The practice of “dry scooping”, or ingesting pre-workout powders without water, has become dangerously popular among TikTok users.
Some individuals assert that dry scooping might hasten your body’s absorption of the chemicals and improve your exercise, but there is no scientific basis for these assertions.
Additionally, there are a number of possible hazards associated with this technique, some of which may be significant.
Pre-workout powders are nutritional supplements designed to improve your workout by maybe offering certain advantages.
Increased training capacity, improved blood supply to working muscles, and prevention of weariness are a few of them.
Pre-workout substances that are often used include, according to the National Centre for Biotechnology Information, the following:
Caffeine increases vitality and concentration while reducing weariness.
Creatine may boost training adaptations and high-intensity exercise performance.
Beta-alanine may improve one's capacity for high-intensity exercise and serves as a pH buffer for lactic acid.
L-theanine is frequently used to counteract the jittery effects of caffeine and to increase attention.
L-arginine is a precursor to nitric oxide, which increases vascularity and blood flow throughout the body.
Citrulline malate is a renowned nitric oxide booster that the body easily converts to L-arginine.
Branched chain amino acids are particular amino acids that are frequently given to help in muscle protein synthesis and to stop muscle breakdown, but there is conflicting evidence about their efficacy.
Although pre-workout supplements gained popularity in the bodybuilding community, athletes from other sports also take them. The majority of manufacturers advise drinking the pre-workout supplement around 30 minutes before exercising, after combining it with water.
The majority of pre-workout powders are made to be dissolved in water. There are certain potentially dangerous health hazards when ingesting them dry.
Additionally, pre-workout powders often target adults over the age of 18 owing to their high caffeine content, which can be harmful if used in excess. Additionally, pre-workout supplements could have potentially dangerous ingredients.
Due to the participation of children, this makes the TikTok habit of dry scooping much more hazardous.
Here are the main dangers associated with dry scooping pre-workout powders and the reasons why TikTok specialists strongly advise against it.
Accidental inhalation
You run a higher danger of inhaling pre-workout powder while attempting to swallow it without water.
You might not be able to swallow pre-workout powder after putting a scoop in your mouth owing to its gritty feel. You could gasp for air as a result, inhaling powder into your lungs and nasal passages.
Aspiration is what that is. In extreme circumstances, it may cause lung irritation or infection.
Heart-related side effects
The amount of caffeine in many pre-workout supplements can surpass 300mg per serving. That’s comparable to the amount of caffeine found in three 237ml cups of coffee.
When the powder is combined with water and ingested gradually, the majority of individuals might be able to take this level of caffeine; nevertheless, dry scoops delivers a massive dosage of caffeine to your body at once.
Many individuals could find it to be too much to manage, especially those who are younger than 18. Such a high caffeine intake might cause severe blood pressure increases and uncontrolled heartbeats.
There has been at least one reported example of a social media influencer getting a heart attack from dry scooping a pre-workout powder.
Intestinal problems
Digestive problems have also been mentioned as a dry scooping disadvantage.
The sudden, massive ingestion of undiluted drugs with little fluids can cause symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach cramps.
The majority of people may avoid these problems by simply blending the supplement with water.
Follow the directions on the packaging
Following the directions as stated on the label is one of the most crucial steps to taking any pre-workout product properly.
Pre-workout powders should be mixed with 237–473ml of water and consumed no later than 30 minutes before working out, according to the majority of manufacturers.
Given that your body weight may influence how the supplement is metabolised by your body, several companies provide dose instructions based on that information.
You greatly reduce your risk of experiencing potentially harmful side effects by following the directions on the packaging.
The technique of dry scooping is extremely risky and can have a number of potentially harmful health repercussions, such as heart palpitations, lung irritation or infection, and digestive problems.
Additionally, anyone under the age of 18 should normally avoid using pre-workout supplements.
It is advised that individuals who desire to use pre-workout supplements safely follow the directions on the package, stay away from companies that promote proprietary mixes, and select items that have undergone third-party testing.
Health-care specialists highly advise against dry scooping pre-workout powders in any circumstances since it is harmful.