CHAPTER 2:
Top Pre-Workout Supplements: Everything You Need to Know
Energy supplements have gained a lot of popularity in the recent years. The top pre-workout supplements are some of the most profitable products on the market.
But, a lot can be said about these stimulants and whether they help your performance in the gym.
You take a scoop of this magical elixir and BOOM!
You’re an animal. The Incredible Hulk himself.
Whoa, there. Slow down.
The truth is not always what we want to hear, but it is necessary.
In this chapter, we’ll go over the pre-workout supplement, what ingredients would make one effective, and why most are useless.
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The Big Lie About the Top Pre-Workout Supplements
Let me lay some truth for you:
Most pre-workouts out there are garbage. Each serving doesn’t contain enough of the key ingredients required to improve performance.
A good pre-workout supplement has enough of the right ingredients in each serving. But, since that raises production cost quite a bit, companies can’t maximize profit that way.
So, they ‘include’ the appropriate products. But the doses are small and ineffective to save money on production and bring in bigger profits.
For that reason, you should stay away from supplements that have their ingredients in a proprietary blend.
You see, the FDA requires manufacturers to list each ingredient and the respective quantities. But, when a company puts the ingredients under a proprietary blend, they can side-step that rule.
And you, as the consumer, can only wonder how much of each ingredient there is. Most often, the quantities are pitiful and it's largely filler crap.
Opt-in for products that disclose the ingredients and the quantity of each.
This is especially true for pre-workouts. Most are full of ingredients:
Here are the essential ingredients. In the appropriate dosages, they can improve your energy, performance, and focus:
Citrulline Malate
This is the most effective supplement you could take to acutely improve your performance in the gym. And you won't have to suffer the energy crash that usually comes if you were to take caffeine.
There have been many studies made on the efficacy of this product (this, this and this). All of them suggest that a dose of citrulline malate consumed before a workout increases performance and aerobic activity.
You might be wondering whether this supplement is safe to take. As far as research goes, citrulline malate seems to be safe. As long as it the dose is within the daily recommended limit (no more than 10 grams).
In some cases, it has been shown to cause stomach distress, but only when taken on an empty stomach.
The only people who should avoid this supplements are those who have Citrullinemia.
As far as dosages go, you need to take between 6 and 8 grams to feel the effect. 15-30 minutes before training should be okay.
Carnitine
We'll cover carnitine in the fat-burning section and you'll learn how effective it is for fat loss.
But, as for performance, it does help improve it and that is why it can be an effective pre-workout supplement.
A dose of 2-4 grams before training can increase performance.
Caffeine
Not only is caffeine a substance that could speed up fat loss but it is also a good stimulant to take pre-workout. We learned that it also helps improve alertness and performance.
I do have a couple of caveats with caffeine:
1)Your body builds up a tolerance towards caffeine over time and makes it less effective. That is why cycling off it every 4-6 weeks for a week or two is important.
2)Taking a dose of caffeine later in the day can make falling and staying asleep hard. This is why I don’t recommend taking it pre-workout if you train in the late afternoon or the evening. Cut the intake within 8 hours of your bedtime to avoid sleeplessness.
Beta-Alanine
Beta-alanine is the last supplement that can be included in a pre-workout shake. But, it’s efficacy is dependent on your training style.
Let me explain:
This meta-analysis examined 15 studies with 360 total participants. 174 of them were in the beta-alanine group and 186 were taking a placebo.
There were 3 different durations for the exercises measured across the studies:
0-60 seconds; 60-240 seconds and 240 seconds +.
For the 0-60 second testing (that applies to us lifters), the findings were disappointing:
For the 14 measures lasting <60 s there was no significant difference between the effect sizes in the BA and Pla groups;
For the 60-240 seconds testing:
For the 9 measures lasting 60–240 s there was a significant difference between the effect size of the BA and Pla groups
Meaning that beta-alanine is likely going to impact your performance in the gym if your sets extend past 60 seconds. Which, let’s be honest, rarely, if ever, happens.
And finally, after 240 seconds:
However, once exercise duration increased over 240 s the beneficial effects of β-alanine supplementation from the 34 measures become less pronounced, although still significant;
If your training involves activities that last well past 60 seconds, taking beta-alanine can be helpful to you. But, if you’re a typical lifter, it’s likely not going to help you and you don’t need to take it.
If you do want to take it, a dose of 3 grams before training should be enough.
The Bottom Line on Pre-workouts and What I Recommend
Out of the 4 ingredients, we looked through, only 2 are effective and worth the money – citrulline malate and carnitine. The other two, beta-alanine and caffeine, are circumstantial.
You should avoid caffeine in the second half of the day because it can screw up your sleep.
And beta-alanine won’t be effective unless your sets exceed past 60 seconds in duration.
Since most pre-workouts include ingredients you don’t need or can actually hurt your sleep, I don’t consider them a viable option.
If you’ve found a pre-workout that works for you, doesn’t hurt your sleep and fits within your budget, more power to you.
But, for the rest of us I’ve got another alternative:
Make your own pre-workout drink.
Combine 2 to 4 of the ingredients from above, depending on which ones you find suitable. To the blend, add a flavoring agent to mask the bad taste of the raw ingredients and take before each workout.
I recommend something sour like lemon to mask the bitter taste of citrulline malate.
Not only will you know exactly what you’d be taking but you would spend much less money and get only what you need and want.
Other Chapters
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