This article is about Dry Scooping Protein Powder. Is eating protein powder dry bad or good for you? What do the latest studies say?
Dry Scooping Protein means eating protein powder itself without liquid or diluting it in water.
Doctors are worried, people may get incited to try it, attracted by the flurry of internet videos. There are millions of TikTok-like videos on dry scooping powder supplements.
Eating Protein Powder DRY – Health Warning
Pre-workout powders generally contain various amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and other ingredients such as caffeine. The concept is to provide the body boost before a workout session to raise energy and stamina, though the science around it is still patchy.
There are known risks from consuming too many stamina-boosting stimulants.
For example, a hefty dose of caffeine can lead to many heart-related side effects, such as palpitations and missed or extra beats. (Source)
To quote the Cohen Children’s Medical Center researchers in New York: “A scoop of powder might provide as much caffeine as 5 cups of coffee”. This punch can cause “an upsurge in blood pressure and heart rate, potentially resulting in disturbances in heart rhythm.”
The researchers further say that there is a great risk of accidentally inhaling the powder into your lungs. That can cause choking, pneumonia, or an infection.
Some protein powders sold online may not be from honest vendors or have the ingredients listed on the pack.
Several products have since been banned for having ingredients such as a stimulant called synephrine and a synthetic amphetamine called DMAA.
Protein Powder Scooping – Gaining popularity
The researchers probed 100 videos posted on TikTok, a popular social network channel, using the hash-tag “pre-workout” as their search. Unfortunately, only eight of the 100 videos showed the protein powder being used rightly.
Shockingly, more than thirty videos featured individuals indulging in dry scooping – putting a scoop of undiluted powder into their mouth followed by a few sips of water or some liquid. These videos got more than 8 million likes.
In a presentation for the American Academy of Pediatrics meeting, the researchers cautioned: “Physicians should be aware of the prevailing pre-workout, unsafe methods of consumption, and the risks for accidental inhalation, over-consumption, and injury.”
Fox News reported: “It is a dangerous trend much like the black-out challenge or TidePod challenge that could kill the people attempting to do it.”
[Read here: How to meet your protein needs]
To quote Bridget Benelam, a nutrition scientist from the British Nutrition Foundation:
(i) “Pre-workout powders usually contain caffeine along with other ingredients like creatine, amino acids, and vitamins.
(ii) “There doesn’t seem to be much scientific research on the benefits of these products, though there is some evidence that caffeine may enhance sports performance in some cases. However, these research studies are typically done in athletes, and therefore it’s not clear how relevant this is for the wider population.”
(iii) “The amounts of caffeine in these products vary from the equivalent of about 1 to over 3 cups of filter coffee, when made up as per the manufacturer’s instructions.”
(iv) “Thus there is a danger of over-consuming caffeine, particularly if consumed more than once per day or even if just consuming the powder where you may consume the powder more than the recommended amount.”
Note: Don’t forget to keep yourself hydrated by drinking enough water or fluid as you work out.
The British Heart Foundation recommends:
[Read here: How to meet your protein needs]
(i) You should have 6 to 8 glasses of water/fluid per day, whether you work out or not.
(ii) Listen to your body – if you’re sweating a lot or thirsty, then drink water.
(iii) Drinking too much water is definitely bad for you, so don’t overdo it. The same applies to caffeine. (Source)
About Author: Renu Bakshi, AKA Fitness Buffhq, is ISSA Certified Elite Trainer. He passed Personal Fitness Trainer Course, Nutrition Health Coach course & Specialist Exercise Therapy course from ISSA, USA obtaining + 97% marks. He shares his experience and knowledge about nutrition and effective workouts to get you in the best shape of your life, no matter how old you may be. The author says: “For me, age is just a number!”
