Cautionary Spice: Nutmeg Challenge Becomes Dangerous Trend Among Teens

By Alison Adduono, Director of Marketing

Recently while scrolling through Facebook, I ran across a TikTok video I found surprising — teens were using nutmeg to get high. Yes — there was another challenge. My first thought was oh great, here we go again with another stupid TikTok challenge akin to the Tide Pods and Cinnamon swallowing — but this wasn’t to get clicks this was to get hits.

What Is This Nutmeg Challenge?

Apparently, this nutmeg challenge saw teens stirring multiple tablespoons of nutmeg into a glass of water and then chugging it (camera in hand of course) for a hallucinogenic nutmeg high. I guess I must have been hiding under a rock because I was never aware of the nutmeg challenge before but at one point during 2020 the hashtag had over 46.4M views. TikTok has even blocked the hashtag #nutmegchallenge for violating its community guidelines. According to a March 2024 Parents magazine article this latest now viral video is bringing attention to an old method of getting high.

After doing a little research so I could write this blog, I ran across a bunch of facts I had been completely unaware of that were pretty interesting – ranging from mildly amusing to scary.

The History of Nutmeg

For most the nutmeg spice conjures up thoughts of holiday dishes like pumpkin pie, eggnog and a host of other foods – not drugs. This commonly used spice is derived from the dried seeds of the evergreen tree Myristica fragrans. This tree is native to the Indonesian Spice Islands (Moluccas) and the West Indies.

Here are some trivia facts:

In information compiled by the Tennessee Poison Center “since medieval times, it has had many purposes including use as a stimulant, carminative (relieves flatulence), emmenagogue (induces menstruation), an abortifacient, and occasionally a recreational hallucinogen.”
An article by Inverse mentioned that “religious crusaders would ingest nutmeg to combat the boredom and foot pain that can come with long journeys overland” as well as “may even be responsible for giving seers, like 15th-century physician and astrologer Nostradamus, their prophetic visions.”
In fact, back “in the 1960s and 1970s nutmeg was used as a psychedelic drug by the hippie culture, but it was abandoned due to the headache it caused in users” according to the NIH National Library of Medicine.
In his autobiography civil rights leader Malcolm X discussed how he bought it from other prisoners while in jail. It was concealed in matchboxes, and they would stir it into water. “A penny matchbox full of nutmeg had the kick of three or four reefers,” he stated.
An Emergency Medicine News article mentions early beliefs of nutmeg being useful as an aphrodisiac, treating the plague, cholera, etc.

What Is The Science Behind A Nutmeg High?

Myristicin, found in nutmeg, is the chemical compound that produces intoxicating effects. Alongside Elemicin, it plays a key role in causing the psychologic and physiologic effects observed after nutmeg over-consumption. Myristicin occurs naturally in the essential oils of certain plants, such as parsley and dill. When ingested, Myristicin is metabolized in the body forming 3-methoxy-4,5 methylenedioxyamphetamine (MMDA). This compound has hallucinogenic properties and affects the central nervous system, flooding it with norepinephrine, a hormone responsible for increasing heart rate in blood pressure.

The psychedelic effects of myristicin are thought to be related to its active amphetamine-derived metabolite Myristicin, which causes what they are calling “nutmeg intoxication” or “nutmeg high”. It also can interact with serotonergic agents due to pharmacologic properties similar to monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). More toxicological information can be found by viewing this article prepared by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).

What Are The Myristicin Side Effects?

Nutmeg may produce symptoms similar to those of an anticholinergic poisoning. Symptoms of nutmeg intoxication typically appear 3 to 8 hours after ingestion and last from hours to days. The dose at which the psychogenic effects have been reported ranges from 15-20 grams (or two to three tablespoons of ground nutmeg). With nutmeg being so readily available the sheer amounts used to get this high are very unpalatable which may explain the infrequency of reported nutmeg abuse.

Similar to Peyote, intoxication from nutmeg can cause:

Visual hallucinations
Nausea and frequent vomiting
Drowsiness
Dizziness
Dry mouth
Confusion
Headache
Anxiety and fear
Psychotic episodes
Dissociation
Hostile behavior
Potential to cause miosis (excessive constriction of the pupil)

In addition to the effects listed above, or an intense “nutmeg hangover” there are also some serious dangers that can be attributed to consuming large excessive quantities of nutmeg:

Seizures
Cardiovascular effects such as sinus tachycardia, hypotension, and flushing
Coma
Death (extremely rare)

A MedPage Today article discusses a case study of a TikToker that presented to the ER that experienced many of the above listed symptoms including seizures.

My Allergy and My New Perspective

I never knew before that nutmeg was considered a psychotropic agent – so I just learned something new. But in retrospect I guess it explains a very bad reaction I had to it several years ago. Overall, in addition to some normal allergies like shellfish and nuts I do have some offbeat allergies with spices – nutmeg being one of them. Typically, nutmeg would just give me hives for days but there was one incident when I was traveling for business that I had been exposed to it in my pasta dish.

In addition to doing my best interpretation of Linda Blair, later that evening I was so disoriented I walked into the lobby in my PJs. The following day, my coworker expressed concern about whether I needed to visit the emergency room. Fortunately, I didn’t require medical attention, but this situation clarifies why my allergic reaction differed significantly. It appears that I had just sufficient exposure to surpass my typical allergic response.

Are There Instant Drug Tests For Myristicin?

Unfortunately, no. Myristicin can be detected in blood serum analysis and can be identified in high-performance liquid chromatography (LC) testing of urine samples but as of yet there isn’t an available commercial test.

Know The Signs Of Nutmeg Intoxication

Is your child being secretive, acting differently? Have you already ruled out the use of the typical drugs of abuse using an instant test start looking for other signs. Is the nutmeg suddenly missing from your spice rack? Ask questions. Look for the signs. Initial symptoms of use can include neurological myristicin effects like giddiness, tingling, euphoria, and hallucinations, etc. This is then followed by extreme drowsiness. More serious side effects (see inclusive list) can also appear that could require a trip to the ER. Stay in the know on these dangerous trends.