Kreider, R. B., Kalman, D. S., Antonio, J., Ziegenfuss, T. N., Wildman, R., Collins, R., …& Lopez, H. L. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(1), 18. Jongkees BJ, Hommel B, Kühn S, Colzato LS. Effect of tyrosine supplementation on clinical and healthy populations under stress or cognitive demands–A review. J Psychiatr Res. 2015 Nov;70:50-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.08.014. Epub 2015 Aug 25. PMID: 26424423. Optimum Nutrition brings you the first Gold Standard Pre-Workout Shot. The product intensifies focus with 175mg Caffeine from natural sources and 1.5 g Beta Alanine.

Pre-workout supplements are designed to help increase your performance by boosting energy, power, and stamina. They’re generally taken about half an hour before your workout, and the benefits include improved muscle strength, cognition, lean gains, and endurance. To better select the optimal shake for before your workout, consider what your goals are.

Pre-Workout Safety

US National Library of Medicine. (2015, April 2). Health Topics: B Vitamins. Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/bvitamins.html Solubility is another important factor we like to consider. Practically speaking, you’re probably not going to be using a blender to mix up your pre-workout. For most of us, we like to toss a scoop in a shaker bottle and head to the gym. Considering pre-workout chunks are pretty bitter and difficult to swallow, good solubility is a must-have. 7. Side Effects The problem is, baking soda creates a gas when mixed with acid, so taking it orally can make you extremely gassy at best, and it can rupture your stomach at worst. ( 6) Applying baking soda in the form of a lotion solves this issue by bypassing the digestive system completely, since you rub it right onto your skin where it can be absorbed directly into the muscles. Yes, supplements can help to provide some important nutrients and other ingredients such as plant extracts, but it’s usually best to get the basics right before thinking about trying a new supplement.

Pre workout supplements are designed with ingredients such as caffeine, to give you a boost of energy to meet the demands of a high-intensity workout. They are usually taken 30-60 minutes before a workout and offer nutrients that will power your training session. Some supplements also contain creatine, which is scientifically proven to increase physical performance of short-term, high-intensity exercise, such as weightlifting – perfect if you want to smash those PBs. Not all pre-workout ingredients are useful, while others might be surprisingly beneficial. Here’s a rundown of the ingredients that you’ll usually find and actually want in your pre-workout.In lieu of stimulants, the formulationof this non-stim pre-workout combines high-quality sports performance ingredients with antioxidant-rich natural additions. These worked well together to give our testers good pumps during their workouts. The blood flow ingredients took a bit longer to feel, so you might want to take this earlier before hitting the gym than other stimulant-based pre-workouts. Rosas, F., Ramírez-Campillo, R., Martínez, C., Caniuqueo, A., Cañas-Jamet, R., McCrudden, E., …& Loturco, I. (2017). Effects of plyometric training and beta-alanine supplementation on maximal-intensity exercise and endurance in female soccer players. Journal of human kinetics, 58(1), 99-109.

Also, our tester reported that the tingly feeling from beta-alanine was modest, which we like for running. After all, it might not be great to have your face on fire while you’re trying to keep your breathing under control. Beta-alanine is also well-known for enhancing muscular endurance and regulating pH balance, both of which are important when running. As sports nutritionist Matt Lovell points out, there are definitely some pre-workout products that you should actively avoid. "I would say any speed cousins, amphetamine cousins. Some pre-workouts basically contain ecstasy. Or close to it," he says. Is Pre-Workout Dangerous? Martinez, N., Campbell, B., Franek, M., Buchanan, L., & Colquhoun, R. (2016). The effect of acute pre-workout supplementation on power and strength performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 13(1), 29.Pre-workouts commonly contain Caffeine, Vitamin B, Beta-Alanine, Citrulline Malate, Creatine, L-Glutamine and vasodilator ingredients. What are the benefits of pre-workout? BULK is one of the stronger pre-workouts we’ve seen with a large dose of one of the most researched ingredients on the market: caffeine. Despite the high caffeine content, we liked how the energy came on in a more measured way with no noticeable crash at the end. “ I did notice improved focus and a great pump at the end of my workout, and there was also no crash once the caffeine wore off,” our tester says. Key Ingredients:3g of l-citrulline, 1.6g of beta-alanine, 1.25g of betaine anhydrous, 1g of creatine hcl, 180mg caffeine, 90mg l-theanine, 75mg l-elevATP, 25mg AstraGin Our Sour Berry flavour Pre-Workout Shot is a convenient, vegetarian-friendly way to support your fitness routine anywhere, anytime. Our tasty blend also includes AAKG and citrulline, amino acids which are perfect for those involved in high-intensity exercise. BCAAs: Branch chain amino acids have been found to improve endurance during a workout and increase strength by maintaining cellular energy and supporting protein synthesis.