“Dry scooping” is a trend popularized by social media influencers that involves ingesting a dry scoop directly before a workout. (You can also dry scoop protein powder, but that’s less common.) Instead of mixing the powder with water, put it directly in your mouth, then drink a small amount of water to wash it down. Before you try this at home, know that this trend is downright dangerous.
So even if you’re tempted to try it, don’t. Keep learning what happens when you “dry scoop” before your workout instead of mixing it with water as recommended in the instructions.
Why do people dry scoop?
Due to its popularity on social media, more people than ever are dry scooping.
A video demonstration of dry scooping on TikTok received more than 8 million views, according to a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Researchers looked at 100 videos posted under #preworkout on TikTok and found that only 8% showed people following instructions for a preworkout.
But if you follow the fitness community on Instagram, you know that dry scoops have been around for quite some time. Popular “fitstagrammers” are posting videos of themselves dry-scooping their pre-workouts before exercising.
How dangerous is a dry scoop?
Attempting to dry and scoop pre-workout powder comes with significant risks. If these dietary supplements are taken as a powder without being mixed with water, “they can be inhaled directly into the lungs, and they probably will,” said John R. Windle, M.D., professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Nebraska. The doctor warns.
Unlike certain medications that are prescribed to be absorbed through the lungs, “powders contain a lot of additional substances that aren’t absorbed,” Windle explains. These additional substances “can cause dangerous bronchospasm (asthma) and, in some cases, permanent lung damage.”
A similar risk existed with the “Cinnamon Challenge” on social media, which saw people attempt to ingest a dry spoonful of cinnamon.
But Windle wants to keep that risk in perspective. “As with anything, quantity is key,” he says. He explains that if you accidentally inhale the airborne powder, you don’t need to seek medical attention “unless you start wheezing.”
However, if you try to ingest a dry spoonful before a workout and inhale it during your workout, you should contact poison control or seek medical attention.
Even if nothing life-threatening happens, coughing before a workout is a surefire way to ruin your workout and ruin your mood for the rest of the day. (This is sure to get spread around the gym for all the wrong reasons!)
Excessive caffeine intake is dangerous
One of the most significant risks of dry scooping is what Windle calls the “more is better” mentality. Many of the people in these videos took more than one level before their workout. Caffeine “has a gradual response,” Windle explains. Smaller doses can make you feel more focused and energized, but on the other end of the spectrum, larger doses “end in toxicity or overdose.”
In more practical terms, the more caffeine you consume, the higher your risk of experiencing side effects. And the side effects of caffeine become more severe the higher the dose. Mild side effects include nervousness, facial flushing, muscle spasms, irritability, anxiety, and restlessness. But “too much caffeine can cause heart attacks and dangerous heart rhythms,” Windle added.
However, even mild side effects may indicate that you have taken too much. Before your workout, you should feel more focused and ready to tackle the workout at hand (you might even feel a little tingly from the beta-alanine). Consuming too much caffeine can impair your ability to concentrate during exercise.
Also, with most supplements (more on the exceptions later), there is no guarantee that the caffeine content listed on the label is actually what is in the supplement. One study on the caffeine content of various pre-workout powders found that the actual amount in each supplement ranged from 59% to 176% of the amount listed on the label.
This discrepancy is especially dangerous for people who take more than one scoop of these supplements. Because they won’t know if they bought a pre-workout that contains more caffeine than advertised.
Dry scoop has no benefits
In addition to being dangerous (isn’t that enough?), “dry scooping has absolutely no benefit,” explains Windle. That’s because the pre-workout contents are absorbed into the solution, whether it’s stomach acid or water. That means you’re adding risk to your pre-workout routine without any potential benefit.
What is the best way to take supplements before training?
Start by purchasing a pre-workout from a brand you trust. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, you may want to start with half a spoonful before your workout, no matter which brand you try. Including this trial period gives you some leeway if your pre-workout contains more caffeine than stated on the label. You can measure its effectiveness with half a scoop and see if it is enough for your needs.
You can also try a new pre-workout for your morning workout instead of your evening workout. Pre-workout should be taken 30-45 minutes before you start your workout, regardless of what time of day you take it.
But once you’ve found a brand you trust (ideally one with the most effective ingredients for a pre-workout supplement) and given it a trial period, you can decide when and how to take it. Please follow the instructions. If the label says to mix it with water, do so. If you have too much water to drink before exercise, you can reduce the amount of water, but you will still need to dilute it with water.
If you want to make your pre-workout more portable, Beachbody Performance Energize is Informed Sports Certified and free of artificial colors, sweeteners, and flavors, available in single-serve packs to take on the go. It’s in.
Or you can use it to make homemade pre-workout gummies. With just 15 minutes of prep time and the perfect amount of energy, you can just pick up a serving and be ready for work.
Above all, no matter what pre-workout you do, be sure to follow the instructions.
