Pre-workout supplements are among some of the top-selling health and fitness supplements on the market. When it comes to pursuing your fitness journey, there are a lot of tools that can help with the challenges that you’ll face along the way.
Supplements represent a powerful set of tools that help people get the nutrition and energy they need to achieve their goals. Most supplements actually are not technically required, as you can get enough protein, nutrients, and electrolytes from your diet; however, supplements allow people who may not have the time or capacity to create a robust diet, a healthy and organic option for pursuing their health goals.
Pre-workouts are almost ubiquitous in gym culture and are loved for various reasons. This supplement helps people prepare for their gym routine by giving them natural energy so they can feel fueled and ready to put in the work. Pre-workout also helps people achieve a sense of clarity of mind, which can help strengthen the connection between mind and body, which is vital for success in a workout.
Fat loss and recovery are also big reasons a pre-workout can be a great option for people as they can help improve your body’s natural ability to burn calories.
What to Look For in a Pre-Workout
One of the biggest challenges that anyone looking for supplements in the health industry is knowing what to look for. The good part about the massive popularity of the health industry is that there are a lot of great tools on the market that can help you achieve your goals. The bad part about this is that it’s really easy to feel overwhelmed and not know what to look for.
The simple truth is that, like any market; there are a variety of qualities available to the consumer. Some pre-workouts are better than others, and some provide a higher quality experience. You need to know what ingredients to look for to get the pre-workout that does the most for your fitness journey.
Understanding what quality ingredients are will help you discover quality products. The good news is that finding high-quality pre-workouts isn’t hard once you know what to look for. Here are five important ingredients to always look for in your pre-workouts!
L-Theanine
L-theanine is a nonessential amino acid that needs to be taken in through your diet. This amino acid is known for helping to calm the mind and increase feelings of peace. When combined with natural caffeine, L-theanine can help people achieve a level of focus that is healthy and non-addictive. The benefit of L-Theanine is that it is generally considered a safe, non-toxic, and non-habit-forming method of either relaxing or gaining focus.
BCAAs
In the amino acid family, there are three particular amino acids known as the branched amino acids (BCAA): leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These amino acids are fundamental to healthy muscle growth and protein formation. Because the body doesn’t synthesize these amino acids, it’s vital that a person gets enough BCAAs through their diet to have healthy muscle mass.
Creatine
Possibly the most famous pre-workout ingredient is creatine, and for a good reason. This amino acid is essential in helping to facilitate muscle strength and mass growth. Creatine is typically taken before a workout for its effect on energy, as timing creatine intaking can give a person a short burst of natural energy without experiencing a crash afterward.
Beta-Alanine
Unlike most of the previous amino acids, beta-alanine is naturally synthesized by the body and helps to supply endurance and energy. Taking a pre-workout that supplements your body with more beta-alanine helps to increase the duration of high-intensity workouts in a noticeable way.
L-Citrulline
Another amino acid that is synthesized in the body, L-citrulline is a unique molecule that helps to dilate blood vessels and increase the delivery of oxygenated blood. Muscle tissue quickly uses up oxygen when the body is under stress from working out and becomes hypoxic. When this happens, a person will begin to feel fatigued as their muscles need oxygen to stay energized. L-citrulline increases the amount of oxygen flowing to muscle tissue so it can endure stress for longer.
Conclusion
A lot of pre-workouts use natural sources of caffeine to help keep people focused and energized during their workouts, however, some use vitamin B complex. While using a B complex can impact energy levels, caffeine has been known to have less ‘crashing’ side effects once the energy has worn off.
The most important thing to remember when finding a pre-workout is to get one you feel good about taking. Pre-workouts are not something you should compromise on. Searching for pre-workouts with quality ingredients won’t be hard to find the right one that works for you and your goals.
