Pre-workout supplements are dietary supplements commonly used by those involved in bodybuilding and athletics. The ingredients among the most widely used pre-workout supplements contain beta alanine, caffeine, creatine, nitric oxide booster (such as arginine, or citrulline), and more. Each ingredient generally improves your overall performance and it helps increase your strength, focus, endurance and energy. Here are the key ingredients and its functions:
Beta Alanine
This helps increase your muscle output and strength, as well as increasing your lean mass. Amino acid Carnosine is partly made up by Beta Alanine, which buffs the cells in our body. It is also essential for muscle recovery and production.
Creatine
Creatine is the most popular and commonly used sports supplement available today. For the majority of the population, including both elite athletes and untrained individuals, creatine supplementation increases fat free mass and improves anaerobic and possibly aerobic performance. It increases the energy available in our muscles, which allows us to lift heavier things.
Generally creatine benefits those people that need large amounts of power, and fast - compared to long duration exercises like running. And this area is where a LOT of people get to feeling confused on whether or not they should use it. It most commonly benefits body builders and high intensity cross training like intervals or sprinting. Allowing you to maintain that intense peak of performance, longer than usual.
*What about Creatine and Endurance Excercise ?
Increased endurance due to reduced effect of lactic acid buildup in your muscles, allows soreness and fatigue to take longer to set in, which is a possible effect of creatine on long duration exercise.
Caffeine
Increasing endurance, improving focus and clarity and enhancing performance are the benefits we get from caffeine. It is a well known drug seen within coffee, soda, tea, and in pill form.
DMAA (1,3 - Dimethylamylamine)- Banned Substance
If you see this on the label of any pre workout drinks, put it back down and look for another. Also known as methylhexanamine, or 1,3-dimethylamylamine, which was becoming a common ingredient in many substances, is now in the process of becoming a banned substance, or already is. The U.S., Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, and Australia have taken actions against the substance to have it withdrawn from shelves. Officials warning any consumers that have purchased these products to avoid using them, and discard them.
Niacin (Vitamin B3)
Working to process the food we consume and producing of energy within our bodies are the functions of Niacin and all the other parts of the B vitamin complex.
BCAA (Branched Chain Amino Acids)
BCAA help fight the fatigue that sets in into our brain and also help with muscle synthesis and recovery following exercise.
Arginine
A non essential amino acid which is used in our body to make nitric oxide, a chemical that dilates your blood vessels and increase the amount of nutrients being fed to your muscles during exercise.
Taurine
Maintaining heart function during recovery phase of exercise, improving capacity of your workout, increasing your oxygen consumption and prolonging exercise time before exhaustion are the benefits which Taurine gives.
L-Citrulline
L-Citrulline may help in increasing your nitric oxide levels, stimulating muscle protein synthesis, improving energy levels, extending muscular endurance and enhancing your immune system function.
Glutamine
Has been shown to help reduce the amount of ammonia buildup in the bloodstream during prolonged periods of strenuous exercise. ammonia buildup can be one of the body's signals of fatigue.
Electrolytes
Maintaining our energy levels through workouts or running is a function of electrolyte. Our body need consistent electrolyte replenishment during long periods of exercise which is crucial to keep the body running smoothly.
Every ingredients has its own function. They generally helps your overall performance at the gym. Pre-workout supplements is the motivation we need to surpass the intensity our workout gives.
Beta Alanine
This helps increase your muscle output and strength, as well as increasing your lean mass. Amino acid Carnosine is partly made up by Beta Alanine, which buffs the cells in our body. It is also essential for muscle recovery and production.
Creatine
Creatine is the most popular and commonly used sports supplement available today. For the majority of the population, including both elite athletes and untrained individuals, creatine supplementation increases fat free mass and improves anaerobic and possibly aerobic performance. It increases the energy available in our muscles, which allows us to lift heavier things.
Generally creatine benefits those people that need large amounts of power, and fast - compared to long duration exercises like running. And this area is where a LOT of people get to feeling confused on whether or not they should use it. It most commonly benefits body builders and high intensity cross training like intervals or sprinting. Allowing you to maintain that intense peak of performance, longer than usual.
*What about Creatine and Endurance Excercise ?
Increased endurance due to reduced effect of lactic acid buildup in your muscles, allows soreness and fatigue to take longer to set in, which is a possible effect of creatine on long duration exercise.
Caffeine
Increasing endurance, improving focus and clarity and enhancing performance are the benefits we get from caffeine. It is a well known drug seen within coffee, soda, tea, and in pill form.
DMAA (1,3 - Dimethylamylamine)- Banned Substance
If you see this on the label of any pre workout drinks, put it back down and look for another. Also known as methylhexanamine, or 1,3-dimethylamylamine, which was becoming a common ingredient in many substances, is now in the process of becoming a banned substance, or already is. The U.S., Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, and Australia have taken actions against the substance to have it withdrawn from shelves. Officials warning any consumers that have purchased these products to avoid using them, and discard them.
Niacin (Vitamin B3)
Working to process the food we consume and producing of energy within our bodies are the functions of Niacin and all the other parts of the B vitamin complex.
BCAA (Branched Chain Amino Acids)
BCAA help fight the fatigue that sets in into our brain and also help with muscle synthesis and recovery following exercise.
Arginine
A non essential amino acid which is used in our body to make nitric oxide, a chemical that dilates your blood vessels and increase the amount of nutrients being fed to your muscles during exercise.
Taurine
Maintaining heart function during recovery phase of exercise, improving capacity of your workout, increasing your oxygen consumption and prolonging exercise time before exhaustion are the benefits which Taurine gives.
L-Citrulline
L-Citrulline may help in increasing your nitric oxide levels, stimulating muscle protein synthesis, improving energy levels, extending muscular endurance and enhancing your immune system function.
Glutamine
Has been shown to help reduce the amount of ammonia buildup in the bloodstream during prolonged periods of strenuous exercise. ammonia buildup can be one of the body's signals of fatigue.
Electrolytes
Maintaining our energy levels through workouts or running is a function of electrolyte. Our body need consistent electrolyte replenishment during long periods of exercise which is crucial to keep the body running smoothly.
Every ingredients has its own function. They generally helps your overall performance at the gym. Pre-workout supplements is the motivation we need to surpass the intensity our workout gives.
About the Author:
Want to find out more about Pre-Workout Supplements, then visit Mark Robinson's site on how to choose the best Ingredients for your Pre-Workout Supplement for your needs.
