Warming up for a workout is important. But your pre-exercise routine should not include “dry scooping.” That's the practice of scooping up your favorite pre-workout supplement and swallowing it straight down, then chasing it with a swig of water.
The trend has made the social media rounds.
One TikTok user, going by the screen name kimg966, shared a dry scooping video in May 2021, racking up over 9.8 million views. In it, she attempts to swallow a capful of powder, but gags and spits it out before she even has a chance to wash it down with water. Her experience could have turned out worse.
In another video, posted by TikTok-er @mkaaaybabee and viewed over 2.9 million times, a woman says she stopped breathing after inhaling the powder accidentally.
While these mishaps may not seem overtly dangerous, with many video commenters laughing, commiserating, and suggesting the effect is due to practitioner error, experts say dry scooping comes with serious risks.
Kelly Johnson-Arbor, MD, a medical toxicologist and the co-medical director for the National Capital Poison Center, says she's aware of multiple reports of serious medical emergencies related to dry scooping.
“It's recommended that people avoid taking part in this trend due to the risk of dangerous side effects," she says.
What Is Dry Scooping?
Dry scoopers claim that when they swallow supplement powder without first mixing it with water, the body absorbs the energizing ingredients more quickly, says Tara Collingwood, RDN, a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics in Orlando, Florida, and a certified personal trainer with the American Council on Exercise.
“But there is no benefit to taking powder without fluid,” she says, and you’re actually putting your health at risk by trying the trend. “You risk breathing in the powder as you are putting it into your mouth,” she explains, which can lead to dangerous respiratory problems, choking, or a lot of uncomfortable coughing.
You also run the risk of consuming higher-than-intended doses of the supplement.
The main concern here, according to Dr. Johnson-Arbor, is the potential for caffeine overdose.
Many pre-workout supplements contain caffeine or caffeine analogues. Healthy adults can typically consume up to about 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine daily without experiencing harmful side effects, Johnson-Arbor explains.
“When higher amounts of caffeine are consumed all at once, people can experience side effects, including anxiety, tremors, heart palpitations, chest pain, and seizures,” she says.
In one incident, an otherwise healthy 20-year-old woman had a mild heart attack after dry scooping, likely because of a caffeine overdose, according to the National Capital Poison Center.
When you add in the risk of aspiration — which happens if the powder is inhaled into the lungs instead of swallowed down the esophagus — a person may end up coughing, choking, or having trouble breathing.
“People who have a history of lung disease, including asthma, may be especially at risk of developing adverse side effects after choking on or aspirating dry scooping powder,” Johnson-Arbor says.
What 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.
Are Pre-Workout Powders Safe if Used the Right Way?
Most pre-workout powders consist of a blend of amino acids, B vitamins, creatine, artificial sweeteners, and other ingredients. Most products instruct users to mix the powder with water and claim they enhance performance.
Ashley Leone, RD, the owner of Gazelle Nutrition Lab in Toronto, warns that pre-workout powders tend to contain a lot of caffeine, and overconsuming caffeine can damage the heart. “If, for instance, people take in more than the recommended daily upper limit of caffeine, they can encounter side effects like anxiety and irritability, and in extreme cases, heart arrhythmias.”
Other potential dangers of too much caffeine include insomnia, anxiety, dehydration, and abnormal heart rhythm, according to the National Institutes of Health.
While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that American adults consume no more than 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine in a day, it is common for pre-workout supplements to have 150 to 300 mg of caffeine per serving, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Another cautionary note about pre-workout supplements or powders: Dietary supplements are not regulated the same way that traditional drugs are. The FDA does not review supplements for safety or effectiveness before companies market them, so the list of ingredients on the package may not be accurate.
A review published in August 2018 in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition examined multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements intended to be taken prior to a workout to enhance exercise performance and subsequent training. While the review found that studies to date suggest the supplements may benefit exercise performance in the short term, the researchers concluded the evidence is preliminary and there are no data to indicate whether such supplements are safe over the long term. Most studies on use of the supplements were 8 to 12 weeks or shorter.
And it’s worth noting that each pre-workout product can vary significantly from others marketed for similar uses.
According to a study published in the January 2019 Nutrients, beta-alanine, caffeine, citrulline, tyrosine, taurine, and creatine are the most common ingredients in pre-workout supplements. But the composition varies “substantially” between formulations, with nearly half (44.3 percent) of all ingredients included as part of a “proprietary blend,” with undisclosed amounts of each ingredient.
If you do choose to consume pre-workout powders or other supplements, remember to tally them in your daily caffeine consumption, Mayo Clinic suggests.
Also, before you take any supplement, per a special report by Mayo Clinic, make sure it has been third-party tested by independent sources, like ConsumerLab.com, U.S. Pharmacopeia, or NSF International, because supplements aren't regulated for safety or effectiveness by the FDA.
Remember, it’s always a good idea to consult with your healthcare provider before starting a new drug or supplement, as they can interact with other medications you’re taking or have unintended side effects.
What You Should Eat Before a Workout
Collingwood suggests avoiding pre-workout supplements, and instead to consume nutritious meals and snacks before exercise and to stay hydrated.
“The main reason people fatigue during a workout is they run out of energy or they become very dehydrated from heavy breathing and sweat loss,” Collingwood says.
Drinking water before a workout will provide the hydration you need. And depending on your schedule and eating preferences, aim to have a meal three to four hours before a workout, or a snack a few minutes or up to two hours beforehand, Collingwood says.
The snacks or meals you choose should contain a mix of high-quality proteins, fats, and carbs. The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) suggests peanut butter on a bagel or a piece of fruit with a cup of chocolate milk. And try a cup of green tea or coffee for a (small) kick of caffeine.
Summary: Why Dry Scooping Isn’t Safe for Anyone
The experts interviewed for this article agree about dry scooping: Don’t try it.
In addition to the lack of any evidence that this practice will boost the effectiveness of the powder, it may be dangerous. You’re better off taking the steps known to enhance physical performance: Eat well, sleep enough, and stay hydrated, Collingwood says. “You don’t need fancy, expensive pre-workout supplements to get an extra edge!”
And if you know someone who's engaging in the activity (particularly someone young), Ganson advises talking to them about the risks and encouraging them to do further research themselves. “Try to understand the thinking behind these behaviors. It may be worth helping young people research the benefits and risks and [collaborate] with them to make a safe choice based on what they learn,” he says.
