If you love working out, then pre-workout shouldn’t be a new term for you. All those who aren’t a fan of a good hour of workout might need some help here. Well, pre-workout supplements give you the energy to kill it during your workout sessions. In other words, pre-workout supplements change the way you feel during the workout. They help you feel better and powerful so that you take on challenging exercises as well.
The thing about these supplements is that even though they are high in demand these days, people doubt their authenticity. Are they safe to take? If not, what makes them unsafe? Why should you need them? This article has the answer to everything.
Pre-workout is any supplement, usually in the form of powder, which boosts workout performance. The same is taken before starting the workout session. Apart from workout, these multi-ingredient dietary formulas are also used by athletes before they start their session as well.
Some of the important ingredients included in these supplements include amino acids, caffeine, vitamin B, creatine, artificial sweeteners, and other minerals. These ingredients increase blood flow, increase heart rate, and enhance focus, which results in a charged body that’s ready to take up the workout challenges.
However, unlike people’s perception, these supplements do not affect people in ways that make them bigger, stronger, or faster. However, there are certainly illegal and bad-quality supplements available in the market that should be avoided at all costs. Even supplements that have legal ingredients can affect you negatively. For example, having high levels of caffeine in your supplement can lead to anxiety and restlessness, which can slow down the workout instead of enhancing it.
Before we reach that answer, it is important to note that every supplement belongs to a nutritional brand, which makes the former with its own formula and understanding. You need to understand that it’s more about your trust in the brand and the responsibility to meet that faith. Apart from that, there isn’t much one can do but hope that the supplements are going to have a positive impact on you.
“There’s really no good definition of what a pre-workout supplement is—and a lot of companies are just slapping it on products because it’s ‘in’ right now—but in general, it’s a product that’s intended to boost energy levels, generally though a combination of B vitamins, carbs, and antioxidants,” says registered dietitian Jessica Crandall, R.D.N., C.D.E., a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
The above discussion brings us to the point of trials and studies of the same. Let’s start with this 2017 review that concluded that beetroot juice has consistently proven to increase the level of nitric oxide in the body and improve cardiovascular performance. It also helps in increasing the blood flow in the body and expands the blood level.
Another study done by Wake Forest University concluded that beetroot juice improves aerobic endurance by 24 percent and is especially good for heart patients. This magical ingredient is thus, often used in many pre-workout supplements.
Another main ingredient that is legally added to the supplements is creatine monohydrate, which is a derivative of three amino acids that are naturally produced in the body. Another great thing about this ingredient is that it gets stored in the body naturally and can be used as a quick and easy source of energy, when needed, for instance, during the workout session. As per research, creatine monohydrate is more effective at boosting the body to take up the workout than anything else.
This 2016 study was done on 31 exercisers from Oklahoma State University, where it was surprisingly concluded that placebo effects are more fruitful than pre-workouts that were available in the market. Thus, it can be said that not all workouts require these supplements.
A study published in the International Journal of Exercise Science (2017) has claimed that compared to the placebo effect, pre-workouts tend to increase the strength by 4 to 8 percent, which is better than nothing. The study was done on 21 exercisers; thus, the results have proven to have quite a substance.
From the above studies and research, it can be concluded that pre-work outs may work wonders for people, but they might not be required for all the work-outs. Thus, you can do your individual research and learn about those pre-workouts that would help you deal with your individual body type.
Another thing to learn about these pre-workouts is that not all of them are regulated by FDS. So, even though safety is a big concern here, you can be assured that when bought from a well-reputed company, these pre-workouts are usually healthy and good for your workout and exercise sessions. Read about the best pre-workouts for women here, and why women can also use it.
These supplements are safe and helpful for the body, but since they aren’t regulated by the FDA, it is important to keep a few things in mind about using them.
Firstly, as discussed before, the super-high dosage of these nutrients-based supplements may lead to the development of health problems and in the worst case, chronic diseases. Thus, it is important to learn about your ideal dosage and stick to it. Also, consider consulting a medical expert who knows about the dosage of pre-workout supplements. When taken optimally, it can bring out the best in you and make you really healthy and happy, like this study done to monitor the adverse effects of creatine. It was found that even after a year of daily intake of creation as a supplement, there were no adverse effects found. However, if someone is suffering from problems like diabetes, kidney problems, and skin problems, it is important to research deeply and talk to specialists before taking the supplements.
Some side-effects of taking a high dosage of pre-workouts may include water retention in muscles, which can result in your muscles looking slightly bigger and increase your weight as well. Restlessness, sleeplessness, or unusually more sleep, fatigue, nausea, mood swings, etc. are some other side-effects of pre-workouts. However, most of them subside after a while and aren’t related to anything serious. If they persist after a while, immediately seek the consultation of a health expert.
While overdose of anything can be harmful, a dosage of anything from 2 to 5 gm of pre-workout supplements can also decrease the risk of depression, improves cognition, and lowers the risk of heart disease in people. See, there is a good side and a lesser good side, the latter comes with any kind of medicine your doctor would prescribe to you. Thus, it is important to know that pre-workouts aren’t rocket science or something so complicated. They are easy to take and when taken with ideal dosage.
Conclusion
The crux of this whole article is that yes, there are pre-workout supplements that boosts your body’s ability to work out in a better and more challenging way and that they are absolutely safe to take when taken with caution and you should trust good products like leptoconnect.
As human beings, it is our responsibility to be aware of everything that is a part of our world and that includes the things we eat for they make or break our bodies. For this very reason, you should try to keep it as natural as it can be. Pre-workouts are great and quite effective to use, but if you think you can boost your energy by consuming the natural supplements, well, there is nothing better than that.