Pre workout supplements explained

Pre workout supplements are constantly growing in popularity and demand. In addition taking supplements like creatine, protein and BCAAs, it’s no secret that gym goers are reaching for a trusty pre workout to help them achieve the very best out of their workouts.

Pre workouts contain a wide range of ingredients that help boost energy and focus, as well as improve nutrient delivery, and promote muscle pumps.

Ever felt the buzz and the tingles but wondered what exactly is in them? Here is a list of some of the most popular pre-workout ingredients and how they can help your workouts:

Caffeine helps boost energy, focus, fat burning and performance. Numerous studies support the use of caffeine before exercise. It stimulates the central nervous system, raising alertness and focus.

Caffeine also has a mild fat burning effect, which can spare carbohydrate and enhance endurance performance. Several reports have shown caffeine can increase strength as well.

Creatine increases strength, power and muscle size. Many studies prove that effective cycling off creatine increases creatine levels and high-intensity exercise performance. Studies show that compound movements such as bench press and squats increase in weight, rep range and intensity.

Similar to creatine, muscle levels increase over several days/weeks, so the timing of ingestion is not critical.

L-arginine is one of the key nutrients in pre workouts. Some studies have shown better blood vessel function after L-arginine supplementation in people with impaired vascular function, but positive effects in young healthy athletes are less clear.

Taurine, an amino acid, is abundant in skeletal muscle. There is evidence taurine may increase insulin sensitivity and decrease oxidative stress. It may also help burn fat in overweight individuals. Doses greater than 1g are likely needed to have any impact on cell function.

Tyrosine is an amino acid that serves as the precursor for norepinephrine. NE is an important hormone that acts in the brain to stimulate metabolism. Prolonged, intense physical stress can deplete NE levels, which is associated with a decrease in performance.

Electrolytes – replace what is lost in sweat 
Providing various electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, magnesium and others help replace the electrolytes lost from sweating. If your workout is less than an hour, then they’re not really critical but are still an added bonus.