improper use of pre-workout, which could lead to respiratory or cardiovascular distress and/or death.”
“'Dry scooping,' one particularly risky method of consumption, entails putting undiluted powder into one’s mouth followed by sips of liquid,” wrote the study authors. “The highly concentrated powder can lead to choking, accidental inhalation, overconsumption, injury, and death.”
Back in 2021, 20-year-old social media influencer Briatney Portillo posted a video on TikTok in which she appeared in a hospital gown with a clown filter over her face. The brief video goes on to explain that she had suffered a heart attack after dry scooping before a workout, having previously come across the challenge trending on TikTok.
Speaking to Buzzfeed, Portillo revealed that her entire body soon “started to feel tingly and itchy.” She later experienced chest pains and numbness in her left arm, at which point she called for an ambulance. Though she was fortunate to recover with no lasting damage, the episode provides a stark warning as to the dangers of dry scooping.
An earlier version of this article was published in October 2021.
