Pre-Workout Supplements Checklist: Ingredients to Look for

Making the most out of your workout can be best done when following certain diet and exercise rules for sure. However, you can further improve and fasten your results by relying on the use of pre workout supplements.

These dietary supplements are designed for one purpose – to boost your energy and performance during exercise. They can easily support your workout plan and goals which will lead to achieving the pursued and needed results. These supplements come mainly in two forms, powder and capsules, out of which the ones in powdered form are the most commonly used because they can be mixed with smoothies, shakes, juices, and even water.

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Benefits

Increased Energy

Given the fact that the most common ingredient is caffeine, it can be easily said that pre workout supplements can improve energy and focus while reducing fatigue. Depending on the type of active ingredient, it’s said that these supplements can also delay muscle fatigue and improve your stamina which is essential especially when just starting to work out. All of these things are achieved because these dietary additions can increase oxygen flow to the muscles, so you’ll be able to work out much better.

Improved Muscle Gains

Did you know that these additions to your diet may also improve muscle gains?! The main reason for this is that many of them contain ingredients like creatine and BCAAs which may help you gain more muscles. The best of all is that they may also reduce the chances of muscle damage during exercise.

Improved Focus

Many of these supplements designed to be taken before working out contain ingredients that can also improve focus and concentration. They are perfect for helping you stay focused on your exercises and keep you on task without a problem.

So, in case you’re wondering is pre-workout good for you or not, the shortest answer to this is yes. They’re good and safe to use especially by healthy adults who want to improve their lifestyle and well-being. You just need to choose the ones with the right ingredient combo for your needs. By doing that, you will instantly feel a difference in your exercise sessions.

Ingredients to Look for in Them

Caffeine

This is maybe one of the most common ingredients in these dietary additions because they are used for one purpose – to increase energy and focus during your exercise sessions. They do that by blocking the adenosine receptors in the brain which are responsible for reducing fatigue. In other words, caffeine will make you more alert and will help you increase endurance, strength and speed.

BCAAs

BCAAs (branched–chain amino acids) are three essential amino acids that are mainly used for building muscle. A lot of studies have been made, and a great number of them show that BCAAs may reduce muscle soreness during and after exercise.

Beta-Alanine

This is a non-essential amino acid that is used for producing carnosine which is a molecule used for delaying and reducing fatigue while working out. This will result in improved and extended periods of workout which is something you can benefit a lot from.

Carnitine

This amino acid is designed to move fatty acids into your cell’s mitochondria, which is used as muscle fuel. When it comes to effectiveness, more studies need to be done to be sure whether it can improve athletic performance or not.

Electrolytes

Did you know that electrolytes can be used before exercising as well and not only when feeling dehydrated?! They are high in potassium, sodium and magnesium, meaning that they can help you solve mineral losses prior to your workout, while keeping your energy levels high.

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Protein

This is a common workout ingredient in many types of pre workout supplement because it is needed to help you increase muscle growth. By giving your body the needed protein in the morning, you will help it increase protein synthesis and improve the amount of amino acid building blocks which are essential for increased muscle growth.

Taurine

When used in pre-workout, it’s said that this ingredient can increase athletic performance. In other words, taurine is great in improving endurance and work capacity. It’s said that it can also improve your recovery process by reducing muscle soreness.

B Vitamins

B vitamins like B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9 and B12 are the most commonly used combo in supplements as they’re designed to convert the food you eat into energy. B vitamins can also support the breakdown of nutrients essential for filling you up with energy and stamina.

As you can see, the list of ingredients that you can include in your pre-workout dietary addition is huge, so if you’re new to this and don’t know what to choose, make sure to consult with a professional to find the combination that will best work for you.