Pre Workout Supplements Increase Performance

Pre workout supplement have become extremely popular today because of there performance enhancing effects. This is one of the rare supplement categories where marketing and anecdotal evidence actually agree. In other words, these products typically do what they say they will do.

There are two different types of pre workout products. The first generation of pre workouts contained a heavy dose of stimulants along with copious amounts of sugar and B vitamins. Very similar to a powdered version of an energy drink. These worked well, and due to the higher volume of powder in the formula, 30 to 50 grams per serving, the manufacturers could include nitrous oxide boosting ingredients for improved vascularity and muscle pumps during workouts. While these types of products where and are effective, users often report gas, diarrhea, and/ or increases in bowel movements as a result.

Enter the second generation of pre workouts, the “super concentrate”. These products decided to ditch all of the sugar, dropping the dosage down to 10 grams per serving, and elevate the stimulant levels significantly. The result is increased energy and endurance during training without the gastrointestinal symptoms of the first generation. The compound Beta-Alanine is also used heavily in these products, which gives the user a “tingling” feeling in the hands and face, similar to Niacin- alerting the user that they are “ready to train!”. This sensation is surprisingly effective at letting the user know that the product they have just taken is working. Does it actually matter, probably not- the stimulants will create the improved performance, but ingredients like Beta-Alanine have helped to popularize the pre workout market.

If you choose to use a pre workout supplement, make sure you do the research and find out which product might be right for you. Ask around, see if anyone you know has used these products and make your decision.