Pre-workout supplements can be a great way to boost energy, endurance, and focus during your workout. However, with so many options on the market, it can be hard to know what you're looking for and how to choose the right product for your needs. In this post, we'll break down the most common ingredients found in pre-workout supplements, and explain what they do to help you get the most out of your workout.
Pump Ingredients:
- Nitric Oxide (NO) boosters: These ingredients increase blood flow to the muscles, which helps to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the muscles more efficiently, leading to muscle "pump" during and after the workout. Common NO boosters include L-arginine, L-citrulline, and Beet Root extract.
Endurance Ingredients:
- Beta-Alanine: An amino acid that increases the muscle endurance by buffering lactic acid, which is a byproduct of muscle activity that leads to fatigue.
- Creatine: A naturally occurring compound that is stored in the muscles, it plays a role in the production of energy during high-intensity exercise and can help to improve performance and strength.
- Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs): These essential amino acids are important for muscle growth and repair, and can also help to delay fatigue during exercise.
Energy and Focus Ingredients:
- Caffeine: One of the most popular and widely used pre-workout ingredients, caffeine is a natural stimulant that helps to increase energy, focus, and endurance. A typical serving of pre-workout supplement contains around 100-150 mg of caffeine.
- B-vitamins: B-vitamins play a role in energy metabolism and cognitive function, helping with focus during workout.
When looking for a pre-workout supplement, check the label carefully, pay attention to the serving size, serving per container, and ingredient list. Make sure you are aware of the amount of each ingredient per serving. Some companies use proprietary blends, which is a combination of ingredients that the company doesn’t have to disclose the exact amounts of. In these cases, it's hard to know how much of each ingredient you're getting.
With the right ingredients and proper dosing, you can improve your workouts and take your performance to the next level. Be sure to consult with your doctor before adding any supplement to your diet, specially if you have any health condition or take any medication.