Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) adverse event reports spiked 2,314% in 2021 when the TikTok challenge first went viral. Source: FDA FAERS via MyfitByte API.
The Benadryl Challenge keeps coming back. TikTok users dare each other to take large doses of diphenhydramine to hallucinate on camera. The American Academy of Pediatrics presented new data on it in July 2026. News outlets repeat "FDA warns" without showing any actual FDA data.
So we pulled the numbers ourselves. Here's what 1,092 adverse event reports from the FDA's FAERS database reveal about diphenhydramine misuse, overdose, and death.
TL;DR
- 1,092 total FAERS reports for diphenhydramine linked to adverse events (2018-2025)
- 310 deaths reported across all age groups, 75 among people 25 and younger
- 2021 spike: 531 reports (up from 22 in 2020, a 2,314% increase) coinciding with the first TikTok viral wave
- 2025 was worse: 374 reports for the full year, with 178 deaths recorded
- 81% of all reports classified as serious (hospitalization, life-threatening, or death)
- Under-25 age group shows cardiac arrest, seizures, and QT prolongation as top clinical findings
How we got this data
We queried the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) through the MyfitByte API. FAERS collects voluntary reports from healthcare professionals, consumers, and manufacturers about drug side effects submitted to the FDA.
The query:
curl -H "x-api-key: YOUR_KEY" \
"https://myfitbyte.com/api/v1/adverse-events?drug=diphenhydramine&limit=100"
Important context: FAERS is a passive surveillance system. Reports do not prove causation. Not all adverse events get reported. But trends in report volume, especially sudden spikes tied to known cultural events, are strong signals.
Report volume: two clear viral spikes
| Year | Reports | Deaths | Under 18 | Age 18-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | 22 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 2021 | 531 | 96 | 48 | 43 |
| 2022 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 49 | 13 | 4 | 2 |
| 2024 | 104 | 10 | 7 | 5 |
| 2025 | 374 | 178 | 27 | 25 |
Two patterns stand out.
First: 2021. Reports jumped from 22 to 531 in one year. The Benadryl Challenge first went viral on TikTok in late 2020. By 2021, the reporting system captured the fallout. That 91 under-25 patients appear in a single year for an OTC antihistamine is abnormal by any measure.
Second: 2025. The full year logged 374 reports with 178 deaths, nearly matching 2021's peak volume. The challenge resurfaced hard. The AAP's July 2026 conference presentation confirms what the data already showed months earlier.
What happens to the body: top reported reactions
The clinical picture from FAERS reports paints a consistent overdose toxidrome:
| Reaction | Reports | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Toxicity to various agents | 186 | Multi-organ poisoning |
| Completed suicide | 121 | Intentional fatal overdose |
| Overdose | 100 | Excessive dose ingested |
| Drug abuse | 75 | Recreational misuse flagged |
| Hallucination, visual | 63 | The "desired" effect of the challenge |
| Intentional overdose | 58 | Deliberate excessive ingestion |
| Tachycardia | 49 | Heart racing dangerously fast |
| Cardiac arrest | 38 | Heart stopped |
| Coma | 35 | Loss of consciousness |
| Seizure | 29 | Brain misfiring from toxicity |
The hallucinations that TikTok users chase sit in the same dose range that causes cardiac arrest and seizures. Diphenhydramine is an anticholinergic. At high doses, it blocks acetylcholine receptors throughout the nervous system. The "trip" and the cardiac toxicity are the same pharmacological event at different organ sites.
The under-25 picture is worse
Among patients 25 and younger, the top reported reactions shift toward acute cardiac events:
| Reaction | Reports (Under 25) |
|---|---|
| Toxicity to various agents | 55 |
| Completed suicide | 32 |
| Tachycardia | 30 |
| Overdose | 28 |
| Cardiac arrest | 19 |
| QRS complex prolonged | 16 |
| QT prolonged | 16 |
| Hypertension | 16 |
| Mydriasis (dilated pupils) | 15 |
| Seizure | 14 |
| Respiratory arrest | 13 |
QRS and QT prolongation are ECG findings that precede fatal arrhythmias. Their appearance in this age group, alongside cardiac arrest and respiratory arrest, shows these are not "bad trips." They are poisoning events.
Outcomes for under-25 patients by year:
| Year | Deaths | Hospitalized | Life-Threatening |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2021 | 40 | 28 | 4 |
| 2023 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 2025 | 33 | 12 | 0 |
Forty deaths among under-25s in 2021. Thirty-three in 2025. The trend is not improving.
Who reports these events?
| Reporter | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Consumer | 480 | 44% |
| Other health professional | 303 | 28% |
| Physician | 273 | 25% |
| Pharmacist | 23 | 2% |
| Unknown | 13 | 1% |
Nearly half come from consumers, which includes family members reporting after a death or hospitalization. The high physician involvement (25%) suggests emergency departments are submitting reports for severe cases.
How diphenhydramine compares to other OTC drugs
Is this spike unique to Benadryl, or did all OTC drug reports increase? We pulled ibuprofen and acetaminophen for context:
| Drug | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Change (2020-2021) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diphenhydramine | 8 | 22 | 463 | +2,004% |
| Ibuprofen | 72 | 102 | 5,078 | +4,878% |
| Acetaminophen | 69 | 82 | 1,990 | +2,327% |
All three OTC drugs show a 2021 spike (likely reflecting a FAERS reporting system change or catch-up from pandemic-era backlogs). But diphenhydramine's ratio of deaths-to-total-reports is far higher. For diphenhydramine: 96 deaths out of 531 reports (18%). For comparison purposes, the death rate in ibuprofen reports over the same period runs under 5%.
Why this keeps happening
Three factors keep the Benadryl Challenge alive:
Accessibility. Diphenhydramine is sold without prescription, without age verification in most states, in packages of 100+ tablets for under $10. A lethal dose costs less than a coffee.
Pharmacology misconception. Users believe "antihistamine" means "safe." The anticholinergic mechanism at high doses produces delirium, not a controlled psychedelic experience. Participants cannot predict or control the outcome.
Platform dynamics. TikTok's algorithm resurfaces challenge content cyclically. Each resurgence creates a new cohort of first-time participants who missed prior warnings. The 2025 data shows this cycle repeating.
What the FDA has done
The FDA issued a safety communication in September 2020 warning about diphenhydramine overdose risks tied to social media challenges. Johnson & Johnson (Benadryl's manufacturer) updated packaging and worked with platforms to remove challenge content.
Neither intervention shows lasting effect in the data. The 2025 numbers nearly matched 2021's totals, and early 2026 reports suggest the cycle continues.
Limitations of this data
FAERS has known constraints that affect interpretation:
- Underreporting. The FDA estimates FAERS captures only 1-10% of actual adverse events. The true numbers are likely 10-100x higher.
- No denominator. We know 1,092 reports exist, but not how many people attempted the challenge without incident.
- Reporting lag. Events from late 2025 and early 2026 may not yet appear in FAERS due to quarterly release cycles.
- Duplicate reports. The same event can generate reports from both a consumer and their physician.
- No intent confirmation. A diphenhydramine overdose report does not specify whether it was a TikTok challenge, suicide attempt, or accidental ingestion. We infer challenge involvement from timing and demographics.
FAQ
Is the Benadryl Challenge still happening in 2026?
Yes. FDA FAERS data shows 374 reports in 2025, nearly matching the original 2021 viral wave. The AAP presented new data on the ongoing trend at their July 2026 conference.
How many people have died from the Benadryl Challenge?
FAERS records 310 total deaths linked to diphenhydramine adverse events between 2018 and 2025. Among patients 25 and younger, 75 deaths are recorded. Due to underreporting (FAERS captures an estimated 1-10% of events), actual numbers are likely higher.
What dose of Benadryl is dangerous?
The standard adult dose is 25-50mg. Toxic effects begin around 300-500mg (12-20 tablets). Doses above 1,000mg carry significant risk of cardiac arrest, seizures, and death. The "challenge" dose targets hallucination, which requires toxic-level ingestion.
Why does Benadryl cause hallucinations at high doses?
Diphenhydramine is an anticholinergic. At high doses, it blocks acetylcholine throughout the central nervous system, causing delirium with visual hallucinations. This is not a psychedelic effect. Participants experience confusion, paranoia, and inability to distinguish hallucinations from reality.
Can you buy Benadryl without ID?
In most US states, yes. Diphenhydramine has no purchase restrictions, age verification requirements, or quantity limits at retail. Some retailers have voluntarily placed it behind counters or limited package sizes.
Has the FDA banned large Benadryl packages?
No. The FDA issued a warning in September 2020 but has not restricted package sizes, imposed purchase limits, or required behind-the-counter placement for diphenhydramine products.
Where does this data come from?
All data in this analysis comes from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), accessed through the MyfitByte API. FAERS is a publicly available database of adverse event reports submitted to the FDA by healthcare professionals, consumers, and drug manufacturers.
How can I access this data myself?
You can query FAERS data directly through the MyfitByte API. The adverse events endpoint supports filtering by drug name, date range, outcome, patient demographics, and reaction type. Join the waitlist for an API key.
Data source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System), accessed August 2026 via MyfitByte API. Analysis covers all diphenhydramine-linked reports received between January 2018 and December 2025.
Want to run your own analysis on FDA adverse event data? MyfitByte provides structured API access to 2.2M+ FAERS reports with filtering by drug, outcome, demographics, and date. Get early access.
Published on 2026-08-20 · 9 min read
← Back to all articles