Is pre-workout good or bad?

Pre-workout supplements are popular among young and/or dedicated athletes. We're not big fans of most of them though. There are quite a few downsides to these "energy boosters" that can cause complaints and even be harmful to your health. What exactly is a pre-workout supplement and which ones should you avoid according to us? Keep reading.

What is a pre-workout supplement?

A pre-workout supplement is exactly what you think it is: a substance you take before exercising, usually in the form of a powder. The composition varies per product, but it's often a combination of caffeine, beta-alanine, and citrulline. Sometimes creatine is also included. Then colors, sugar, sweeteners, and often other unnecessary synthetic substances are added.

A pre-workout supplement is supposed to give you more energy and focus for a training session. Advocates also claim benefits such as: more endurance, more strength, less muscle breakdown, and higher fat burning.

Why shouldn't you use pre-workout powder?

1. Energy crashes

A pre-workout supplement gives you more energy, often packed with caffeine. Caffeine has a stimulating effect on your nervous system and can give you a temporary energy boost. Most pre-workouts contain 3 to 5 times more caffeine than a cup of coffee, which equals to 240 to 400 mg of caffeine. This can cause energy crashes later on, negatively affecting your sleep and overall health and recovery.

2. You can easily overuse it

Your body gets used to caffeine and builds up a tolerance, requiring more caffeine for the same effect. Just like with coffee, you can quickly start taking more and more of it, and eventually can't workout without a pre-workout.

Therefore, don't use a pre-workout every time you workout. Use it in moderation, for example, when you really want to push yourself or when you have no motivation to exercise. This way, your body won't get used to it.

3. Ignoring your body's signals

Fatigue, low energy, and muscle soreness are signals that your body needs rest. Ignoring those signals repeatedly and taking a pre-workout to mask the symptoms increases the risk of stress and overtraining. If you experience any of these symptoms, don't take a pre-workout. Being tired and exhausted is different from having no motivation. Listen to your body.

4. Side effects

Furthermore, there are many side effects associated with pre-workout supplements. Prolonged use can cause exhaustion, dehydration, high blood pressure, palpitations and heart cramps, feverish feeling, flushing, sweating, headaches, and fainting. When buying a pre-workout, pay attention to the amount of caffeine. Do not take more than 140-160mg of caffeine. Also, don't make it a habit to take it every time you workout.

Responsible alternative

We get that using pre-workout supplements can be helpful from time to time. Sometimes you want maximum focus, strength, and endurance. Or maybe you're just not feeling it on a particular day. That's when you could use a little boost. You could just have a nice cup of coffee and a banana. It might not be as powerful, but for the average athlete, it's more than enough to go all out!