Pre-workout supplements – yay or nay?

By David Hawkins, Exercise Specialist and Physiotherapist

We are a results-driven society.  This is something to be proud of.  Whether we’re talking about work, personal development or, you guessed it, exercise, it’s admirable that as individuals, we aim to get the most out of ourselves. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that pre-workout supplements have become such a popular product among the exercise community in recent years.  These supplements, when taken shortly before exercising, claim to increase mental clarity, improve energy, performance and enhance recovery.  Many pre-workouts also claim to enhance fat-burning during exercise.  But do pre-workouts live up the hype?  And are they safe to take?

Do Pre-workouts live up to the hype?

Anecdotally, I hear and read many people swear by the benefits of their pre-workout supplements.  However, “research on the effectiveness of pre-workout supplements is very limited.”  Further, commenting on the general effectiveness of pre-workouts is difficult because there are a wide variety of products that exist on the market, each containing their own unique list of ingredients and each claiming to be better than the next.  And although there are some common ingredients that can be found in many pre-workouts, they are included in varying quantities, so again, generalisation is difficult.

According to Hill (2019)¹, some common ingredients in pre-workouts, may include:

• Nitric oxide precursors, such as L-arginine and L-citrulline. These ingredients are believed to help enhance athletic performance by dilating blood vessels and improving blood flow, thus increasing oxygen and nutrient supply to working muscles¹.
• Caffeine: A well-researched ingredient, caffeine has been shown to increase mental and physical performance^1,2,3. Caffeine may also increase fat-burning is often included in weight-loss supplements².
• Creatine: some studies suggest creatine may aid performance by increasing recovery rate and muscular development (hypertrophy)¹

Are pre-workouts safe?

The overall safety of pre-workout supplements is not greatly understood and may vary between products.  This is because:

• The regulation of dietary supplements is not the same as that for the food and beverage industry and are less strict than those for prescription and over-the-counter medications.⁴
• Scientific evidence on the safety and efficacy of dietary supplements varies widely – we know a lot about some and little about others.⁴
• Due the variety of ingredients and their dosages, dietary supplements may vary significantly from those studied in scientific research.⁴ Higher dosages of some ingredients may cause negative side-effects and may be considered unethical and/or dangerous.¹
• “Some products marketed as dietary supplements—promoted mainly for weight loss … and bodybuilding—may contain prescription drugs not allowed in dietary supplements or other ingredients not listed on the label. Some of these ingredients may be unsafe.”⁴

Conclusion – What is recommended?

Due to the variability of products and ingredients, variable or unknown efficacy and safety of pre-workouts, the use of these products is not recommended.

If you are thinking about taking a pre-workout supplement, you should ask yourself if your diet is inadequate, if you’re well hydrated, if you’re getting enough good quality sleep and if you’re allowing enough recovery between workouts.  You might also question if there any medical reasons that may be causing you to feel less energetic or lethargic and seek medical advice if needed.  You might also look at your goals and motivation behind your exercise.  If any of these are lacking, I suggest you address them first, before you seek the aid of a pre-workout supplement.  Alternatively, if it is a simple lift you’re after, a standard-sized shot of black coffee an hour before you exercise might give you similar results with less risk and side-effects.

References

¹ Hill A (2019) Are Pre-Workout Supplements Good Or Bad For You? Available online: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/pre-workout-supplements.  Accessed on 20/05/2020

² Mawer R (2016) How Caffeine Improves Athletic Performance. Available online: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/caffeine-and-exercise.  Accessed on 20/05/2020

³ Spriet L. L. (2014). Exercise and sport performance with low doses of caffeine. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 44 Suppl 2(Suppl 2), S175–S184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0257-8

⁴ Using Dietary Supplements Wisely.  Available online: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/using-dietary-supplements-wisely.  Accessed on 02/06/2020.