Have you ever wished to be more efficient whilst at the gym? Do you desire in increasing your performance, endurance, and energy levels? What you are looking for is called a pre-workout supplement. Designed specifically to aid your body during workouts by providing it with the nutrients it needs. Each supplement is different from another, and choosing the right one is as important as choosing the right workout routine.
Many people find themselves having trouble staying active for long durations of time. The cause of this is malnourishment of the muscles. In order to satisfy this deficiency, athletes carefully select the best and most effective pre-workout supplements. Different supplements are designed for different workouts. It is crucial to plan the kind of workouts you wish to do, and track the goals you wish to achieve, while at the same time picking out which supplements to use.
Each of the ingredients in the pre-workout supplements enhance specific aspects of your exercise, and effect the result of the workout differently. Some ingredients are effective in purely increasing strength, while other ingredients are used to extend endurance level.
8 best Pre-workout supplements
- For a long-lasting endurance, look for caffeine, nitrate, and BCAA’s.
- For strength oriented and intense workouts; beta-alanine, sodium bicarbonate, caffeine, and citrulline all prove to be of excellent help.
- An effective mix for performing exceptionally during strength and power workouts (such as weight-lifting); a mix of caffeine, creatine, and citrulline can be useful in pushing to the limits of your body.
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Creatine
- Creatine was proven to increase muscle mass,
- Increase strength, and
- Overall enhance performance of impulsive workouts
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Caffeine
- Coffee
- Tea
- Other foods and beverages
- Sprinting
- Weight training
- Cycling
- Running
- Rowing
- Soccer
- Sweating
- Tremors
- Dizziness
- Vomiting
- A short-term increase in blood pressure
- Restlessness
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Beta-Alanine
Beta-Alanine, an amino acid responsible for recovering muscles from fatigue, does so by neutralizing the lactic acid which accumulates after intense workouts. For this reason, taking Beta-Alanine as pre-workout supplements can be highly beneficial, especially for workouts lasting longer than 1 consecutive minute.
The general dosage for Beta-Alanine, when taken prior to working out, is 4-6 g daily. There are no harmful effects of taking a higher than recommended dose of Beta-Alanine, however users with allergies or other deficiencies should be informed by healthcare professionals first. If this is not a concern, the only side effects a person overusing Beta-Alanine will experience phantom pain on their skin.
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Citrulline
Another element already naturally present in the human body is an amino acid called Citrulline. Although it is naturally made in the human body, taking it as pre-workout supplements can be very helpful in increasing performance and boosting muscle growth. The amino acid widens blood flow to muscle tissue in the body. This gives muscles access to higher quantities of oxygen and caloric nutrients to be used as energy.
Studies performed on athletes who focused on aerobic exercises; reveal that their performance ability were enhanced by 12%. Other studies focused on athletes practicing non-aerobic weight lifting exercises, particularly in the upper body, were able to verify that athletes experienced a 53% increase in performance ability. In addition to this, athletes reported that muscle soreness had been reduced thanks to the Citrulline.
L-Citrulline is taken to aid endurance exercises. The recommended dosage is 6 g per workout session. Citrulline Malate, a similar substance, is profiled to be focused on strength-oriented exercises. The recommended dosage is 15 g, with no harmful side effects if larger doses are taken.
Along with the many benefits, there are some side effects, which include skin rashes, restlessness, and nausea.
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Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda)
- Sprinting (anaerobic running)
- Cycling
- Repeated sprints
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Branched-Chain Amino Acids – BCAAs
- Leucine
- Isoleucine
- Valine
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Nitrate
- Spinach
- Turnips
- Other vegetables
- Increase the running time before you are exhausted,
- Increase your speed during the run, and
- Reduction in the feeling of difficulty and tiredness as you run.
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Beetroot juice
Beetroot juice works miracles for fitness. Whether you consume it as a pre-workout supplement, or just drinking it at any time of the day, studies have shown that it improves overall performance in physical activities. Much like celery juice, beetroot juice is rich in Nitrate, widening the blood vessels. Studies have shown that daily consumption of beetroot juice show signs of accelerated muscle growth after just 15 days.
Should You Buy or Make Your Pre-Workout Supplement?
There are two ways to get your hands on a pre-workout supplement. You can either buy a pre-workout supplement from the market, or you can make a pre-workout on your own at home. Choosing the right approach as well as quality of produce is essential! The two choices, their similarities and differences; have been explained in detail below:
Buying Pre-Made supplements
If you prefer to buy a pre-made supplement, we suggest visiting Amazon.ca. The online store has a large selection of pre-workout supplements, coupled with customer reviews which help in making finalizing choices. Different supplements are made for different body types, weight, and fitness experience.
Keep in mind that it is necessary to do conclusive research regarding which supplement and dosage to decide on!
Sometimes, the stated dosage and the combinations of ingredients present in the supplements do not have a firm scientific basis. There are some supplements which contain blends of different ingredients so that you are unable to determine the exact amount of ingredients. It is best to refrain from buying these supplements.
If a particular supplement advertises itself as a product tested by a laboratory, further research is necessary to seek credibility of such claims. Below is a small list of trusted research centers:
- Informed-Choice.org
- NSF International
- Banned Substances Control Group
The bottom line comes down to the fact that prior to purchasing a pre-workout supplement, you should research the ingredients, concentration, recommended dosage for oneself, and choose the right product according to the type of exercise done.
Making Your Own Pre-Workout Supplement
The other option for you is to mix the ingredients to make a supplement that works out for you perfectly. This might seem like a daunting task, but this is a very safe way to ensure that you are only eating the necessary ingredients in the exact amount and nothing too harmful is finding its way in your body. If you know which ingredients are best for exactly which type of exercise, you will be able to choose or make the perfect pre-workout supplement on your own.
You should buy the ingredients that you want individually. If you are feeling confused, give this article another read and choose the ingredients according to the exercises you will be doing. This gives you the liberty to experiment with dosages and ingredients and figuring out which one works perfectly for you. The ingredients mentioned in this article are relatively easy to buy, and if you buy them in a bulky amount, you will end up saving a lot of money by the end of it.
If you are still not comfortable with the idea of making your own pre-workout supplement, there is still no need to be worried. Just do your research, and take a careful look at the ingredients of the pre-workout supplement that you are going to buy. Compare the ingredients, dosages and the type of exercise you are going to do, and you will have the perfect pre-workout supplement.
Conclusion
Thus far, we have established that pre-workout supplements enhance your exercise performance and have an overall significant effect on your exercise routine. You can either purchase a pre-workout supplement, or you can make your own supplement using the ingredients listed above. Getting them in the right quality and quantity is very important for your fitness. If you make your own supplement, you have the benefit of complete control over what you are going to ingest, however; it takes more time and effort. In this article, individual supplements have not been studied; however, after reading this, you should have an idea about what to look for in a safe and cheap pre-workout supplement. We hope this has motivated you enough to design a healthier, more productive lifestyle!