Why Pre-Workout Supplements Can Make Or Break Your Workout

Pre-workout supplements are one of two types of supplements for workouts, the other type being post-workout supplements. The name ‘pre-workout’ depicts that they are taken before exercise sessions.

Generally, pre-workout supplements are touted as substances that can make your workout better. However, there are different types, such as supplements that help your recovery while there are some that get used up during exercise.

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Image source: adobestock.com

There is a prescribed or allowable usage amount which helps to achieve the best workout results. Otherwise, outcomes could decline considerably with the risk of your workout results being poorer than normal.

How Common Ingredients Of Pre-workout Supplements Can Make Or Break Your Workout

There are many pre-workout supplement options available in the sports nutrition market. Each brand makes its supplement offerings with varying constituents. These constituents are the active ingredients that have the ability to affect the outcome of your workout positively or negatively.

There is always the attendant risk of developing adverse health conditions from the wrong use of supplements. Still, how the body of an individual reacts to the use of certain substances is dependent on its tolerance for it.

In this article, inferences will be drawn from how common ingredients of pre-workout supplements can make or break your workout.

Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant found in most pre-workout supplements. It is famed with the ability to improve exercise performance.

Caffeine can add a lot of edge to your workouts, but an overdose can cause substantial adverse effects to develop. These include insomnia, jitters, excessive tiredness, and anxiety. The unfortunate thing about many supplements is that they pack too high an amount of caffeine.

The solution to a caffeine overdose is to take supplements in small incremental doses, which allows your body to get used to increased caffeine intake. That way, it does not take a sudden toll on your body system. You can also consider avoiding caffeine-containing supplements if you don’t mind the trade off.

Citrulline

The positive effects of citrulline containing supplements are an increase in blood flow to the muscles during exercises. Higher blood flow ensures an enhancement of workout results.

However, the adverse effects of citrulline are evident in headaches and migraines. This is because of the changes in blood pressure which the brain’s blood vessels are not built to maintain.

The optimum dosage of citrulline to induce the right effect on your workout is between 6-8 grams. If you notice migraines from the intake of supplements containing this amount, reduce your usual dose until you find that it suits your body system.

Creatine

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A protein shake; image source: greatist.com

Creatine is a naturally occurring amino acid in the human body. It is also found in many foods and supplements. It is used by bodybuilders who are looking to engage in short, high-intensity exercises.

An overdose of creatine can result in bloating, weight gain, digestive issues, and unwarranted water retention. These conditions can impede the best results from your workout.

To better handle the use of creatine to reap the best results from your workout, take supplements containing small amounts of creatine over a longer time instead of taking a higher dosage for a shorter time.

B-Alanine

Beta-alanine is another amino acid that occurs naturally in the human body. It functions to buffer acidity in your muscle mass. This results in higher performance and a prolonged time before fatigue sets in.

B-alanine is associated with overstimulation of nerve cells that causes paresthesia. Paresthesia is a tingling sensation in the hands and feet of a bodybuilder. It can be quite distracting and a discomforting sensation during workouts.

To solve this problem, try supplements with high amounts of B-alanine. Also, you can consider reducing the amount of the supplements you are ingesting by half.

Taurine, Magnesium And Peer Compounds

The ingestion of supplements containing taurine, sodium bicarbonate, magnesium citrate, creatine, and caffeine can lead to digestion issues. These digestion issues are more pronounced in people who have sensitive stomachs.

A host of these compounds may be responsible for digestion issues. Therefore to reduce their pronounced effects, sufficient water should be used to dilute pre-workout supplements.

Conclusion

Pre-workout supplements are helpful for bodybuilders. Underuse gives little or no results, while overdose results in adverse effects. Therefore, pre-workout supplements must be taken in optimum amounts to avoid a decline in effectiveness.

The constituents of pre-workout supplements, including caffeine, creatine, citrulline, and B-alanine, are the active components that make or break your workout. If supplements containing these compounds are taken optimally, they’ll produce the best results.

In the case of overdoses, these supplements might cause adverse health effects, including insomnia, headaches, diarrhea, or paresthesia. This might impede your workout results, and keep you out of the gym for a long time.

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