14 DAY TRIAL // A team of specialists writing in Monday's issue of the journal Pediatrics urge both kids and teens not to take part in the so-called cinnamon challenge, as this might translate into their suffering significant bad reactions to said spice.
Apparently, the cinnamon challenge has been around for quite some time now, yet it took a while for doctors to realize that, given its increasing popularity, it might not be such a bad idea to issue some warnings concerning the health risks associated with this dare.
Long story short, the cinnamon challenge comes down to one person's trying to ingest a spoonful of ground cinnamon in either one minute or less. While doing so, the person is not allowed to drink water, The Examiner reports.
As explained by the researchers in the journal Pediatrics, “The Cinnamon Challenge entails swallowing a tablespoon of ground cinnamon in 60 seconds without drinking fluids.”
Furthermore, “In most cases, the effects are temporary, yet the Cinnamon Challenge has led to dozens of calls to poison centers, emergency department visits, and even hospitalizations for adolescents requiring ventilator support for collapsed lungs.”
By the looks of it, the cinnamon challenge has become so popular that the number of teens who required medical care following their taking part in it has tripled since 2011 until 2012.
Specialists explain that cinnamon constitutes a threat to one's well-being due to the fact that it is extremely dry.
Thus, when ingested as such or accidentally inhaled, the small particles that make up cinnamon impact on one's breathing abilities. In some cases, a person might even choke to death.
Because it is basically a powder composed of cellulose fibers that happened to be bioresistant and biopersistant, cinnamon does not dissolve or biodigrade when inside a person's lungs, the researchers warn.
As explained in their paper, “Cinnamon inhalation can cause pulmonary inflammation, predisposing airways to epithelial lesions and scarring. Aspirated powder entering the upper airways can cause inflammation and, in more severe cases, aspiration pneumonia.”
The researchers hope that their issuing these warnings will compel kids and teens to think twice before deciding to take part in the cinnamon challenge.