What Is Dry Scooping and Is It Dangerous?

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If you grab your favorite shaker bottle and mix up a pre-workout supplement before you head to the gym, then you’re already familiar with the benefits of pre-workout products. But chances are that if you’ve spent much time on TikTok lately, you’ve also seen the dry scooping trend where athletes consume their pre-workout as a dry powder without mixing with water.

As athletes participate in the dry scooping challenge, they post videos of themselves consuming pre-workout products in different ways. Some follow the powder with a few sips of water, while others choose sports drinks or even alcohol to wash it down. The videos occasionally even show athletes inhaling or packing the powder into a lip or under a tongue, and many athletes proudly show off their pre-workout routines, discussing what gets them the best results.

The dry scooping trend is promoted as being a way for athletes to show their hardcore approach to working out, but is it safe? Before you’re tempted to participate in the trend, it’s important to understand the many serious health risks associated with dry scooping.

What Is Dry Scooping?

Pre-workout powders have been a popular supplement for bodybuilders, athletes and gym-goers for a while, and the use of the supplement is increasing with each passing year.

Pre-workout supplements are designed to be diluted with water and consumed before a workout. But following a trend called dry scooping, athletes began consuming the supplement powder dry without adding water, then drinking a few sips of water to wash it down. 

Pete Nastasi, Certified Sports Nutrition Coach and owner of Nastasi Nutrition, explains that social media contributed to the popularity of dry scooping. “Dry scooping has been around for a while, but it only started trending in early 2021 specifically because of TikTok and its virality,” says Nastasi.

Why Do People Dry Scoop?

According to Alexis Gray, MS, LAT, ATC, a Franciscan Health Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer, many fitness influencers are touting dry scooping for its energy boosting and performance enhancing properties. She notes that this is a dangerous practice that can lead to coughing, choking and inhalation of the particles into the lungs. 

Nastasi says that the idea that pre-workout powders are more effective when consumed dry is incorrect. “There really aren’t any benefits to be gained from dry scooping pre-workout,” he says. “In fact, many of the ingredients have better performance-enhancing benefits when they are mixed with water.”

Social media popularity also plays a key role in the popularity of dry scooping. “The reason this trend became so popular was simply as a way to show how ‘hardcore’ you were, and people were just hopping on the bandwagon,” explains Nastasi. 

A dry scooping challenge emerged on TikTok in 2021, and challenge videos amassed more than eight million views. Athletes have created videos depicting them not only swallowing the powder by mouth, but also snorting it, packing it in their lip and consuming it with energy drinks, alcohol, coffee or even candy.

What Is Pre-Workout?

Pre-workout supplements combine multiple ingredients to support athletes during their workouts. These products are marketed as a way to improve exercise performance, boost energy, improve focus and even reduce fatigue so athletes can get more out of each workout. Many pre-workout supplements contain stimulants like caffeine, but there are also plenty of products that are made without caffeine for athletes who want to avoid stimulants.

According to a review of pre-workout supplements, these products typically contain multiple ingredients, including caffeine, creatine, beta-alanine, amino acids and nitric oxide agents. Combined, those ingredients may work together to support athlete performance, potentially with better results than athletes would see from ingesting just one of the pre-workout ingredients alone.

What Are the Risks of Dry Scooping Pre-Workout?

Dry scooping pre-workout powder may be popular, but the trend comes with serious risks. “There are a few different notable health risks that come with dry scooping pre-workout,” says Nastasi. “The first is that consuming that amount of powder is a serious choking hazard, and once you start coughing there is a real chance that these ingredients can get into your lungs.” According to Gray, if athletes cough and then accidentally inhale the powder, it could potentially lead to infection or inflammation in their lungs.

TikTok user bagels4everr posted videos depicting her frightening experience with dry scooping. After swallowing a scoop of pre-workout powder, she had trouble breathing and needed to use her inhaler before being able to fully breathe or speak again.

According to the National Capital Poison Control Center, consuming a pre-workout supplement in a way that isn’t recommended by the manufacturer can lead to toxicity. Athletes with underlying health conditions like heart or lung disease are at an increased risk of developing serious health effects from dry scooping.

The caffeine content in pre-workout can also pose a risk when consumed dry. The National Capital Poison Control Center reports that some products can contain high doses of caffeine that are equivalent to the amount of caffeine contained in two or three cups of coffee. Some products also contain other stimulants, too.

“A lot of pre-workouts on the market are very caffeinated, and when you dry scoop pre-workout, you are getting an acute dose of caffeine sent directly into your bloodstream, which can cause some negative side effects like an increased heart rate and heart attack risk, anxiety, jitters and insomnia,” says Nastasi.

That caffeine overdose can be particularly dangerous for adolescents. “Younger individuals are more sensitive to caffeine because they are usually smaller in size,” Nastasi explains. “These pre-workout powders will affect a 200-pound adult differently than a 120-pound teenager.”

20 year-old Briatney Portillo experienced chest pain, nausea and light-headedness after trying the TikTok trend. She became unusually hot and started sweating excessively, then experienced recurring chest pain that traveled to her left arm. Portillo suffered an NSTEMI heart attack, in which the artery to the heart isn’t completely blocked. Portillo survived and now has to monitor her heart rate during workouts.

It’s also important to understand that the pre-workout product athletes use can affect their safety, too. One study found that both the types of ingredients and the amounts of each ingredient that pre-workout products contained varied from what was identified on the label. In fact, nearly half of the ingredients in these products were parts of “proprietary blends,” so the amounts of each ingredient was undisclosed. As a result, athletes don’t really know what they’re consuming when using some of these products, and by dry scooping, they could be consuming a large amount of unknown ingredients. The study encouraged athletes to choose products with labels that disclose all ingredients and their amounts.

How Should You Consume Pre-Workout?

Nastasi notes that the safest way to consume pre-workout is to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. “It usually involves mixing one serving of pre-workout in eight to 12 ounces of water and drinking it 15 to 20 minutes before your workout.”

The pre-workout product choice also impacts the safety and results. “If you want to use a pre-workout supplement, you should always read the supplement label and ensure you know all of the ingredients, what they do and whether they are on a banned substance list,” says Nastasi. “It’s a good idea to consult with your healthcare professional whenever you add a new supplement to your routine.” He notes that athletes under age 18 probably don’t need a caffeinated pre-workout to get the energy they need to train.

In addition to pre-workout products, there are plenty of alternatives that can still help athletes fuel up for a workout. “There are a number of sports supplements on the market that will have performance-enhancing benefits,” says Nastasi. For example, electrolyte powders help ensure proper hydration, carbohydrate powders help provide energy and restore muscle glycogen levels, and beta-alanine increases muscular endurance.

Our Top Picks for Pre-Workout

If you’re looking for a quality pre-workout supplement to support your workouts, we’ve highlighted our four top picks to help you get started. When choosing a supplement, make sure that you understand all of the ingredients in it, and that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions when preparing and consuming the product. It’s always a good idea to check with your doctor before you add a new supplement to your workout routine.

Transparent Labs Bulk Black

Transparent Labs BULK Black offers complete formula transparency, so you know exactly what you’re putting into your body, and in what amounts. Every scoop contains over 17 grams of active ingredients, including muscle fortifiers and testosterone-supporting ingredients, so it’s an excellent choice for the serious athlete who wants to maximize their workout efficiency and effectiveness. It's one of the best pre-workout supplements for women and men alike. Free of artificial sweeteners, flavors, food dyes and added sugars, this pre-workout supplement is available in Cherry Kiwi, Blue Raspberry, Peach Mango, Sour Gummy and Black Cherry flavors.

XWerks Ignite

XWerks Ignite is designed to provide energy without the crash, and it includes 150 milligrams of caffeine, which is about what you would consume from drinking a cup of coffee. This supplement also includes lactate, which, when combined with caffeine, promotes both muscle growth and improved anabolic pathways, according to two studies. This supplement is free of dairy and gluten, so it’s ideal for athletes with dietary sensitivities who still want an energy boost, and it’s available in Orange, Green Apple and Blue Raspberry flavors.

Transparent Labs Stim-Free

Transparent Labs Stim-Free contains no caffeine or stimulants, so it’s ideal for any athlete with intolerances or who is looking to take a break from caffeine. Every serving includes 13 active ingredients like beta-alanine, citrulline malate, taurine and L-tyrosine which may aid in focus and endurance, lean muscle mass and overall athletic performance during workouts, though more research is needed. This supplement is free of ingredients like artificial coloring and preservatives, and it’s available in Sour Grape, Blue Raspberry, Green Apple, Orange, Peach Mango, Strawberry Lemonade and Tropical Punch flavors for plenty of variety.

Jacked Factory Nitrosurge Max

Jacked Factory Nitrosurge Max is full of effective ingredients like L-citrulline, betaine anhydrous, L-tyrosine, L-theanine and organic caffeine that could potentially improve exercise performance. The supplement features a transparent label, and contains no fillers or dyes. It's ideal for serious athletes looking to maximize their workouts. Available flavors include Watermelon, Blue Raspberry and Cherry.

Final Verdict: Is Dry Scooping Bad for You?

Pre-workout products are designed to be mixed with water, and that’s the safest way to consume them. The dry scooping trend carries multiple risks, including choking, accidental inhalation and potential toxicity caused by the concentrated dose of ingredients. Ingesting the caffeine in many of these products in an undiluted form also carries its own risks, including heart palpitations, agitation and even heart attack. Instead of dry scooping, follow the manufacturer’s instructions if you want to take pre-workout supplements.

The TikTok dry scooping challenge depicts dry scooping as a way to demonstrate that an athlete is dedicated and hardcore, but dry scooping isn’t worth the risk. “It’s just potentially dangerous,” says Nastasi. “There are no benefits to dry-scooping, and it should definitely be avoided. Besides, these supplement companies go out of their way to make powders that taste good and are enjoyable when mixed with water. There is no way that dry scooping tastes good or is enjoyable in any way.”

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