US scientists believe it is dangerous to eat dry protein before working out

If you’ve been offered to take part in a dry scooping challenge, scientists strongly advise against it. This dubious trend of consuming dry sports nutrition has become more and more popular lately and has already brought many people to the hospital bed. Choking, pneumonia, heart problems – this is not a complete list of negative consequences. We tell you what else the new trend in TikTok is dangerous.

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Before using sports nutrition, it is necessary to consult a doctor and find out in advance whether you do not have intolerance to individual components.

What do scientists say?

A dangerous challenge is gaining momentum in the social network TikTok. The essence of the new trend is to take a spoonful of protein powder dry and drink it with water or energy drink. The dubious approach supposedly gives a greater energy boost to the exerciser. But researcher Nelson Chow, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, says the practice is unsafe and can seriously harm health. There are already victims – one of the girls, for example, ended up in the hospital with a heart attack, and the second for a long time could not breathe. Questionable pleasure, isn’t it?

Researchers warn that sports nutrition should be consumed according to the instructions. Traditionally, the mixture (protein, creatine, energy) is dissolved in water and drunk about half an hour before training. Deviation from the instructions entails health risks. For example, the powder can accidentally get into the respiratory tract. In the best case, the person will have an unpleasantly scratchy throat and nasal cavity, and in the worst case, laryngeal spasm and choking may occur.

There can also be an acute reaction to high doses of certain ingredients. For example, if a person drinks a cup of coffee before taking protein, which on average contains 150-300 mg of caffeine, this combination can cause a sharp jump in blood pressure and heart problems. And this applies not only to protein, but also to pre-training complexes: mixtures of protein with creatine or vitamin C.

Taking protein “dry” has another side effect. Powder can traumatize the esophageal mucosa and cause heartburn – the feeling of discomfort and burning in this case will at least spoil the training.

Fitness trainer recommends mixing sports nutrition powders with water: the product in this case is digested better. But even here there are nuances, since there are many types of protein and they will not suit everyone. For example, whey protein is one of the most popular, and in the lineup of any sports brand – it is a by-product of cheese production. Whey is believed to be easy to digest, but it can cause digestive upset in lactose intolerant people.