Social media has seen a rise in popularity of pre-workout, a magical concoction that makes workouts feel effortless instead of exhausting. Pre-workout is a supplement that comes in the form of pill or powder, consumed roughly thirty minutes before a workout. Each pre-workout serving size is packed with vitamins, nutrients, and caffeine. Fitness content creators have shared how pre-workout has made even the most intense of exercises (such as climbing the StairMaster) feel of ease. While pre-workout can be a great exercise enhancer for a workout or two, scientists say it can cause long-term harm to your body if used consistently.
According to registered dietician Kate Patton, there are twenty different amino acids in pre-workout that allow for enhanced muscle growth and increased energy production. Patton says that the main ingredient behind all of the action is caffeine, which is safe only if dosed in the appropriate amount.
“Social media has seen a rise in popularity of pre-workout, a magical concoction that makes workouts feel effortless instead of exhausting.”
Despite being over the counter, it is not without adverse side effects. Patton mentions that most pre-workout products contain anywhere from 150 to 300 mg of caffeine per serving, which is the equivalent of chugging three cups of coffee in a row. Too high of a caffeine dose can be harmful to your long-term health and metabolism. A recent survey done on pre-workout users found that 60.1% of the females, and only 51.8% of the males, experienced adverse effects after ingestion. Of the total users with bad pre-workout experiences, 34.3% reported having skin agitation and 23.4% reported having palpitations or rapid heart rate. The gap in the percentage of female and male users who’ve faced negative side effects is likely due to males having a naturally lower body fat percentage, which allows them to metabolize and excrete the caffeine in pre-workout much faster than females.
A popular, high-risk pre-workout practice is “dry-scooping,” which is consuming the Pre-Workout supplement without any water or liquid. Taking pre-workout without water can cause the caffeine to enter your body in a concerningly high concentration, which can cause symptoms as minor as palpitations to as extreme as a heart attack.
If you’re struggling to have the energy to get a high-quality workout in, there are safer alternatives than a highly processed product with excessive caffeine. Exercise nutritionists highly recommend eating whole foods instead of processed ones before a workout. Whole foods are much more nutrient-dense and richer in antioxidants than refined foods. Because processed foods are chemically altered for preservation or flavor, their chemical structure is much less complex than that of whole foods. The refined food’s simpler structure makes it much easier for your body to break it down than a whole food’s denser structure. Eating whole foods can be just as effective as, and much safer than, pre-workout.
Overall, pre-workout can seem promising in its ability to enhance energy production and muscle growth. However, because of pre-workout’s many observed side effects and high caffeine content, it appears to be safer to seek more natural alternatives to boost your next workout.
