When you’re an athlete and seeking a way to optimize your performance and increase your energy, consuming a pre-workout (before a workout) is appealing.
It consists of stimulating ingredients like caffeine, and other actives (plant extracts, vitamins, minerals, proteins) that help reduce fatigue, increase motivation, and support proper recovery.
Here I answer all the questions you have about this leading dietary supplement in sports nutrition.
Also read | A dietitian’s advice before buying your pre-workout
Where do pre-workouts come from?
From the United States to Europe: formulation issues
In powder, gel or capsule form, you can also make them at home. Also referred to as ‘boosters’, they first appeared in the United States in the 1980s.
The first formula was created by a bodybuilder: Dan Duchaine. They arrived in Europe in the early 2000s.
Because of the initial poorly adapted formulations, after consuming this supplement, healthy athletes suffered heart attacks. In Europe, the product was therefore banned from sale until European regulations made its consumption safe.
However, many other pre-workouts have shown serious side effects related to their composition. Indeed, because the purpose of this product is to stimulate, manufacturers used energizing ingredients in quantities that were too high.
Focus on one of the main ingredients: caffeine
The caffeine dosage, which is found in many pre-workouts, is now regulated. I recommend reading this EFSA article, which details the scientific opinions on caffeine consumption.
You should not exceed 400 mg of caffeine per day, which is the equivalent of 4 or 5 cups of coffee.
The formulas found on the European market have evolved. But they remain potentially dangerous if you overconsume certain stimulants.
Is pre-workout a dangerous dietary supplement?
A wide variety of formulas
You won’t find two identical pre-workout formulas. As I explain in my article on gainers, each brand promotes its own recipe and its own merits.
This can range from a simple formulation containing sugar, caffeine and some vitamins, to over-the-top formulas containing every stimulant, energizer and active compound that can wake you up.
Risks of overconsumption
If you are not used to consuming stimulants, I strongly advise against starting pre-workouts. They are so concentrated that they can cause fainting, tremors, cardiac arrhythmia, and sleep disturbances.
Just look at the precautionary measures indicated on the packaging of this supplement: not recommended for children, adolescents, pregnant women, breastfeeding women, people consuming caffeine or stimulants, people taking medication, people with health problems, people who have undergone a medical operation in the past two weeks, do not exceed the recommended daily dose…
If your diet already contains stimulants without your knowledge, the risks of overconsumption are therefore significant.
For example, drinking several coffees a day in addition to taking a pre-workout can lead to a caffeine overdose and harmful consequences for the body.
Risks of injury
Training while tired can greatly increase the risk of injury. When the body is exhausted, it becomes more fragile, pre-workout or not.
The best-known injury is the fatigue fracture, also called a stress fracture, which can occur if you are in a state of overtraining. It is not uncommon for some athletes I have coached to greatly improve their performance after completely stopping their training for several weeks.
My advice: listen to your body and train intelligently and for enjoyment.
False nutritional claims
Nutrition claims are the information a manufacturer is legally allowed to communicate about a product. These claims are validated at the European level and supported by a large number of scientific studies.
A recognized claim is, for example: “vitamin C contributes to reducing fatigue“. This is found on bottles of orange juice.
Here is a completely false nutrition claim that I found on the packaging of a pre-workout: “beta-alanine, whose tingling effects some people love, will allow you to prolong intensity and muscular explosiveness”.
A heavy dose of marketing
Legal regulatory limits are unfortunately often exceeded in the dietary supplement sector. Be vigilant when you are presented with a list of dozens of a product’s benefits.
By way of example, whey protein has only one authorized nutrition claim: “proteins contribute to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass”.
Is pre-workout a useful dietary supplement?
No progress in your training
When you go to train, the goal is to enjoy yourself and do good for your body. For some, it’s also about pushing their limits or performance.
Consuming a controversial and potentially dangerous product to stimulate you during the first 30 minutes of your session will not help you progress.
Pre-workouts tend to be counterproductive. With a potential up-and-down effect and a fatigue rebound that will occur in the second part of your workout.
The best pre-workout, in my opinion: rest
Most athletes I interviewed about their use of pre-workouts tell me they are trying to fight fatigue before training.
The main reason to use a pre-workout is the energy boost before a workout. Know that if you can manage your level of fatigue, you won’t need to use a pre-workout.
In my opinion, the best way to train well is to get a good night’s sleep. Also avoid excesses (heavy meals, alcohol) and adjust your training load as well as your rest periods.
Finally, a course of a multivitamin and mineral complex may be useful in two cases: if your training load is high (more than 12 hours per week), or if your preparation period extends over several months.
Read also | How to choose the best multivitamin?
