Pre-workout supplements, sometimes termed as “pre-workouts’, are the dietary supplements that are intended to enhance energy and athletic performance prior to the exercise. There are various formulas for these specific dietary supplements with varying degrees of ingredients. The most common type of pre-workout supplements contains Amino acids, B vitamins, caffeine, creatine, and artificial sweeteners. These supplements are mostly taken 30 minutes to an hour before the activity. They provide the required energy and support to the muscles before the performance. These supplements mostly contain those elements that are easily digestible and result in a good workout. The energy level mostly drains out during the exercises; however, this supplementary nutrition helps a lot achieve the workout plans.
There are various benefits of pre-workout supplements. Some of them are given below, yet you can also check out pre-workout supplement reviews here.
Table of Contents
Enhance Athletic Performance
It is quite necessary for the muscle maintenance and growth that the protein synthesis either exceed or must be equal to the ratio of protein breakdown. Therefore, protein should be the main nutrient to support the maintenance and growth of muscles. Some of the pre-workout supplements contain creatine, which increases athletic performances during rigorous exercises.
Overcome Fatigue
The level of energy rapidly declines during rigorous exercises. The muscles mostly become tired and are left with little energy to work more. These pre-workout supplements contain the correct ingredients that set up the body for the maximum performance and keep the level of energy quite high. When the human body has sufficient energy to utilize, it will work for more hours than a normal body without dietary support.
Maintain Protein Breakdown
Protein synthesis must be at least equal to the protein breakdown rate to obtain and sustain the muscle tissue. However, it is more ideal that protein synthesis should be higher in ratio to the protein breakdown. Although BCAAs (Branched-Chain Amino Acids) are the constituent components of protein, you also need additional amino acids that are mainly sourced from these pre-workout dietary supplements. They keep the level of proteins high and prevent the early breakdown of muscles.
Contain Caffeine
The pre-workout supplements mostly contain caffeine, which is a popular stimulant and increases the level of energy. It also improves mental activity, enhances memory, and supports athletic performance. It also adds to burning the excessive fats in the body.
Contain β-alanine
B-alanine, also termed as Beta-alanine, is an Amino acid that supports nerve signal function. This amino acid controls the initiation of neuromuscular fatigue, and at the same time it also increases athletic performance.
Although pre-workout supplements are helpful in maintaining the required energy for the high-intensity exercises, they have certain downsides and are not always safe to use. Some of the negative sides of pre-workout supplements are given below.
Use of artificial sweeteners
Most of the pre-workout supplements contain artificial sweeteners, which add some flavor to the product; however, these ingredients also cause some intestinal complication or distress in some performers. These supplements also contain sugar alcohols which cause gas, bloating, or diarrhea in some people. Those supplements create more problems that have a high quantity of these ingredients.
Higher amount of caffeine
The major source of energy boost in pre-workout supplements is caffeine, however the excessive intake of caffeine may cause high blood pressure, troubled sleep, and some bouts of anxiety or depression.
β-alanine
Most of the pre-workout products contain B-alanine, the increased amount of which sometimes can stimulate the nerve cells higher than the required level and may cause parenthesis, tingling sensations.
The problem of quality
Some of the pre-workout supplements do not present accurate information and make false claims. At the same time these products are not properly regulated. Therefore, some products might compromise the quality and give you misleading information.
Safety Issue
Some brands might use banned substances or higher than normal levels of certain compounds which might be detrimental for your health. In order to ensure safety, you should purchase only those brands that are properly tested by the concerned authorities.
Regulatory issue
The manufacturers of pre-workout supplements are not mostly regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Therefore, they mostly don’t involve comprehensive scientific standards during the process of manufacturing.
