People on TikTok were reportedly overdosing on over-the-counter drugs while participating in the “Benadryl Challenge.” Now, The Food and Drug Administration is issuing a warning about it.
The FDA said Thursday that “serious problems” could occur if high doses of the allergy medication Benadryl are ingested. The agency’s warning was brought on by reports centered around one of the latest social media challenges to catch the attention of teenagers.
“We are aware of news reports of teenagers ending up in emergency rooms or dying after participating in the ‘Benadryl Challenge’ encouraged in videos posted on the social media application TikTok,” the FDA said. The health agency is investigating reports to determine if additional cases have happened.
Taking too much Benadryl can lead to serious heart problems, seizures, coma, or even death, the FDA warns.
TikTok has moved to remove videos related to the challenge, which featured young people encouraging others to ingest high doses of the antihistamine to induce hallucinations, according to Healthline.
If you search TikTok for Benadryl Challenge, you’ll get a notice saying that “this phrase may be associated with behavior or content that violates our guidelines.” No video results will populate.