Pre-workout; a supplement whose interest has increased considerably in recent years. The basic idea behind pre-workout is different from many other supplements.
Why is this the case?
Most supplements serve as a replenishment of the daily diet. Protein shakes, for example, are a supplement to your daily protein requirement.
Pre-workout basically has a completely different idea behind it. The main goal of pre-workout is to make sure you can perform a better workout. That you can lift heavier weights, for example.
Table of Contents
What is pre-workout?
Pre-workout is a sports supplement sold in powder form. You still have to mix the powder with water yourself.
The main goals of pre-workout are more energy and focus during your workout.
In addition, we will discuss the timing of pre-workout.
As the name suggests, you take pre-workout before your workout. In general it is best to take pre-workout 20-30 minutes before your workout. However, this is often indicated on the packaging.
Why do you have to take pre-workout so long before your workout?
This is actually very simple. The active substances (which we will discuss in a moment) in pre-workout need a certain time to work.
Then another point. You may hear people in your area talk about a ‘scoop’.
So what exactly is this?
With a scoop is meant 1 serving of, for example, pre-workout. However the word can also be used for another powdered supplement.
The ingredients of pre-workout
There are a lot of different pre-workouts from many different sites/brands.
Usually these pre-workouts all contain slightly different compositions of ingredients. Often the ingredients themselves are also different.
However, there are a number of ingredients that are found in a lot of pre-workouts. These we will now discuss.
- BCAAs : The main purpose of BCAAs is to protect and repair the muscles. It does this by inhibiting protein breakdown and stimulating protein synthesis. You can read a full article about BCAA’s by clicking here.
- Beta-alanine : Beta-alanine ensures greater endurance of your muscles. It will ensure that, for example, you can perform more rehearsals with a certain weight during your workout.
- Caffeine : This is a substance that most will be familiar with. It is also found in, for example, coffee. Caffeine provides extra energy. Caffeine has been proven to boost performance. Keep in mind that you can build up a resistance to caffeine. For example, someone who drinks a lot of coffee will need more caffeine for the same feeling of energy as someone who never drinks coffee.
- Creatine monohydrate : Creatine mainly contributes to short explosive power. It provides energy in your muscles to be able to deliver extra power. So you will get the most from creatine if you train with heavier weights with a low amount of repetitions.
- Olive leaf extract : This substance increases thermogenesis. This means that your body will produce more heat. This in turn makes you burn more calories.
- Taurine : Taurine’s main function is to reduce muscle damage. This will also lead to a faster recovery of the muscles. In addition, taurine also contributes positively to eye function.
- Tyrosine : The substance tyrosine contributes to the mental part of your training. Due to the extra production of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, it will provide more focus. This can enable you to sustain a workout for longer or with more attention.
- Vasodilators : As the name suggests, vasodilators will dilate the vessels. This will lead to an increase in blood flow. This contributes to the so-called ‘pump’ that you experience during a workout.
Side effects of pre-workout
In this section we will list some negative side effects that are arguments why you should not take pre-workout.
- Energy dips : As discussed earlier, caffeine provides extra energy during your training. Caffeine does this by ‘borrowing’ energy from the future. But you always have to repay loans, so you will feel much less energetic than usual at another time.
- Use too much : When using pre-workout, your body will build up a tolerance to caffeine. This means that you need more and more for the same effect. If you go along with this, you will eventually become completely dependent on pre-workout; you can’t live without it anymore.
- Health effects : In addition to these side effects, there are also many negative health effects associated with pre-workout. Effects that are common after long pre-workout use are:
- Dehydration
- Pass out
- Palpitations
- Heart cramps
- High blood pressure
- Headache
- Feverish feeling
- To sweat
Conclusion
Pre-workout has a number of advantages: it gives you an energy boost during your training and it has been shown that pre-workout leads to an increase in muscle mass and a decrease in fat percentage.
This sounds great, but as we just discussed, pre-workout also has many drawbacks.
Of course you have to consider whether pre-workout is worth using despite these negative effects.
In principle, pre-workout does not have to be bad for you. However, it is tempting for many people to take more and more.
If you still want extra focus and energy during your training, you can look at alternatives. A simple cup of coffee and a banana beforehand isn’t that bad!
Lifestyle coach [5+ years of fitness experience]