What are Pre-Workout Supplements?

The topic of supplements can be a bit of a touchy subject, but it’s something that’s often brought up in the fitness industry. There are several different supplements you can purchase that claim they can help with almost anything—from helping you sleep better at night to improving your gut health throughout the day­—but there’s not always solid evidence to support these assertions.

However, many still believe supplements can be used before and after their workouts to improve fitness performance. One of the most used fitness supplements you’ve probably heard about is called pre-workout.

What are Pre-Workout Supplements?

Over the last several years, pre-workout supplements have been gaining popularity in the fitness industry. These supplements are meant to be consumed prior to your workout to provide a boost of energy that can help improve your overall performance. You can find pre-workout supplements in a variety of different forms, including canned drinks, chewable tablets, capsules, or perhaps the most popular, powdered drink mixes.  

It’s important to keep in mind that not all pre-workout supplements are made the same. Based on the manufacturer, some pre-workout supplements may have drastically different ingredients compared to other brands; however, in general, most pre-workout supplements will include some combination of key ingredients like caffeine, carbohydrates, and vitamins, which are well-known to provide increased energy levels throughout the day.

In fact, Healthline states that caffeine in particular is one of the most effective exercise supplements you can buy. According to their website, consuming caffeine before a workout can help improve your mental focus, increase your fat burning potential, stimulate the release of hormones and endorphins that are beneficial for your workout, and enhance your muscle performance.

However, you should try to limit caffeine intake to less than 400-500 mg per day to avoid adverse effects. If you’re someone who already consumes a lot of caffeine on a typical day, you likely want to avoid pre-workout supplements unless you absolutely need that extra surge of energy to get through your workouts.

And, of course, if you’ve ever studied basic nutrition principles, then you know carbohydrates are considered the key source of energy for your body, which makes them a great option for getting that oomph before your workout. But be weary of pre-workout supplements that contain high amounts of added sugar as these are not the healthiest option for getting a boost of energy for your KILLER workouts.

Should You Take Pre-Workout Supplements?

Unfortunately, there’s no clear answer to this question. To determine what’s best for you, it’s important to consider your current eating habits, your workout routine, and your overall lifestyle. What makes pre-workout supplements so attractive is their ease of use and convenience, but there are other ways to get a boost of energy before your workout as well, such as through your pre-workout meals and snacks.

Typically, if you work out in the afternoon after a long day at the office or early in the morning before that first cup of coffee, you might struggle to find the energy you need to really crush your workout. This is a great time to introduce a pre-workout supplement into your routine to help you get that boost of energy you need before heading to the studio for your KILLER workout.

On the other hand, if you are feeling good before your workout and are ready to tackle each exercise without an extra pick-me-up, then there’s really no need for you to take pre-workout supplements. It all depends on what you need at the time and how your body is feeling. This means you may end up taking pre-workout supplements one day but not the next, and that’s perfectly okay!

It is important to note here that your eating habits will play a major role in how energized you feel throughout the day. Pre-workout supplements should never become a meal or snack replacement prior to your workout, as they don’t provide enough calories to fully replace a meal or pre-workout snack.

However, they can be a great addition to your current routine to help you find more energy when you need it most without adding too many extra calories or throwing off your macros. If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to a healthy diet, then 9Round Nutrition can help you better understand the basic principles of heathy eating and how to manage your macronutrient balance.  

Whatever you choose to do with pre-workout supplements, just know that the key takeaway here is that you are listening to your body and finding ways to push yourself to work harder during your workouts to help you maximize your results.