Pre-workout complexes are a category of sports nutrition products designed to increase the performance of an athlete during sports. For maximum benefits, they are recommended to be taken approximately 30 minutes prior to training - hence the name of the supplement.
What are pre-workouts and how they work
There are several parameters that are affected by taking a pre-workout:
- power indicators;
- aerobic and anaerobic endurance;
- blood circulation in the muscles during exercise (pumping);
- recovery between sets;
- efficiency, energy and mental attitude;
- focus and concentration.
This effect is achieved due to certain components that make up the pre-workout complexes. For example, an increase in power indicators occurs due to the presence in the composition creatine... Thanks to him, ATP accumulates in the muscles - the main source of energy for the human body. As a result, the athlete is able to perform more repetitions in the set or work with more weight in strength exercises.
Endurance is improved by the presence of beta-alanine in the composition. it amino acid able to push back the threshold of fatigue. Consequently, it will be easier for you to carry out an exercise of medium intensity. Running, swimming, an exercise bike, and strength training with medium weights will be easier. A characteristic symptom after taking beta-alanine is a tingling sensation on the skin. This means that the manufacturer has spared no amino acids, and the desired effect will be achieved.
Pumping is the main goal of training in the gym. It is a critical factor in the growth of muscle tissue. A number of pre-workout components contribute to improved blood circulation in the muscles. The most popular and effective ones are arginine, agmatine, citrulline and other nitrogen donors. These substances increase pumping, due to which more oxygen and beneficial nutrients enter the muscle cells.
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For a workout to be truly effective, the rest time between sets should be short. The body must have at its disposal a sufficient amount of the necessary nutrients so that all systems have time to recover in 1-2 minutes of rest. For this, a number of important vitamins and minerals, as well as essential BCAA amino acids, are added to pre-workout complexes.
To enjoy the training process, you need powerful motivation and mental attitude. To do this, pre-workouts include components that have a stimulating effect. The lightest and most harmless of them: caffeine and taurine. These are relatively weak stimulants of the central nervous system that provide energy, raise mood and do not harm the body.
However, a number of manufacturers also use stronger stimulants such as 1,3-DMAA (geranium extract) and ephedrine. They overexcite the central nervous system, which forces the athlete to train harder, use higher weights, and rest less between sets. Such strong pre-workout complexes have side effects. Overuse of these foods can lead to cardiovascular problems, CNS depletion, irritability, apathy, and insomnia.
In the Russian Federation, ephedrine is equated to narcotic drugs, and geranium extract is included in the list of prohibited drugs by the World Anti-Doping Association. It is not recommended to use pre-workouts with geraniums for persons under 18 years of age or with contraindications for health reasons. Strong stimulants have a strong fat-burning effect, so you should not combine them with taking fat burners while losing weight - you will get an excessive load on the body.
Concentration is an important factor in effective exercise performance. The continuous sensation of working on the target muscle group promotes intense muscle gain. DMAE, tyrosine and carnosine, which are found in many pre-workout formulas, contribute to the correct mood throughout the workout.
How pre-workout affects the body
99% of athletes take pre-workout complexes with one single goal - to recharge and be productive in the gym. All other factors are secondary. The stimulating components of pre-workouts are mainly responsible for this. They affect the central nervous system, as a result of which the body begins to intensively produce adrenaline and dopamine. Under the influence of these hormones, the athlete feels the need to train longer and harder.
Approximately 15-30 minutes after taking the pre-workout complex, the following processes begin to occur in the body:
- improves mood due to the production of dopamine;
- the activity of the cardiovascular system increases, the heart rate increases;
- blood vessels dilate;
- drowsiness disappears, efficiency increases due to the activation of adrenergic receptors.
Training in this state turns out to be more productive: muscles fill with blood faster, working weights increase, concentration does not disappear until the end of the training. But in practice, not everything is so rosy - at the end of the pre-workout, unpleasant side effects begin to appear: headache, drowsiness, fatigue and insomnia (if you exercise less than 4-6 hours before bedtime).
The benefits of pre-workout complexes
As a sports supplement, a pre-workout supplement has a primary function of helping you train more productively and intensely. This is a prerequisite for achieving any sports results. Whatever goals you set for yourself: burning fat, gaining muscle mass, increasing strength, or something else, training must be hard.
Increasing the intensity and productivity of your workouts is the main benefit of pre-workouts. If you study this issue in more detail, then the individual components of pre-workouts perform other tasks that are important for health:
- immunity support (glutamine, vitamins and minerals);
- improved blood circulation (arginine, agmatine and other nitric oxide boosters);
- increasing the cognitive function of the brain (caffeine, taurine and other stimulating substances);
- adaptation of the cardiovascular system to increased physical activity (stimulating substances).
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Harm of pre-workout complexes
Unfortunately, many athletes get more harm than good from taking pre-workout. This applies primarily to supplements containing geranium extract, ephedrine, and other powerful stimulants. Let's see what problems athletes most often face when overusing pre-workout complexes and how to minimize the potential harm from them.
| Potential harm | How does it manifest | Cause | How to avoid it |
| Insomnia | The athlete cannot fall asleep for several hours, the quality of sleep deteriorates | The abundance of stimulating components in the pre-workout; late admission; exceeding the recommended dosage | Consume a pre-workout complex without caffeine and other stimulants, do not exceed the dosage and do not take it less than 4-6 hours before bedtime. |
| Heart problems | Tachycardia, arrhythmia, hypertension | An excess of stimulating substances in the pre-workout, exceeding the recommended dosage; individual contraindications to product components | Consume formulations without caffeine and other stimulants, do not exceed the dosage |
| Decreased libido | Decreased sexual performance, erectile dysfunction | Narrowing of blood vessels in the genital area due to an excess of strong stimulating substances (geranium extract, ephedrine, etc.) | Do not exceed manufacturer's recommended dosage or use milder pre-workout complexes |
| Overexcitation of the central nervous system | Irritability, aggression, apathy, depression | Regularly exceeding the recommended dosage | Do not exceed the manufacturer's recommended dosage and take breaks from using pre-workouts |
| Addictive | Constant sleepiness, unwillingness to exercise without using a pre-workout complex | The body gets used to the action of the pre-workout and the excess of the recommended dosage | Take a break from taking a pre-workout complex to restore the central nervous system and adrenergic receptor sensitivity; use pre-workouts only before the hardest workouts |
Conclusion: pre-workout complexes cause noticeable harm only with constant use and exceeding the recommended dosages (one measuring spoon). It is recommended after 4 weeks of taking a break of 2-3 weeks in order to "reboot" the central nervous system a little. This is the most important rule for taking pre-workout complexes. However, in practice, few people follow it.
The psychological aspect is important. With regular use of pre-workouts, it becomes difficult and boring for an athlete to train without them: there is no energy and drive, working weights do not grow, pumping is much less. Therefore, the athlete continues to take them day after day. Over time, the body gets used to it, you have to either choose a pre-workout complex more powerful, or exceed the recommended dosage by 2-3 times. As a result, negative side effects develop.
If you take a pre-workout according to the instructions, do not exceed the recommended dosage and take breaks from taking it, you will not harm the body. Pre-workout complexes are potentially dangerous for athletes with arterial hypertension, vegetative-vascular dystonia, allergies to certain components of the product, as well as those who have not reached the age of 18. In any case, before taking it, it is recommended to consult with a trainer on how to take a pre-workout and which one is better to choose.
How to choose a pre-workout complex and what to look for
The best pre-workout routine is the one that suits your goals. First of all, pay attention to its composition. It should not be overloaded with ingredients whose benefits have not been scientifically proven. These substances include: tribulus, hydroxymethyl butyrate, chitosan, green tea and coffee extract, goji berry extract, phenylethylamine, and others. You should not overpay for those components whose action has not been studied and proven.
Now it is important to decide what exactly you need a pre-workout complex for. Pay attention to the following ingredients in the product and their dosage. The larger it is, the more pronounced the effect will be.
| Why do you need a pre-workout? | What components of the product are responsible for this? |
| Power | Creatine Monohydrate, Creatine Hydrochloride, Crealkalin |
| Endurance | Beta Alanine |
| Mental attitude | Caffeine, Taurine, 1,3-DMAA, Ephedrine, Thyroxine, Yohimbine, Synephrine |
| Concentration | DMAE, Tyrosine, Agmatine, Icariin, L-Theanine, Carnosine |
| Pumping | Arginine, Citrulline, Ornithine |
If you are pursuing any one specific goal from this list, buy a separate supplement such as creatine or arginine. They are sold at any sports nutrition store. It will be much more profitable. It's another matter if you need everything at once. Then you can't do without a pre-workout complex.
Another factor in pre-workout choice is taste. Many manufacturers deliberately make the taste too pungent and unpleasant so that the consumer is not tempted to overdose. However, this stops few people. It's best to choose a pre-workout that is neutral in taste so that it doesn't turn you off by the middle of the can.
The consistency of the product is also important. It often happens that the powder cakes, forming unpleasant lumps that do not dissolve in the shaker. Of course, you have to accept this, but the second time you are unlikely to buy the same pre-workout.
Outcome
Pre-workouts improve training performance, but overuse of these supplements can lead to a number of side effects. It is worth taking such complexes in moderation and only after consulting a professional trainer and doctor.
