Caffeine, creatine, beta-alanine, arginine, citrulline… Many active ingredients in one and the same composition: this is what pre-workouts offer in order to increase performance during a session , and to transform the efforts into results .
Is this type of composition, well known to bodybuilding practitioners, safe? Do these high concentrations have side effects? Answer here!
What is a pre-workout booster?
Pre -workouts are part of the food supplements dedicated to performance . Their formula offers a combination of ingredients selected for their effect on increasing energy levels , reducing fatigue and optimizing biological processes linked to performance (example: better muscle congestion via oxide nitric).
The key ingredients of its composition
To perform these roles, they can count on ingredients , the most popular of which are caffeine, creatine, beta-alanine, niacin, arginine and citrulline . Please note that some pre-workouts focus on a particular benefit, hence the fact that the compositions can vary from one supplement to another (they do not always include caffeine, for example).
They are used shortly before a training session (15 to 30 minutes) , or even during in certain cases.
Are pre-workout bodybuilding boosters dangerous for your health?
Natural ingredients present in food or synthesized by the body
Formulated from ingredients and substances present naturally in everyday foods (caffeine and creatine for examples) or naturally synthesized by the body (beta-alanine or citrulline), pre-workouts do not present any danger. particular .
Their particularity is mainly due to the fact that they generally have a very concentrated formula, meaning that these ingredients are included in significant quantities. However, overconsumption of certain ingredients can actually cause some side effects.
The risk of caffeine overdose
Overconsumption of caffeine (beyond 400 mg of caffeine per day in healthy adults) can, for example, cause tremors, insomnia and headaches, among other things. Some people sensitive to caffeine may experience these effects at a much lower dose.
Other ingredients can cause other side effects, which we invite you to discover in the next section.
Can pre-workouts have side effects?
It is above all excessive consumption (compared to recommendations) of the ingredients present in their composition that pre-workouts can induce side effects. And because they combine ingredients with their own characteristics, there are different side effects.
Here is a list, as well as the solutions to take if one of the side effects were to be felt.
Head pain
Which are generally caused by overconsumption of caffeine , a molecule causing an increase in blood pressure. Or overconsumption of ingredients involved in the vasodilation of blood vessels (arginine for exampl).
Although overconsumption of arginine (beyond 15 g per day) is rather rare, taking too much caffeine during the day is not difficult. Especially if taking a pre-workout is combined with other caffeine-based supplements, such as fat burners.
Ideally, it is advisable to first identify the different sources of caffeine around you (chocolate, most sodas and, of course, coffee are some). Then, not to exceed 400 mg of caffeine per day in healthy adults , and 200 mg in younger people and pregnant women
Following these recommendations will normally allow you to avoid this side effect. If it persists, be sure to reduce this consumption further (3/4 scoop, 1/2 scoop, etc. ) in order to find the ideal dosage for you
Feelings of anxiety or oppression
It is again because of their richness in caffeine that pre-workouts can induce a feeling of oppression or anxiety. This feeling comes in part from a natural elevation in heart rate ; elevation caused, you will have understood, by this molecule.
Once again it’s about finding the ideal dosage . If this side effect is actually experienced: start by eliminating other sources of caffeine (coffee, sodas, etc.). If this effect persists, reduce the dosage of the supplement itself (3/4 scoop, 1/2 scoop, etc.) .
Nausea and digestive problems
Often, it is not due to a specific ingredient (although, again, caffeine may be to blame) that nausea and digestive problems can appear.
In this case, it is rather poor preparation for the pre-workout that must be considered. A poorly diluted pre-workout could actually harm your digestive system.
To assimilate the ingredients included in the supplements, the digestive system needs water, which it draws from the cells. This is all the more true when there are a lot of active ingredients. When these pass the intestinal barrier, too much water can reach the intestinal level, causing digestive problems .
Adding water can paradoxically prevent this type of effect by reducing the puncture via the cells. Diluting your pre-workout well will save you a lot of the inconvenience
So do not hesitate to add water (more than indicated) in the event that digestive problems arise, and avoid combining pre-workout with irritating elements (lactose, chili pepper, etc.).
Itching or tingling: niacin and beta alanine
Niacin is one of the key ingredients in pre-workouts . But in high doses, this water-soluble vitamin (in particular one of its compounds: nicotinic acid) can cause skin vasodilation . The skin then begins to redden, heat or itch, especially if this ingredient is combined with beta-alanine, another star ingredient in pre-workouts.
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