Are Pre-Workout Supplements Good or Bad for You?
17th Dec 19
Pre-workout supplements are designed to help you get the most out of your performance. They are supposed to give you a huge boost and provide you with the energy and attitude to push yourself as hard as you can. This, in turn, will see better results. Sounds great, right?
Maybe not. The issue with pre-workout supplements, however, is what they’re actually made of. Let’s take a closer look…
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Pre-Workout Ingredients
The main ingredient in pre-workout is caffeine, which makes sense because coffee alone gives us a buzz. The problem though is how much caffeine is involved, which can be up to 300mg per serving. That’s equivalent to two cups of coffee.
It’s not only caffeine that’s in pre-workout, either. Usually, there are a lot of amino acids and protein supplementation. These are supposed to help encourage muscle growth and prevent soreness in the long run. However, we’re yet to see any noticeable improvements when taking these prior to your workouts.
Health Effects
Caffeine stimulates your whole body, elevating your heart rate and causing mental stimulation. This means you shouldn’t take it in excess. Caffeine is also a diuretic, it stays in your system for a long time, and it can often cause feelings of anxiety and stress.
It’s not all bad, though. Caffeine is a useful way to boost your performance, and if you’re feeling a little demotivated prior to exercising, it can give you that boost you need to get it done. You might notice that you find it easier to overload your muscles and put more effort into your training.
So…
Overall, we think that pre-workout likely does more harm than good. It’s not worth taking unless you really feel you need it. There are better, safer and healthier ways to get a little boost before you exercise: stay hydrated, eat right, and choose exercises that you enjoy.
Too much caffeine is never a good thing, and you’ll feel the negative side effects both in the long and short term. It’s just not worth it for the small boost that pre-workout offers.
Before beginning any exercise or nutrition program, consult your physician, doctor or other professional. This is especially important for individuals over the age of 35 or persons with pre-existing health problems. Exercise.co.uk assumes no responsibility for personal injury or property damage sustained using our advice.
If you experience dizziness, nausea, chest pain, or any other abnormal symptoms, stop the workout at once and consult a physician or doctor immediately.
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