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Dry Scooping: What to Know About This TikTok Trend

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Dumping dry protein powder in your mouth is dangerous — and maybe even deadly

Image content: This image is available to view online.

View image online (https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/c84773ea-5110-4557-9761-d7615b7467a9/proteinMix-1059674562-770x533-1_jpg)

Scoop of protein powder

If your first lift for a workout involves raising a scoop of dry protein powder to dump in your mouth, it’s time to rethink your routine.

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Researchers say the practice known as “dry scooping” qualifies as dangerous — and even potentially deadly. Add it to the list of questionable TikTok trends to explode onto the scene thanks to millions of video views.

Let’s look at the risks with dietitian Kate Patton, MEd, RD, CCSD, LD.

To start, let’s look at what is being scooped: pre-workout powder. Most powders are packed with caffeine and other stimulants, plus various vitamins and nutrients. They’re designed to supercharge your system and provide energy for a workout.

Traditionally, pre-workout powder is added to water and consumed about a half-hour before putting your muscles to the test. Diluting the powder helps pace your body’s absorption of the product. Plus, it’s much easier on the tummy.

Dry-scoopers, however, take a different approach. They fill up a scoop with pre-workout and dump the powder in their mouth. A swig of water can help wash it down. (It is pretty chalky, after all.)

“Apparently, they think they’re noticing some kind of enhanced effect because the powder is absorbed faster,” says Patton.

But that effect comes at a cost.

Dry scooping essentially floods your system with caffeine with one swallow. Your blood pressure and heart rate may skyrocket as your body takes in the stimulant, particularly as you start exercising.

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The jolt of caffeine — which could be equivalent to three or more cups of coffee in an instant — could lead to an irregular heartbeat, too. “That sort of rush can cause palpitations,” says Patton.

In April 2021, a 20-year-old who tried dry scooping after seeing it touted on TikTok later posted a video on the social media platform from her hospital bed saying she was treated for a heart attack. (She survived.)

The use of TikTok to promote dry scooping is cause for concern given its reach among teens.

“This may mislead millions of impressionable minors into improper use of pre-workout, which could lead to respiratory or cardiovascular distress and/or death,” according to a study presented at the 2021 American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition.

Other risks of dry-scooping include:

  • Accidentally inhaling the powder, which could cause choking.
  • Increased risk of injury while working out due to stimulant-fueled overexertion.

“There is potential for a lot of harm,” says Patton. “If you’re going to use pre-workout powder, follow the directions and take it with water. You’ll still get the beneficial effects — just not as fast.”

Used correctly, it can be a useful tool for athletes in an intensive training program, says Patton. She emphasized, however, that the same basic results can be achieved through what you put on your plate.

“I’m not a believer, really, in using pre-workout,” she says. “Food is fuel and can give you all of the energy you need.”

But if you do use a pre-workout powder, Patton offers these recommendations:

  • Be cautious of products with sketchy information on the ingredients. “Stay away from anything that uses phrases like ‘proprietary blend’ instead of listing exactly what’s included,” says Patton.
  • Keep an eye on caffeine content. One serving of some pre-workout powders can exceed the 400 mg limit recommended by federal health officials. Look for powders that pack a more reasonable punch.
  • Look for products that have been third-party tested. A seal of approval from organizations such as NSF International serves as a verification of ingredients in the product.
  • Follow the instructions for use. “If you’re going to use pre-workout, use it the way it’s supposed to be used,” says Patton.

And in regards to the last recommendation, that means no dry scooping.

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QUESTIONS FROM THE TRAIL

Related questions

Q01What Does the Science Say About Dry Scooping?

Simply put: There’s no scientific evidence that dry scooping boosts performance, and what data does exist suggests it has health risks. “Fans of dry scooping believe that consumption of the supplement [in this manner] can deliver a large dose of the supplement into the body all at once, thereby making the product more effective in maximizing exercise endurance,” says Johnson-Arbor. But, she notes: “There is no published evidence that dry scooping actually results in improved performance.” Two scientific studies have looked at dry scooping. Both studies assess the prevalence of dry scooping and “other dangerous pre-workout consumption methods” to get a handle on why people might be trying something that has such potential to cause harm. Both studies found that interest in dry scooping, and the practice itself, are highly prevalent, particularly in adolescent and young adult populations. Authors of one study, which was published in the journal Pediatrics in 2022, looked at the number of dry scooping videos on TikTok, along with the “likes” these videos received. While “#dryscooping” (along with other spellings of the term) isn’t searchable on TikTok, when researchers searched “#preworkout,” they found that 31 percent of the relevant videos featured dry scooping. These videos were popular, amassing more than 8.2 million “likes” across all the shared content. Researchers point out that the prevalence and acceptance of this potentially dangerous practice has the ability to influence minors and young adults, particularly those on social media, to participate in the trend without recognizing the risks. For the other study, published in the journal Eating Behaviors in January 2023, researchers looked at data from the Canadian Study of Adolescent Health Behaviors, a national study assessing eating, muscle building activity, and body image in 2,731 adolescents and young adults between the ages of 16 and 30. They found that in the previous 12 months, 16.9 percent of the those surveyed reported dry scooping, with a higher proportion of young men (21.8 percent) trying the practice compared with women (14.2 percent) or gender nonconforming (8 percent). More specifically, the researchers found that the study participants who spent more time on social media or displayed clinically significant symptoms of muscle dysmorphia (a psychological condition marked by poor body image and the obsession to develop a muscular physique) had higher rates of dry scooping. “I think people are drawn to this behavior given the purported benefits within gym culture and popular media,” says a coauthor of the study, Kyle T. Ganson, PhD, an assistant professor at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto. “Our study showed that people who spent more time on social media were more likely to engage in dry scooping.” The popularity of the trend, particularly among certain groups, is problematic because there’s no scientific basis for its safety or efficacy. “In doing this study, we did not find any prior analysis of this dietary practice. This should be somewhat of a red flag for people to consider prior to engagement.” Dr. Ganson is quick to add that pre-workouts themselves only have mixed levels of support from scientific research.

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