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Finding the energy to exercise in the morning or after a long day is a common problem. This may explain why pre-workout supplements are so popular. These supplements can help you be more focused and energized during your workouts – so you can hit the gym no matter how tired you are.
Pre-workout supplements often contain a variety of ingredients—each of which has a different effect on the body.
The main ingredient in most pre-workouts is a stimulant like caffeine or guarana (a plant that contains caffeine). Stimulants help improve focus and alertness. Caffeine may also make exercise feel easier.
Research shows that even taking a dose of a caffeine-containing pre-workout supplement before exercise can slightly improve the number of repetitions a person can perform during training, strength and weight lifted.
However, these benefits may be entirely due to caffeine itself. When pre-workout supplements are directly compared to the same dose of caffeine, supplements generally do not outperform caffeine. Sometimes, caffeine is even just as effective, or even better, at improving performance.
Consuming 3-6 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram (about 225-450 mg for a 75-kg person, equivalent to 2-4 cups of espresso) can increase intensity by about 7%. It can also increase endurance by about 15%. This may not sound like much, but over time this can lead to significant training gains.
In addition to caffeine, pre-workout supplements contain other ingredients that are reported to help reduce fatigue and promote fitness. For example, many pre-workouts contain beta-alanine—an amino acid typically found in meat that can counteract muscle fatigue.
One challenge with training is our production of the chemical lactic acid. This can lead to fatigue and affect the quality of your training, especially if you’re training hard.
This is where beta-alanine comes into play. Beta-alanine increases muscle levels of carnosine, a molecule that buffers lactic acid. This helps delay the fatigue we often experience when lifting weights or performing strenuous training.
However, unlike caffeine, a single dose of beta-alanine has no effect. It must be taken daily for approximately 2-4 weeks to produce results.
Creatine is another nutrient added to pre-workout formulas to maximize training results. Creatine works by restoring short-term energy. This helps us recover faster between sets so we can do more work while training.
The results are also better if you take creatine regularly for about four weeks. Taking a dose of creatine-containing medication before a workout may not improve the quality of your training—although some studies do suggest it may help reduce fatigue and boost brainpower after a poor night’s sleep.
In addition to creatine, many blends contain amino acids such as leucine and taurine. Leucine helps with muscle growth, while taurine may help reduce muscle soreness. Both work with creatine to support training effects.
Other amino acids sometimes found in pre-workout formulas include citrulline and arginine. These nutrients increase nitric oxide, a molecule that increases blood flow and oxygen to your muscles, helping them function more efficiently.
This effect may improve endurance capacity or temporarily make muscles appear larger when performing resistance training, which is what many people are looking for. However, not all evidence supports this.
Some pre-workout formulas also claim to contain ingredients that can aid weight loss or burn fat, such as green tea or carnitine.
These nutrients may enhance the body’s ability to burn fat for energy during and after exercise—although not all studies agree on this. It’s unclear whether these nutrients actually lead to greater, longer-term weight loss.
Recently, supplements have begun to appear, including natural nootropics. These plant compounds support brain chemicals involved in the focus or energy the brain needs, which is why nootropics may help improve focus, alertness, mood, and motivation.
Nootropics like theanine can improve alertness and athletic performance. Other nootropics, such as ashwagandha or rhodiola rosea, can increase endurance and the ability to cope with physical and mental stress.
Judgment
From the evidence, pre-workout supplements can modestly improve energy, strength, focus, and endurance when used in conjunction with a training program. However, since it can take several weeks for specific ingredients to take effect, such supplements may need to be taken on an ongoing basis.
If you’re taking a pre-workout supplement, it’s best to take it 30-60 minutes before your workout for it to be most effective. It is best to choose products that have been tested in batches to ensure quality.
Since the main ingredient in pre-workouts tends to be caffeine, people training later in the day may want to use a formula with lower caffeine content (or no caffeine at all) to avoid sleep issues and anxiety.
Excessive caffeine consumption can also cause intestinal problems in some people, so be sure to check the label for dosage.
About the author
Justin Roberts is Professor of Nutritional Physiology at Anglia Ruskin University. Fernando Naclerio is Professor of Strength and Conditioning and Sports Nutrition at the University of Greenwich. Joseph Lillis is a PhD student in Nutritional Physiology at Anglia Ruskin University. This article is reproduced from dialogue Licensed under Creative Commons. read Original article.
Most pre-workout formulas are generally considered safe for most people to use within a few weeks.
However, people with heart problems should avoid formulas containing high concentrations of stimulants, especially products containing para-synephrine (bitter orange). This plant derivative has been linked to heart problems, especially when combined with caffeine.
Researchers don’t yet know the effects of pre-workout supplements during pregnancy, so it’s best to avoid them, especially if they contain higher caffeine content.
Some people may also experience side effects from taking pre-workout supplements, most commonly tingling or itching 30 minutes after taking the pre-workout supplement. This is usually caused by consuming too much beta-alanine, which affects the skin’s sensory receptors.
These effects are harmless and usually subside within an hour. Taking smaller doses or using a time-release formulation can minimize the effects.
Overall, while the pre-workout benefits may be small, if a supplement helps you train more consistently, it will ultimately benefit your training results.