Pre-workout supplements are among the most widely used performance products in sport nutrition. In fact, I usually receive at least 2-3 questions per week about them!

Do you take them? Are you thinking of it? Do you just want to learn more about them? 

Let’s dive into it because this is a very confusing segment in the sports nutrition world.

Let’s start off with the question if pre-workout supplements actually work. 

Yes, they do. 

But the real question you should be asking is whether they are appropriate, effective and actually safe for you to use.

In general, pre-workout supplements are typically a powdered blend of performance-enhancing ingredients that you take about 30 - 60 minutes before training or competition. 

Before you ask “what ingredients should I be looking for?”, it’s best to tell you that the pre-workout supplement world has been changing rapidly. In the past, these supplements merely included a high-dose of caffeine. Nowadays, they include non-stimulants, blood flow enhancers, amino acids and other performance related ingredients.

As such, based on the ingredients they contain, pre-workout supplements may help increase energy and alertness, improve muscle endurance, enhance strength and power, improve blood flow, and increase focus and motivation.

On the flip side, they can also lead to overstimulation, anxiety, elevated heart rate, GI distress, sleep disruption and reduced recovery. Not the things you want to see when taking a supplement.

Additionally, if you take them too frequently, you may develop a tolerance and create a dependence on them, which can negate many of the benefits that they may have.

Lastly, because many pre-workout supplements boast a “proprietary blend”, you may not know exactly what amounts of ingredients are present which can lead to risk of over- or under-dosing. 

If you do want to experiment with a pre-workout supplement, time and place matters. I would recommend using them for more high-intensity training sessions and/or on competition days.

I would not recommend them as a “pick me up”, for lower intensity sessions, for young athletes, those with sleep disorders or issues, or if you just don’t tolerate stimulants well or are already consuming a high amount of stimulants per day (ie-through drinking coffee).

Bottom line is that pre-workout supplements can be used as tools rather than necessities. 

Well-designed training, adequate carbohydrate intake, proper hydration and quality sleep will outperform any supplement in the long run.

If you do want to experiment with a pre-workout supplement, be sure to choose one that is third-party certified through NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport Certified. 

Reach out to any of our awesome team of Sports Dietitians for more assistance on how to choose supplements.

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