Welcome to my blog. I know we have all heard of pre-workouts like drinks, pills, powders, and potions. But are there any real benefits to taking them and how do you know which ones to take? Well, here are my top 4 supplements and my tips on taking them. Also, are they worth the money? I am going to answer these questions and more in this brief blog, but if you want to learn more or check some out for yourself, I can point you in the right direction to save you time and money.
Pre-workout supplements, also known as “pre-workouts,” are intended to give you energy for when you exercise. The main ingredient in most of them is caffeine. These supplements often come in a pill form or a powder form, with powder being the most popular. Some of the ingredients in certain pre-workouts (read the labels) can be good for your health and your workouts. But the supplements can bring on side effects as well that you’ll need to be aware of.
What Exactly Does Pre-Workout Supplements Do?
The idea is to take the supplement before you exercise. Its purpose is to help you recover and ease the fatigue of an intense workout. It’s also used to help boost your energy levels either to get through an intense workout or to just aid in helping you through your workout in general.
Some common ingredients in pre-workouts are:
Caffeine. The companies that make these products say pre-workouts can help keep you focused, give you energy, and improve your overall performance. The main ingredient behind these promises is high levels of caffeine. Pre-workout supplements have a range of 150 mg to 300 mg of caffeine per serving. This equals to about three cups of coffee (depending on the coffee). If you’re sensitive to caffeine, you may want to take a smaller amount first and see what your tolerance level is or find a natural way to boost your energy before a workout.
Beta-alanine. Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid which means it can be made by the body, it doesn’t need to be consumed in food. Most amino acids are building blocks of proteins, but beta-alanine is used to make other chemicals in the body as well. It is a part of carnosine and other chemicals that can affect muscle size and performance.
People use beta-alanine for athletic performance. It is also prescribed by some doctors to improve physical performance in elderly adults. This amino acid is meant to help you do high-intensity exercises and to lower fatigue and enhance recovery in sprinters.
Creatine. Creatine is a chemical found naturally in the body. It’s also found in red meat and seafood. It is often used to improve exercise performance and muscle mass. When combined with exercise, creatine helps you gain strength. It works to replenish your ATP stores, (Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a molecule that stores energy in cells and is often called the cell’s “energy currency”). Basically, creatine gives your muscles energy to contract. Creatine can also help you increase your levels of lean body mass. About 95% of creatine is found in skeletal muscle. This is the most popular and most researched supplement on the market today. In addition, it is also used for muscle cramps, fatigue, multiple sclerosis (MS), depression, and many other conditions.
Amino acids. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are essential nutrients that include leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They’re found in meat, dairy, and legumes. The “Branched chain” refers to the chemical structure of these amino acids. BCAA in pre-workout supplements help increase lean body mass. BCAAs stimulate the building of protein in muscle and possibly reduce muscle breakdown. BCAA helps reduce damage to your muscles after an intense workout.
3 Tips for Taking Pre-Workouts
- Take a pre-workout 15-20 minutes before you exercise. This gives the supplements time to get in your system and blood stream to work.
- Take the pre-workout consistently. Research has shown that by taking pre-workouts consistently it helps by building up the main ingredients in your body. Studies have shown after about 3-4 weeks of taking it consistently, your workouts will last longer, you will feel less tired before, during, and after your workout.
- Only take the required amount. Don’t think more is better, because depending on the ingredients, it might not be. Some of the side effects of taking too much is digestive issues, irregular heartbeat, possibly a rise in your blood pressure, and possibly a change in your blood sugar levels. Remember, different supplements don’t work the same for everyone. Some people might experience these side effects while others won’t.
In conclusion, I think these supplements are well worth the money, have many benefits, and have very little side effects. I personally take all of these and have not had any problems, but again talk to your doctor first if you are thinking about taking some and get the ok.
I hope you have some ideas of the pre-workout to take and the ones worth the money. There are many different brands out there, just get the brand that has the least “other” ingredients. You don’t want a lot of fillers in your supplements. That is why I go with Bulk Supplements. You can find many different supplements from them here, https://www.bulksupplements.com/ I am not sponsored by them nor do I get a commission (not affiliate site). I just like their products and they are not full of a bunch of other junk. It’s straight up.
Until next time.
Take Care,
Darren
Harmony Shift 