Taking a pre-workout product before a race or important training session is widespread in some sports, although there are some doubts about their usefulness and effectiveness.
For example, what are they for, are they safe, which athletes can benefit from their intake, how should they be used, what compounds should they contain, but above all… What is a pre-workout?
This article will answer all these questions, aiming that the consumer has all the necessary information to decide to take or not a pre-workout, how to do it and avoid wasting time or money.
What’s a pre-workout?
A pre-workout can be considered a product with one or several substances, taken sufficiently before a workout or competition, to maximize performance or get the most out of that training session.
Therefore, no two pre-workouts are the same and despite having the same name or denomination, the substances will determine the quality, effectiveness and safety of the product. Hence, the first thing to know before venturing to use a pre-workout is its composition and effects.
PRE WORKOUT 300g
It is a gluten-free, lactose-free and vegan pre-workout product, perfect to take before or during training.
Formulated with select ingredients to perform your best during training. You can choose between caffeine-free watermelon or lime with caffeine flavors, both sugar-free and sweetened only with stevia.
What’s a pre-workout for?
The most outstanding effects looked for in a pre-workout are the following
- Energy source
- Activation
- Recovery
- Vasodilation
- Others
To have one or several os these, the different pre-workouts are made from a great variety of substances.
What’s in a pre-workout?
Cataloguing the possible composition of a pre-workout and the possible effects pursued, the following stand out:
Energy source
Some pre-workouts contain certain amounts of carbohydrates in order to supply a minimum of energy for the intended activity. Since the main function of a pre-workout isn’t energetic, and that many times its intake is recommended 60 to 120 minutes before the activity, it’s not usual to find carbohydrates in these products, being gels and sports drinks a better alternative for this purpose.
Activation
Possibly one of the main purposes of pre-workouts. A physical and mental activation to get the most out of the athlete’s targeted training or competition.
Caffeine is used to achieve this, which is also the substance that has the strongest scientific evidence for its positive effects.
CAFFEINE EXPRESS - Caffeine - 100 Capsules
Caffeine is a stimulant that boosts the central nervous system by increasing energy levels while reducing fatigue and tiredness and increasing mental attention and concentration.
Other substances with a theoretical stimulant effect can also be added, such as taurine, although there’s lack of scientific evidence on its effectiveness.
It’s also important to note that some pre-workouts may contain banned substances that could lead to a possible doping violation. It’s therefore vital that the athlete analyses the pre-workout’s composition and avoids those of dubious origin or containing compounds included in the list of doping substances.
Thus, if you intend to use a pre-workout for stimulation purposes, the recommendation would be to use one that contains caffeine.
Recovery
In some cases, the pre-workouts include substances with a recovery or anti-catabolic effect, such as some amino acids (BCAA). In this sense, a pre-workout should mostly aim to pump up the workout and its recovery, specially during its intake. Hence, it’s preferable to search for an alternative product such as whey protein or a recovery drink, instead of a pre-workout that could have some sort of ‘recovery’ substance.
Vasodilation
Together with activation, this is one of the main effects looked for in a pre-workout. Search for a vasodilator that allows a greater muscle blood flow and hence oxygenation and transportation of nutrients and metabolites that can improve performance or sports economy.
The sources most used are:
- Citrulline malate
- Nitrates
- Arginine (AAKG)
In this sense, if you aim for a vasodilation effect, you should look for a pre-workout that includes some or several of these substances. To maximize the pre-workout’s effect and for these products to work, they should be taken enough time ahead, around 90 to 120 minutes before.
NITROPRO BEETROOT
It is a gluten-free drink suitable for vegans based on beetroot concentrate and dry beetroot extract.
Each dose of 10,3g provides 400 mg of nitrates.
Two available formats:
- Case with 14 single-doses.
- Doypack bag of 290 g (28 doses).
Others
Sometimes the pre-workouts are ‘enriched’ with diverse substances that can individually increase performance, such as creatine or beta alanine.
However an acute dose of these will not have a significant effect, since the ergogenic effects of these substances require a continued intake; at least four to six weeks for creatine, and eight to twelve weeks for beta alanine.
Does this mean that these substances are useless for a pre-workout? No. They might be useful if the athlete is taking this substances and that day, takes them together with the pre-workout instead of separately.
Besides the previous substances explained in this article, there are also other ones that can be included in a pre-workout, but have dubious effectiveness or scientific evidence.
VEGAN BETA ALANINE - Vegan Supplement - 90 capsules
Beta Alanine capsules containing 800 mg per unit, suitable for vegans.
No chemical anti-caking agents have been used in the formulation, thus obtaining a purer product.
Are pre-workouts useful?
Well, it’s not possible to give a clear-cut YES or NO answer. It all depends on the pre-workout’s goal, its composition and its intake timing.
Hence, by knowing the pursued effect of the pre-workout (energetic, activation or vasodilation), you can choose a product that has the necessary substances for your goal and with the right anticipation, taking these general references:
- Energetic effect: 5-15 minutes before the workout
- Activation effect: 30-45 minutes before the workout
- Vasodilation effect: 60-90 minutes before the workout
Does taking pre-workouts entail any risks?
There’s always a certain risk when taking any sports supplementation. Pre-workouts risks can be:
- Testing positive in an antidoping control: if the pre-workout contains any banned substance (labelled or not).
- Excessive activation, tachycardia, insomnia, palpitations: if the dose of the stimulant substance contained in the pre-workout is too high, or if the athlete intakes more pre-workout with stimulants than he/she can tolerate.
- Mild discomfort such as itching or paresthesia, sometimes caused by beta alanine, as long as the pre-workout contains this substance.
ENERGY SHOT STICK 60ml
Energy shot in a 60-ml stick, suitable for vegans, gluten-free. Formulated with five specific ingredients to activate our body before exercising or for moments when we feel tired and need an energy boost.
Food supplement based on Beta alanine, Taurine and Arginine. Some flavours contains Caffeine (125 mg or 250mg/60ml). Not recommended for children or pregnant women. With sweeteners. Not recommended for children or pregnant women.
How to take a pre-workout?
It’s clear and as its actual name says, a pre-workout must be taken BEFORE a workout, else we would be talking of a product taken DURING exercise or as RECOVERY.
The time required to have a pre-workout will depend on its composition, the desired effect and above all, each athlete’s individual characteristics, as some metabolise faster than others and therefore the timing may be slightly different within the stipulated time ranges.
¿Para qué tipo de deportistas o situaciones es recomendable un pre entreno?
Pre-workouts are suitable for ‘exceptional situations’, such as important or high quality workouts, competitions or when some ‘help’ is necessary to accomplish the workout due to fatigue.
Pre-workouts would be indicated, and this is a personal opinion, for medium or high level athletes, especially because beginners still have many ‘basic’ elements to cover such as training, nutrition, sleep or hydration before resorting to this type of supplementation.
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