Nov
Nothing is better than feeling like you’ve destroyed your workout session. Pre-workout supps are designed to help you do exactly that. But is daily pre-workout supplementation dangerous? For the most part, pre-workout supplements can be taken daily before exercise, but you need to know one or two things before doing this.
This article will cover whether or not you can take pre-workout supplements daily and if there are any side effects.
What is a Pre-workout?
The best pre-workout supplements are like a power-up before hitting the gym or exercising. They’re made with unique ingredients to boost your focus, endurance, and energy, helping you work out longer and harder. Take it right before your exercise, and you can choose between powder or pills. It’s all about getting that extra boost for intense workouts! Here are some common ingredients found in different pre-workout supplements:
Caffeine: Boosts focus, alertness, and energy; makes exercise feel more manageable
Creatine: Fuels muscles and increases strength and power output
BCAAs: Branched-chain amino acids repair damaged muscles and reduce muscle soreness after exercise
Nitric Oxide: Dilates blood vessels to optimise blood flow and improves nutrient flow and energy processing
Beta-alanine: Regulates muscle acidity, delays fatigue, and extends exercise duration
Can You take a Pre-Workout every day?
How often you take a pre-workout depends on its ingredients. Some people can take it daily, but others may have to follow a cycle. These days, thorough research has gone into ensuring that the ingredients used in supplements are safe for daily use. However, we’re all unique, so there’s no telling how one pre-workout might affect different individuals.
This is especially true when it comes to taking pre-workout supplements with stimulants like caffeine. Caffeine is known to boost energy and cognitive function but also has some drawbacks to using it consistently.
Research has shown that caffeine intake actually has a significant effect on your brain. It suppresses the activity of GABA receptors, your primary neurotransmitters, and impairs the dopamine pathways in your hypothalamus. To put that in simple words, caffeine can affect your moods. Ever had a caffeine crash before? This is precisely what happens. You shoot up on caffeine, and then when it wears off, you crash hard.
Have you ever noticed that your pre-workout supplement stopped working after a while? That’s because your body has adapted to its ingredients, making it less effective. Just a disclaimer: we’re not trying to turn you off pre-workouts here. We want to give you some insight into how they can affect you when taken repeatedly.
For pre-workouts with stimulants in them, you’d have to gauge their effect on you. But consider using them on a cycle, like every second day. In regards to non-stimulant-based pre-workouts, you can knock yourself out (not literally). They should be safe to take daily under the dosage instructions on the product.
Potential side effects from taking a pre-workout everyday
Many pre-workout supplements are safe to use on a daily basis, and the chances of experiencing potential side effects and health risks are minimal. But, then again, everyone is different, meaning people could react differently to supplements. So, when using a pre-workout daily, here are a few potential side effects that you may experience.
- May cause jitters
- May cause an energy crash
- May cause insomnia
- May cause itchiness or tingling sensation
When is the best time to take a Pre-Workout?
Look, pre-workouts are designed to boost your athletic performance, so the best time to take them is roughly 30 to 45 minutes before you exercise so that your body has time to absorb the nutrients so you’re primed and ready to go.
How Many Times a Day can You take a Pre-Workout?
For most pre-workout supplements, the maximum daily dosage is 1 serving, but you should always check the serving suggestion as specific pre-workouts may differ slightly due to the ingredients used. Usually, pre-workout intake is limited to one serving per day because they’re often packed with ingredients like caffeine and beta-alanine, which can cause uncomfortable side effects when taken.
Final Thoughts
To make the most out of your workouts, you’ll want to find pre-workout supplements that have undergone rigorous testing to ensure they’re safe and suitable and are going to deliver results. Taking pre-workout supplements on a daily basis is generally safe for healthy adults as long as they’re used according to their dosage instructions. However, some may include an ingredient or two that may require you to reconsider taking them daily to avoid discomfort.
Happy training!