TikTok is full of life hacks and fitness trends, but they’re not all worth your time. One that’s making its rounds recently falls in the “do not try this at home” category, not because it’s not effective, but because it could be potentially dangerous for your health. It’s called “dry scooping” and it reportedly caused major health issues for two users, including a woman who was rushed to the hospital for a heart attack afterwards.
So what exactly is dry scooping? It involves eating a scoop of dry pre-workout powder, which is a supplement with amino acids, vitamins and large doses of caffeine. The powder is supposed to be diluted with water, but the trend has folks downing it dry to get a big burst of energy, which is where the problems come in. There’s a risk of choking on the powder, which is what happened to one TikToker who tried it and needed her inhaler after she stopped breathing.
But it could also be dangerous for your heart, especially for those with undiagnosed heart issues. Cardiologist Dr. Satjit Bhusri warns that with dry scooping, the supplement enters the bloodstream faster than in drink form, which means all that caffeine is hitting you more quickly, putting “the heart in overdrive.” He explains that this could cause high blood pressure, or lead to more serious issues including a stroke or heart attack. “There are absolutely no benefits to dry scooping,” he says, adding that a structured diet and exercise program is the way to go because it’s good for the body and the heart.