Pre-workout supplements: what kind of beast is this and how to tame it

A wide range of sports nutrition today is due to the development of sports culture and the popularization of a healthy and active lifestyle. All kinds of dietary supplements based on micro and macroelements necessary for a person help achieve maximum results from physical exercise. Experts have developed complexes for everyday use: morning, afternoon, evening, before and after classes.

Pre-workout complex: what is it and what is it for?

Pre-workout is one of the most multi-component representatives of sports nutrition, used to improve the quality of the training process. The use of various additives, which work well individually, together allows you to endure increased loads faster and more efficiently.

As a rule, most often the composition of a pre-workout complex includes the following components:

• creatine is a substance necessary for increasing strength and stimulating muscle growth;
• arginine – a substance that nourishes muscles and promotes the pumping effect;
• beta-alanine is a component that restores muscles after exercise.
• BCAA – amino acids that nourish muscles;
• vitamins and minerals are the most important substances for the body, the supply of which decreases during grueling training;
• taurine is a stimulant responsible for the production of growth hormone.

At the same time, in some pre-workout supplements you can find components such as:

• caffeine is a component that stimulates the central nervous system and helps speed up metabolism;
• Geranamine is a powerful nerve stimulant that is superior to caffeine.

After taking caffeine-containing boosters (as well as their analogues with taurine and geranamine), an athlete may feel a serious surge in energy and activity, but often this is not at all beneficial to health and general condition.

First generation pre-workouts: get a medal and die

The world's first pre-workout, Ultimate Orange, was created in 1981 by Dan Duchaine and was orange juice with ephedrine, which has about the same effect on the body as a strong adrenaline rush. He has captured the imagination of athletes and judges for more than ten years. Sleepy, tired, unmotivated guys came to the gym, drank juice charged for success and worked like machines, took prizes... and then died of a heart attack. In the period between the late nineties and the beginning of the 2000s, Duchaine's company received many lawsuits that linked the death of athletes from heart attacks to the use of this particular pre-workout complex. Therefore, in 2004, the FDA introduced a ban on ephedra alkaloids, and later on dietary supplements containing ephedrine.

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In the 21st century, pre-workout complexes are most often made based on caffeine, taurine, arginine, beta-alanine and B vitamins in large dosages. Creatine is also often added, since pre-workouts contain a large number of transport systems, due to which creatine is better absorbed and gives a more pronounced effect.

How does a pre-workout work and what is it for?

The effect of pre-workout boosters has been appreciated by many athletes, because this sports nutrition performs several functions at once:

• nourishes and promotes muscle building;
• burns fat deposits;
• saturates the body with energy;
• increases concentration;
• increases strength performance and overall training results.

Since most complexes are designed for male athletes, then, of course, the main task of pre-workouts is to activate processes that contribute to an increase in muscle mass. A pre-workout complex is indispensable for cutting, but recently more and more experts have noted that this type of sports supplement can be used by both women and girls. A pre-workout for weight loss differs little in composition from the usual one (with the exception of a slightly higher concentration of fat burners), but the regimen for taking it and the training process may vary.

Characteristics of components

These supplements are important for increasing muscle strength. Your pre-workout should include at least a few of these ingredients.

Power Amplifiers and Force Activators

Betaine

Trimethylglycine is a modified amino acid obtained from beets. Research results indicate that this substance is an effective booster - it increases strength reserves by almost 25%.

Beta-alanine

This amino acid is important for the creation of carnosine and dipeptide (double amino acid protein), which increases muscle strength. Researchers say that taken before training, it helps increase muscle strength and endurance. By the way, one of the signs that the cocktail contains enough beta-alanine is a slight tingling or itching around the lips (a sign of high-quality beta-alanine).

Creatine

Some people take creatine as a standalone supplement rather than as part of a pre-workout supplement. But it is also regularly found in pre-workouts.

Energy boosters

These are stimulants that actually increase endurance and affect the central nervous system. By the way, good pre-workout supplements should include at least two ingredients from this group.

Tyrosine

This amino acid has been scientifically proven to boost energy without any side effects. In addition, it increases stamina and improves concentration. The body uses tyrosine as a "raw material" to produce a number of important hormones and neurotransmitters such as adrenaline and dopamine.

Taurine

Research shows that taurine can increase muscle endurance by up to 50 percent. This is achieved by affecting the heart: taurine helps the heart muscle pump more blood to the muscles. The observation confirmed that athletes who consumed taurine before exercise were able to perform more repetitions of the bench press than athletes in the placebo group. If the pre-workout complex does not contain taurine, then it must contain other components from this group.

Rhodiola rosea

This herb is also known as goldenseal and in sports nutrition as a stimulating adaptogen. It was included in sports nutrition as a component with a stimulating and tonic effect. Rhodiola extract increases physical endurance and muscle strength, stabilizes blood pressure and heart rate. Many endurance supplements contain Rhodiola rosea.

This component maintains adequate levels of growth hormone, testosterone, dopamine and hormones produced by the thyroid gland. It also inhibits the activity of cortisol, a hormone that reduces testosterone levels, and also causes muscle loss and accelerates fat gain.

Chinese lemongrass

The berries of this plant have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. In sports nutrition, lemongrass extract is useful as a means of increasing endurance, improving brain function and regulating cortisol levels (towards a decrease).

B vitamins

Vitamins B6 and B12 are important for energy production. For this reason, B vitamins are an important component of pre-workout supplements. And if these substances are not included in the complex you have chosen, it is advisable to take them yourself.

Stimulants

Some of them may cause side effects such as headaches. But most often this effect occurs due to the abuse of stimulants.

Caffeine

Not only is it perhaps the most popular energy product in the world, but it also promotes endurance and adds muscle strength. In addition, researchers have found that caffeine helps dull muscle pain, giving athletes a chance to push beyond their pain barrier.

For the most powerful results, it is best to take the anhydrous version of caffeine - in tablets or capsules. Caffeine from guarana, green tea or coffee is also good, but many consider it less effective for athletes.

Geranamine (1,3-dimethylamylamine)

This substance can be found in sports supplements under the name “geranamine” or “geranium extract”. It is obtained from a variety of geranium that grows in southern Africa. For some time there was an opinion that geranamine is a synthetic drug, since one of the side effects of its use is euphoria. In addition, some admit that 1,3-dimethylamylamine causes temporary impotence (as do drugs with ephedra). By the way, preparations with geranium are prohibited nowadays, at least during competitions. Although you can use these supplements during training.

As a rule, pre-workout complexes with geranamine are used by those involved in strength sports (weightlifters, bodybuilders, athletes). Manufacturers of complexes often combine geranium extract with caffeine (the most famous stimulant additive with this chemical composition is Jack 3D).

1,3 dimethylamylamine was included in pre-workout complexes due to its properties reminiscent of the action of adrenaline. It also enhances fat burning, converting it into energy, without affecting muscle glycogen stores, and also improves endurance.

Mate (Paraguayan holly)

Its leaves contain a unique combination of xanthine alkaloids: theobromine, theophylline and caffeine. Working together, they provide strength, vitality and increased endurance before training. In addition, Paraguayan holly extract inhibits the production of lactic acid in muscles, prevents muscle spasms, and accelerates metabolic processes in muscle tissue.

"Builders" of muscles

Some drugs taken immediately before training accelerate muscle growth. Perhaps the most famous substance for increasing muscle mass is creatine.

But there are other nutrients that effectively increase the volume of muscle cells during training.

BCAA (Branched Chain Amino Acids)

Leucine, valine, and isoleucine are considered the most important amino acids for muscle growth. They dull the feeling of fatigue, and the muscles use these substances as a source of “fuel”. Many pre-workouts contain only leucine, which is not a problem at all.

Glutamine

After intense training, glutamine reserves may be depleted, which in turn impairs the ability of muscle tissue to grow, weakens the immune system, and makes the body more vulnerable to disease. Additional glutamine intake increases the amount of growth hormone, dulls the feeling of fatigue and improves endurance. The mechanism of action of glutamine in stimulating muscle growth is to maintain high levels of leucine in muscle fibers.

Carnitine

Carnitine is known to improve blood flow to muscles and promote their recovery. In addition, this amino acid has been shown to stimulate androgen receptors, which, together with testosterone, are responsible for the growth of muscle tissue.

Pumping (pumping)

In addition to stimulants, many athletes also use pumping products that affect nitric oxide levels in the body. The feeling of fullness and muscle expansion is exactly what many bodybuilders strive for. Some components of the pre-workout complex will help achieve this.

Citrulline

The human body converts citrulline to arginine, which is then transformed into nitric oxide. But why then consume citrulline, and not immediately give preference to arginine?

Logical question. But only if you don’t know that most of the arginine taken is used not by muscles, but by intestinal cells. And consuming citrulline helps increase arginine levels in the blood. The results from this are better than from taking arginine alone.

Arginine

As mentioned above, this is an amino acid that is converted into NO in the body. However, L-arginine is poorly absorbed by the body, so in the list of sports supplements this substance is also presented in other forms - arginine HCl, arginine-AKG or arginine ketoisocaproate.

GPLC

This particular variation of carnitine, also known as glycine propionyl-L-carnitine (GPLC), is a proprietary compound that combines the amino acids glycine with an altered form of carnitine. This drug improves the absorption of carnitine in muscle tissue. Interestingly, the results of one study showed that taking GPLA for 4 weeks increased the body's nitric oxide levels by almost 30% (compared to a placebo group).

Pycnogenol

The source of this flavonoid is the bark of the French maritime pine. Pycnogenol has a powerful antioxidant effect and protects muscle tissue from free radicals. In addition, it is a fat burner, and when taken as part of a pre-workout, it activates the secretion of epinephrine in the body, the hormone responsible for burning fat.

Nitrates

Under the influence of microflora living in the oral cavity, nitrates are converted into nitrites, and subsequent enzymatic processes convert nitrites into nitric oxide. It is this effect that has led some manufacturers of pre-workout supplements to include nitrates in the composition of the sports supplement. In addition, nitrates are found in vegetables. One of the most famous sources of the substance is beets.

Glycerol

Glycerol typically forms the basis of the triglycerides we get from food. Like other pumping supplements, it enhances muscle pumping. And this happens primarily due to the pronounced osmotic properties of glycerin (the ability to attract liquid). In addition, glycerin prevents dehydration and improves temperature control during physical activity in hot weather. Meanwhile, sports nutrition manufacturers do not often include this substance in pre-workout supplements.

Brain activators

Drugs from this group are also known as “brain doping.” Why is this group important for athletes? Studies have shown that the effectiveness of work in the gym and stimulation of muscle growth directly depends on the functionality of the central nervous system. And for this reason, brain activators have also been included in pre-workouts.

Kholin

This nutrient contributes to the functioning of muscle and brain cells equally. In particular, choline plays a crucial role in the production of one of the most important neurotransmitters, acetylcholine.

Increased amounts of acetylcholine promote stronger muscle contractions for longer periods.

Dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE)

In American and European sports drinks, this substance is presented as Deaner, Deanol or Lucidril. Dimethylaminoethanol was first used in the 1960s as a supplement to improve learning abilities in people with impaired concentration. DMAE is now known to increase choline levels in brain cells. By the way, there is an opinion that it is more effective to take DMAE than choline, since dimethylaminoethanol prevents the breakdown of choline and thereby further increases acetylcholine levels. The result of these biochemical reactions is improved thinking, increased mood, and activation of brain function. In addition, DMAE has pronounced antioxidant properties, removes toxins from the body and prevents sagging skin.

Huperzine

This substance is a moss extract. Its benefits are that it prevents the breakdown of acetylcholine in the brain, improves memory and concentration, supplies the body with additional energy and improves immunity.

Fat burners

Even if weight loss is not your main goal, fat burners are beneficial in any pre-workout supplement. These products allow you to preserve muscle mass, since the body uses broken down fats as fuel, rather than protein from muscle tissue.

Green tea extract

Many complexes include green tea extract because it has many benefits. In particular, the active component of green tea, catechin EGGG, increases fat burning by inhibiting the enzyme that breaks down norepinephrine. The result is an increase in adrenaline levels, which in turn stimulates fat burning.

Synephrine

It is an alkaloid found in bitter orange. Its structure resembles adrenaline and has similar properties. It is included in the pre-workout complex as a substance that promotes the breakdown of fats.

Yohimbe

It is an extract of the bark of a plant native to West Africa. The task of this component is to increase muscle endurance, promote greater fat burning, thereby providing the body with more energy. In addition, yohimbe extract has been proven to increase blood flow to tense muscles.

How to take a pre-workout supplement?

How should you take your pre-workout supplement? Most often, pre-workout supplements are drunk 15-20 minutes before training, diluting the supplement with water. However, experts agree that pre-workout intake should only occur on training days and the total number of doses should not exceed two times.

Pre-workout supplements should not be consumed every day if they contain substances that stimulate the psyche. These substances include:

• caffeine;
• guarana;
• geranium.

This composition is an excellent assistant in training, but the whole point is that the body can get used to the flow of energy through the use of additional drugs. After an athlete gives up pre-workout supplements, certain difficulties with metabolic processes may occur, especially if boosters are abused. That is why we recommend that you pay extreme attention to the recommended rules and dosages stated by the manufacturer.

INFLUENCE ON THE BODY

Most people involved in sports expect one reaction from a pre-workout - increased productivity and energy. Stimulating substances are known to be responsible for this. 30 minutes after administration, the body begins to intensively release adrenaline into the blood.

Insane Labz Psychotic – has an aggressive stimulating effect

The athlete trains with great diligence and pleasure, while: • dopamine is actively produced; • pulse quickens; • cardiac activity increases; • performance increases.

As we can see, the use of pre-workout directly affects the quality of training: concentration increases, the weight with which the athlete can work increases, and overall productivity increases.

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The benefits of pre-workouts

The main function of pre-workouts is to assist in sports training. It is aimed at increasing achievements and all kinds of indicators, be it covering a distance, lifting weights, or performing exercises. The harder the workout, the more calories are burned, the muscles grow faster, and the performance increases. The main benefit of such sports supplements is that they help athletes withstand heavier loads.

Pre-workout

In addition, the supplement has other beneficial properties: • supports immunity; • improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system; • increases blood circulation; • speeds up metabolism.

Possible harm

When taking any supplement, it is necessary to observe moderation. Not all athletes in pursuit of achievements can adequately control their doping. Sometimes it’s not easy to resist the temptation to increase your results even more. Pre-workout supplements containing ephedrine or geranium extract can cause serious harm if abused.

Possible side effects from overdose: • disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system (hypertension, arrhythmia); • loss of sleep, calmness; • nervous overexcitation, which is expressed in aggression or depression; • decreased sexual activity; • habit effect, refusal to train without supplements.

How to avoid negative consequences

As practice shows, pre-workouts can cause harm as a result of exceeding the recommended dose and continuous use. In order to avoid negative consequences from pre-workouts, it is recommended to take breaks. 3-4 weeks are enough for the body to reboot. In addition, you cannot switch to more powerful means, without which the body will no longer enjoy training. The complex should be taken strictly according to the instructions, adhering to the indicated dosage. When choosing pre-workout sports supplements to enhance performance, it is best to consult with a trainer.

The harm and benefits of pre-workout complexes

The harm and benefits of pre-workout complexes is a question that worries everyone who decides to take such a sports nutrition. Since the supplement contains many active substances, the athlete’s body quickly prepares for physical activity - the amount of energy increases, the intensity of training increases and overall well-being improves. Also among the positive effects are:

• stimulation of the nervous system and activation of all processes;
• improved blood circulation in muscles;
• stimulation of physical activity;
• increased mental concentration.

On the other hand, due to the fact that the composition of pre-workout complexes includes substances that stimulate the central nervous system, doctors strongly do not recommend using supplements for people over 40 years of age, as well as for those who have problems with the cardiovascular system and experience nervous disorders.

Possible side effects

When purchasing a pre-workout, you need to be aware that all organisms are individual, and it is possible that someone may have an adverse reaction to this or that complex.

Most often, athletes are allergic to one of the components of the drug. If you are prone to it, take the first dose with caution. Side effects also include intestinal upset, headache, rapid heartbeat, and pressure changes. For the latter reasons, any boosters are not recommended for people over 45 years of age.

Pre-workout supplements should also not be used by minors or pregnant women.

What is pre-workout?

Pre-workout complexes are a multi-component sports nutrition that is necessary to increase strength during training and improve the quality of the process itself. This sports nutrition uses a mixture of various biologically active additives, each of which is responsible for its own area of ​​activity. Together they give a result that is significantly more effective than all these supplements if taken separately. With the help of a pre-workout complex, it will be much easier to endure increased loads during training.

Standard components of pre-workout:

• creatine - increases strength, increases muscle mass;
• arginine is a valuable amino acid that saturates muscles;
• beta-alanine - prevents the effect of “overtraining”, restores muscles;
• BCAA - complex of amino acids;
• taurine - helps the body produce growth hormone and is responsible for muscle growth.

In some complexes they are also found in the composition:

• caffeine - speeds up metabolism, stimulates the central nervous system;
• Geranamine is a stimulant whose effect is similar to caffeine, but several times greater.

Pre-workout complexes are enriched with essential minerals and vitamins. The supply of these nutrients decreases during heavy exercise, so to avoid vitamin deficiency, it is necessary to replenish it daily.

What should not be included

Artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners are something that ideally should not be in a quality sports supplement.
Although many manufacturers add these ingredients to sports drinks to mask the bitter or too sour taste. So a perfectly pure complex without impurities is a rare “bird” on the sports nutrition market. Optimal dosages of some components