Can You Dry Scoop Creatine?

Dry scooping may be a dangerous trend 

There are tons of different trends in the fitness industry, whether that be with diet or clothing style or how people train. Take a look at the bodybuilders of the Golden Era vs. the gymcels today, completely different. Anyway, a more recent trend that has gained some popularity in the fitness world is “dry scooping” creatine and other supplements like pre-workout. Now, you may be thinking, “what does that even mean?” Well, dry scooping is taking the supplement right from the scooper, and not mixing it with any liquid and drinking it like normal, and this growing trend may not only be ineffective, but also dangerous.

Let’s break down what dry scooping is, and why this might be a serious concern.

What is Dry Scooping?

As stated above, dry scooping refers to gulping down a powdered supplement without the assistance of any liquid. That means you throw it right down the gullet instead of a shaker cup, then maybe use some liquid to chase it down and not choke to death. While dry-scooping has been around for a long time, it is largely popular amongst pre-workout, but recently creatine supplements are the target of this trend. Creatine supplements are typically ingested by mixing in a shaker cup with water or another liquid. They are typically unflavored, so it really is not hard to mix a creatine supplement in with a protein shake or even BCAAs and pre-workouts.

However, many fitness influencers are making the claims that dry scooping your creatine will help to make the supplement more effective. We are here to discuss those claims.

Why are People Dry Scooping?

Now, social media has produced a lot of pretty solid fitness content, influencers are able to inspire and make a name for themselves and different brands without even stepping foot on the bodybuilding stage, take a look at Sam Sulek. While social media has produced an amazing amount of fitness content, it also has brought popularity to some rather dumb and dangerous ideas, and one of those is the dry scoop challenge. 

That being said, if it is not a good idea to dry scoop powdered supplements such as creatine, why are so many people participating in the act? Well, as stated above, some influencers have made claims that taking creatine or other supplements right out of the scooper and without any liquid will allow the creatine to enter directly into the bloodstream. The idea is that it will go right through the mucus membranes of your mouth, which is said to provide a quicker hit and therefore makes it far more effective for your gains. 

Dry scooping is also a trend that brings a great amount of views, likes, and overall more interaction to the post. It is something that gains a larger audience, so more and more people do it.

Sure, dry scooping might seem like a harmless way to ingest your supplements, but it can actually have some pretty dangerous risks. Those risks make it a lot more concerning regarding how many people are joining in on dry scooping. 

Side Effects and Risks of Dry Scooping

It has been shown that both short-term and long-term creatine supplementation is safe for healthy individuals, despite what many people say about having side effects of hair loss and organ failure and water retention. When taken with water like normal, there is very little risk in taking creatine powder, however, when dry scooping creatine, that may be a different story.

Stomach Issues

Dry scooping creatine can cause gastrointestinal issues, which is something that no one wants to deal with. GI issues tend to lead to other unwanted feelings like stomach cramps and diarrhea, and the list goes on. Larger amounts of creatine have also been shown to have some nasty effects on digestion. For example, taking 10 grams of creatine all at once instead of 5 grams, this can contribute to digestive issues. That being said, taking creatine with fluid and not on an empty stomach is ideal.

Tooth Decay

You may think it is fine, but dry scooping creatine can actually cause tooth decay. Think about it, creating and tons of other supplements will often include additives such as citric acid and malic acid, and research has shown that citric acid exposure can increase the erosion of enamel on your teeth. Dry scooping your creatine that contains citric acid or a similar acid means that you are directly exposing your teeth to a concentrated dose. Your teeth being hit with a concentrated dose can eventually weaken your enamel and teeth, and over time this will lead to tooth decay.

Supplement Wastage

Dry scooping is somewhat like the cinnamon challenge, remember that? When people would try to choke down a scoop of cinnamon? When the cinnamon challenge was popular, you would see videos of the participants gagging and coughing and really just sending cinnamon powder dust everywhere.

That being said, if you cough or choke while dry scooping creatine, chances are you are going to do the same thing. Coughing up supplement powder everywhere means that you will be wasting a good amount of creatine powder, and the idea of “dry scooping being more effective” would have gone right out the window. Wasting supplements in this day and age is pretty much the same as wasting your money, and they are not cheap. The solution to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to your supplements is to make sure to take it properly, with a liquid. That way, you can completely avoid losing servings that cost money.

Choking Hazard

Lastly, think about the choking hazard. Dry scooping creatine is a massive choking hazard, as you are throwing a powdered substance in your throat, which can cause you to choke. 

Does Dry Scooping Creatine Have Any Benefits?

Now, the claims from the influencers are that dry scooping creatine helps to make it far more effective, but unfortunately there is no evidence to support that. There have been no studies that suggest dry scooping creatine makes it any more effective than taking it normally with water.

The only benefit would really be saving time, as you don’t have to mix it in your shaker. But realistically, if you have an unflavored creatine, then you can put it in your protein shake or other supplement mix, and you are getting a two for one. So that being said, there are no benefits to dry scooping creatine.

Our Favorite Creatine Supplement

When it comes to choosing a good creatine supplement, our favorite is Transparent Labs Creatine HMB. It is one of the more expensive creatine supplements available, so maybe you won’t be tempted to dry scoop it, but Transparent Labs Creatine HMB is well worth the price. We have this listed as one of the best creatine products for pure creatine. There are no added artificial flavors, fillers, preservatives, or coloring, which means the body isn’t wasting energy metabolizing useless chemicals, just straight up creatine.

Not to mention, Transparent Labs creatine is infused with HMB, or β-Hydroxy β-Methylbutyrate, which has been proven to increase muscle strength and lean body mass while decreasing fat mass and boosting focus. At a good price, this is one of the best creatine products on the market to buy for bulking.

Use the promo code GENIRON10 for 10% off! Check out our individual review for Transparent Labs StrengthSeries Creatine HMB!

Wrap Up

Overall, dry scooping creatine is growing in popularity, but it is not the way to go. In order to properly take a creatine supplement, just throw it in your shaker cup!

Do you dry scoop your creatine?