Pre-workout supplements make big promises to boost your performance, and with those promises come high price tags.
The thing is, these supplements are really just powerful stimulants.
Its a blessing, but also a curse.
Its Mostly the Caffeine That Works
Most pre-workout supplements contain caffeine.
And lots of it.
Caffeine is commonly used by athletes, especially those in endurance sports, toimprove their exercise performance.
It helps you focus more and feel less fatigueexactly the claims the supplement labels make!
Thats 409-612 milligrams for a 150-pound person, for example.
Plus, you get a bunch of other fluff.
Typically, youll findcreatine,arginine,beta-alanine,carnitine,citrulline, to name a few.
During bursts of intense activity like weightlifting, you quickly deplete a form of energy calledATP.
For more details on that, check outthis article on Examine.com.
That means this isnt likely to help with, say, a 1-rep max bench press.
The explanation here is that beta-alanine turns intocarnosinein the body.
Dont worry, its a harmless and common effect called paresthesia.
The more nitrates, the more available nitric oxide there is.
So, its not uncommon for supplement companies to under-dose on the good stuff, like beta-alanine.
And sometimes that can lead to real harm.
DMAA is structurally similar toamphetamine, and since early 2000s, has beenmarketed as a natural weight loss aid.
you’re free to still buy Jack3d, but the current formula doesnt include DMAA.
Disappointingly, products with DMAA are still available in the marketplace.
DMAA goes by other names: geranamine, dimethylamylamine, methylhexanamine, and many more.
you’ve got the option to findthe full list here.
Aside from regulatory concerns, there are potential unpleasant side effects of taking pre-workout supplements.
Ive experienced some unfortunate gastrointestinal issues when I took Pre-JYM and Cellucors C4.
Coffee is my personal go-to (and its dang tasty).
The kicker is, neither caffeine nor pre-workout supplements will automatically make anyone stronger, bigger, or faster.
You still need to bewilling to work your ass offwhen you exercise.
Illustration by: Sam Woolley.
