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What Do Pre-Workout Supplements Do?

This Is What Happens To Your Body On Pre-Workout Supplements

The colorless substance wasn’t much to drink. It didn’t smell like anything. Didn’t really taste like much either. But the powder dissolved quickly with water and I chugged it like the last beer you smash down when the check is already paid and you’re trying to leave.

As soon as my shaker bottle was empty I felt the hair on my arms stand up. The musty gym became just a little cold, like a refreshing breeze that passes by to salvage a smoldering day. I was awake and alert. And for god’s sake I was ready to throw some heavy weight around. I was hyper-aware and focused like when Bradley Cooper downed those brain pills in Limitless.

That was the second time I tried a pre-workout supplement. The workout, which was of the CrossFit, barbell-clanging variety, was perfect for how I felt — charged up. There was six sets barbell back squats on short rest with a moderate load, followed by a hang clean-power clean complex and then a sprint version of jump rope-burpee combo. I high-fived every person in the room like we had all just finished our Organic Chemistry final on the last day of school.

The first time I tried a pre-workout powder was different. I still felt like Popeye after he just gulped a can of spinach. But when the workout started, the strength was missing and instead I felt full and a little bloated. With a HIIT workout on deck that included intervals on this torturous device called a ski erg and even more masochistic contraption called an assault bike, there was no supplement that could have unglued my hands from my knees while I keeled over and searched for what were my last breathes somewhere on the floor.

So I’ll cut to the chase. I started this experiment asking one question, do pre-workout supplements actually work? And in the end, the conclusion is, well, it depends.  

It depends on a number of things like how your body reacts to caffeine, if you have a sensitive stomach, how long you take a pre-workout before actually working out and even what kind of exercise you plan on doing. Generally, I’ve encountered two basic thoughts on pre-workout from gym rats that I know. The first is “Dude, I can’t even workout without a pre-workout” and “I tried it, felt like my heart would explode, and I’ll never do it again. This I vow to you.”

Related: Top 10 Post-Workout Foods

The heart-pounding feeling is mostly due to caffeine, which is the top ingredient in most pre-workout supplements. “Those sensitive to caffeine or new to it, should not be aiming to take in copious amounts of their first time out. The dietary guidelines recommend limiting daily consumption to no more than 400mg, so keep that total in mind,” said Pam Nisevich Bede, a sports dietitian with EAS Sports Nutrition, Abbott. “Caffeine in moderate doses is safe and effective. It works for long distance athletes and those working intensely for 1-20 minutes — think CrossFit or HIIT sessions.”

That makes sense. I downed three cups of coffee during the day before I took my first pre-workout. But I’m a loyal (read: addicted) coffee drinker. A friend tried his first pre-workout powder and left the gym early because he felt so out of whack. That was a scene from a different movie.

Bede suggests that a reasonable dose of caffeine is 2-3mg per kg of bodyweight.  Too much caffeine can cause the jitters, gastrointestinal distress and elevated heart rate. “Bottom line: watch out for overly powerful pre-workout and grab a tall cup of Joe instead,” Bede said.

Many pre-workouts also include BCAAs, which promote recovery and protect glycogen stores so you can avoid crashing mid-workout. Some even have sodium and potassium to help maintain hydration. There’s also beta-alanine, a nonessential amino acid that Bede explained helps to buffer muscle pH in athletes performing high intensity activities.

Most also contain creatine, a natural supplement that has been proven to help build muscle mass and strength. The supplement I tried from NF Sports featured a performance blend that supports nitric oxide, which aids blood flow to provide more oxygen to the muscles, essentially helping to work out harder for longer.

Did it work? It did provide a boost, even if it was just the second time around. Is it necessary? That's a personal question.

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