If you’ve been around the Internet for any length of time, you already realize that there are trends that pop up on social media. These trends are often followed by those who want to get in on the action, but it isn’t always the smartest thing to do.
Perhaps we think back to the planking challenge or maybe some type of dance challenge. There was also the ice bucket challenge that seemed to be for a good cause.
Now, there is something that is known as the NyQuil Chicken Challenge, and the FDA wants people to stop doing it. In fact, they are putting out a warning against the social media challenge, saying that it could have dangerous or perhaps even deadly outcomes.
In case you are unfamiliar with the NyQuil Chicken Challenge, it is a challenge in which people soak raw chicken with NyQuil, an over-the-counter medication used to treat cold symptoms.
After the chicken has been soaked for a while, it is then boiled and that is where the problem lies. The FDA explains this in the warning, saying: “Boiling a medication can make it much more concentrated and change its properties in other ways.”
Is not only boiling it that could cause the problems, even inhaling the vapors could cause an overload of the medication in your body. The FDA notes that it could hurt the lungs and said: “Put simply: Someone could take a dangerously high amount of the cough and cold medicine without even realizing it.”
This challenge is nothing new but the warning from the FDA was only recently released. Nobody knows why they have waited so long to talk about the people who are cooking chicken breast in NyQuil, but it is important that we pay attention now that they have done it.
NyQuil may be an over-the-counter medication but there are some severe symptoms associated with overdose. It could include liver failure, seizures, dizziness, and difficulties with breathing. Some people may even die from a lethal exposure to NyQuil.
The warning is clear and now it is time for people to stop this challenge. Perhaps they should also ask themselves if other challenges are worth trying, especially when it is potentially unsafe to do it.