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Are pre-workout supplements worth the hype? Here's what you need to know
Summary
Pre-workout supplements are all the rage. But do you really need them, and are they actually good for you?
The average amount of caffeine in an espresso shot is between 50-65mg. It is recommended that the amount of caffeine for adults through a day should not exceed 400mg. Coffee is also not the only source of caffeine. Fizzy drinks and sodas, chocolate, pain-killers, and of course tea (including green tea), are other items that add to the caffeine intake.
If you’ve been going to the gym, there is a chance you might be consuming a pre-workout supplement as well. These usually have between 150-300mg of caffeine. It’s basically a booster, a wake-up call to the system, to workout. But it’s like consuming three cups of coffee in a very short time rather than over the course of the day.
I have never used a pre-workout supplement. It’s not like I’ve not been curious about it, but I prefer a real cup of coffee than a grape flavoured powder with caffeine in it. But everybody reacts differently to caffeine.
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It took a couple of years for me to realise that I would get a small spasm in the stomach if I had more than a cup of coffee in a short space of time. And a long while to realise that skipping the 11am cup of joe might be making me cranky. So it’s important to find the sweet spot. Which should ideally also be the case with a pre-workout supplement.
There is also the more layered selection of supplements these days, whether it is protein powder or BCAA, which means it is important to know which type of pre-workout powder you might want.
“Blends generally fall into two categories: stim and non-stim. Stim, or stimulant pre-workout, contains caffeine, while non-stim options claim to provide alertness and focus via one or more nootropic ingredients like taurine, which haven’t been conclusively shown to provide benefits," states a Time article titled Pre-workout Powders Are Gaining Popularity. Do They Work?
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There are other elements in pre-workout powders. There is usually some creatine, L-citrulline, beta-alanine, arginine and a couple of other amino acids. Beta-alanin is supposed to suppress the feeling of muscle-burning but it can cause itching or paresthesia, which is like a tingling feeling on the skin. While protein powder companies have moved towards more quality control, there seems to be a lethargic attitude about what pre-workout powder contains and how much of it per serving.
A study titled Common Ingredient Profiles Of Multi-Ingredient Pre-workout Supplements, published in the National Library of Medicine, profiled some of the most popular pre-workout supplements, and one of its first findings was that the amount of beta-alanine per serving size was insufficient in most supplements to provide any effects.
“Nearly half of the ingredients are manufactured as part of a proprietary blend with undisclosed amounts of each ingredient. It may be in the best interest of the consumer to select a product that discloses all ingredient amounts and contains appropriate dosages of each ingredient. Consumers may also want to pay close attention to specific ingredients that may be under-dosed (beta-alanine and creatine in particular), as they may want to supplement with other products in order to optimize the associated benefits," the study states.
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There are some advantages to pre-workout supplements, especially for those who might struggle with motivation to push themselves in the gym. Caffeine is a great mood and energy booster and the top quality pre-workout powders will also help reduce muscle soreness and fatigue. I had a trainer in Delhi who found it tough to workout without a serving of this, but then started eating instant coffee straight from the sachet to get over his dependence.
Mumbai-based nutritionist Shivali Chauhan points out that mental health is also to be considered before taking a pre-workout with caffeine. “It’s smart to avoid it if you have conditions like hypertension, anxiety, or caffeine sensitivity and if you have poor gut health. Also, there needs to be discipline in terms of how much you consume and how much water you drink. Caffeine is a mild diuretic, so more caffeine intake means more water intake."
She also suggests that people experiment with complex carbs and protein as a fuel to kickstart a workout. “If you don’t want to be too full, try having just peanut butter on multigrain toast and your protein shake with water. And maybe a teaspoon of coffee powder for a little kick."
Pre-workout powders might also contain artificial sweeteners and other ingredients that might not be good for the stomach, so I’d advise you to choose a good brand which uses third parties to test their products. Start with a small dosage, and then see if it really works for you. Finally, you should remember that there are safer ways to get all these ingredients from separate supplements as well.
Pulasta Dhar is a football commentator, podcaster and writer.
