Pre-workout supplements seem to be the new big thing right now. Ever since the release of No-Xplode by BSN, supplement manufacturers have been scrambling to make their own version of a workout-intensifier. Pre-workout supplements often contain creatine, nitric oxide, caffeine, BCAAs, arginine, AAKG, EAA, and various other compounds which are intended to deliver “pumps”, energy and mental focus while in the weight room.
Common Ingredients:
Caffeine – This is probably the most common ingredient you will find in any pre-workout supplement. This gives you the most noticeable feeling of increased energy. Depending on how much you take, a typical pre-workout supplement may have anywhere from just a sprinkle of caffeine to 300mg or more! Just to give you an idea of how much caffeine is in common beverages: A cup of coffee contains about 150mg of caffeine, diet Coke has about 50, and a Red Bull has about 80mg of caffeine.
Caffeine helps improve your workout by giving you a boost of energy, both mentally and physically, to help intensify your workouts. Caffeine further improves your workout by increasing your blood flow. Since caffeine actually raises your heart rate, you might notice that you get a little more sweaty at the gym.
AAKG/Arginine/Nitric Oxide – AAKG is Arginine Alpha Ketoglutarate. Arginine is a naturally occurring non-essential amino acid. Arginine forms Nitric Oxide helps dilate arteries allowing for better blood flow to your muscles during a workout. Nitric Oxide also helps deliver oxygen throughout your body better, giving your muscles the fuel they need to create an intense workout.
Nitric Oxide is the compound that actually gives you the “pumps”. You might hear people talking about their “pumps” at the gym. This just means that their muscles are temporarily increased in size because of the increased blood flow. You will notice that your muscles feel fuller while taking a nitric oxide supplement since there is more blood flowing through your veins.
BCAAs/EAAs – Branched Chain Amino Acids is Leucine/Isoleucine/Valine. BCAAs are considered the three most important essential amino acids for bodybuilding. They help reduce soreness and start the recovery process immediately by removing lactic acid and repairing the muscle immediately after its torn. EAAs are Essential Amino Acids which help increase protein synthesis and limit muscle protein breakdown.
Creatine – Some pre-workout supplements have creatine monohydrate; others do not. Books have been written on how creatine works, but the bottom line is that creatine helps bring more water and sodium to the muscles, providing the muscle with extra energy which translates into results in the gym. Here is a practical guide on how to use creatine monohydrate.
Intended Results:
The bottom line with pre-workout supplements is to maximize the efficiency of your workouts. This is achieved through increased physical energy, increased mental focus and better chemistry within the body and muscles. Some say that another benefit is that by taking a stimulant, you are more motivated to actually get up and go to the gym!
Common Side Effects:
Obviously, pre-workout supplements are to be consumed right before working out. Thusly, there two main side effects which may have detrimental results on your session.
The most common is an upset stomach while lifting. Most pre-workout supplements don’t taste great, and require you to choke down 20 or more fluid ounces of the stuff right before heading off to do an intense workout, often times on an empty stomach. Needless to say, this doesn’t sit right for some people.
The other common side effect is gastrointestinal issues. Some people are sensitive to some of the stimulants or other ingredients included in the product, and get gas or “the runs” after drinking this product.
Having stomach cramps after drinking pre-workout supplements and needing to run to the bathroom every 15 minutes is obviously going to be counter-productive to your workouts. The best advice would be to read product reviews online to see which ones have bad side effects, and try out a few different products before sticking to one.
A final problem that people often run into when taking stimulants is creating a dependency or tolerance. The best way to combat this issue is to cycle the product, or take a few weeks or a month off the product every once in a while.
Most Popular Products:
NO-Xplode is probably the most popular pre-workout supplement available today. An increasingly popular product getting great reviews is Jack3d by USP Labs. Here is a list of big names:
- NO-Xplode by BSN (Review)
- Jack3d by USP Labs
- naNO Vapor by MuscleTech
- Black Powder by MRI
- Dark Rage by MHP
- NO Shotgun by VPX
- Max Full Blown Extreme by Max Muscle
- AMP Amplified NO Loaded by GNC
- CYTONOX by Cytogenix
- M5 Extreme by Cellucor
- Fast Twitch by Cytosport
- Super Charge Xtreme NO by Labrada
- Shock Therapy by Universal
- Animal Pump by Universal
There are a ton more pre-workout supplements not included on this list, but these are the most popular products.
All in all, a pre-workout supplement can be a great way to jump-start your workout and break through plaeteus, but they should not be a replacement for proper pre-workout nutrition.
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- The Most Effective Muscle Building Workouts
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I have a friend who tried some of those pre workout supplements and he really hit home run with them.
He built his mass in no longer than 9 weeks, now he looks wicked and gets all of the attention from girls.
I have used these pre workout supplements and all I can say is: “WOW!!!” It really works like a charm. I could lift heavier and could just keep on going and going. The downside was that when I stopped using it for a month or so, I was worse off than before I started using it. I couldn’t lift as heavy as before I started using these supplements. And was constantly tired. It took me two months to get back to lifting like I used to lift before I started using this pre workout supplement.
So I will not be using this again soon. The after effects when I stopped using it, is just not worth the momentary gains I made.
Thanks for going over both the positive and negative points of these Pre-Workout supplements. I also really liked that you went over a number of the common ingredients and why they are used.