8 PRE-WORKOUT INGREDIENTS TO AVOID

AGMATINE SULFATE

Agmatine Sulfate has become a popular ingredient in many pre-workout supplements as it helps to lower blood pressure and heart rate. It also improves blood circulation and assists the kidneys in discarding excess fluids and salt.

The best time for it to be taken is half an hour before exercise.

WHY IS THIS BAD?

Since the federal regulation on formula transparency is minimal, there are quite a number of supplements that do not disclose the actual ingredient dosages, enabling them to hide under-dosed ingredients. This means that you may not be getting the right amount of ingredients for the price you paid.

HOW TO AVOID THIS?

Having caffeine as an ingredient to your pre-workout is not bad, but you should always make sure that you do not take more than what you need.

Most pre-workout supplements include caffeine in their ingredients. Always read the label of your supplement to know the amount of caffeine included so that you can track your intake.

The usual amount of caffeine intake enough for pre-workouts is around 100-200 mg. Any higher than this will just result in an equivalent benefit. If you have a slow metabolism, it is highly recommended that you do not take caffeine at all before your workout session.

BRANCHED-CHAIN AMINO ACID

Branched-Chain Amino Acid, or BCAA, is one of the most popular supplements taken by gym rats. It is a combination of 3 essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. You can easily distinguish this because of its pink liquid color.

These amino acids are essential because they cannot be produced by the body alone and can only be obtained through food or supplements. They help provide several benefits for the body, such as improving the body’s immune function, minimizing exercise fatigue, increasing muscle growth, and reducing exercise-induced muscle damage and soreness.

Unlike caffeine, BCAA overdose isn’t really that much of a health issue, but it is still better to avoid this in your pre-workout ingredients.

WHY IS THIS BAD?

BCAA is a proven and tested ingredient for building muscle, reducing muscle fatigue, and reducing muscle soreness, but this isn’t necessary for your pre-workout ingredients. This is because BCAA can be easily obtained through food alone.

Supplementing with BCAA for your workout will not provide you with additional benefits if you eat food rich in BCAA. You will only be spending more money for no added effect.

HOW TO AVOID THIS?

As said earlier, BCAA overdose does not really cause an alarming effect on your body, but it is always better to take things in moderation.

You can just simply replace BCAA supplements with food rich in BCAA. Some foods containing a high amount of BCAA are beef, chicken breast, salmon, canned tuna, and eggs.

This will not only make sure that you are getting the proper amount you need, but you can also save up money for other pre-workout supplements.

YOHIMBINE

Yohimbine is a substance that is effective in losing fat, especially the stubborn ones.

Here is a simple explanation of how yohimbine helps in reducing those stubborn fats; fat cells have two types of receptors for catecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline). These are alpha and beta receptors. When catecholamines bind to beta receptors, fat cells mobilize, causing them to burn.  And when it binds to alpha receptors, fat cells don’t mobilize.

Love handles, lower abs, and thighs are some of the common areas wherein alpha receptors are more abundant than beta ones. This is why it’s very hard to lose fat in these areas.

Yohimbine blocks these alpha receptors so that catecholamines bind to beta receptors, increasing the reduction of fat stored in your body. Not only that, but yohimbine also improves workout performance, increasing the duration before you start to feel exhausted. This is yet another wonderful ingredient, but similar to caffeine, yohimbine should only be used in moderation.

WHY IS THIS BAD?

Since pre-workout supplements are consumed several times per week, supplements with yohimbine should be avoided because it is not well-tolerated by some people, causing them to have anxiety and jitters.

Yohimbine overdose can also cause nausea, dizziness, sudden drops in blood pressure, and facial flushing.

Also, since most people eat a pre-workout meal, the fat loss properties of yohimbine are completely neglected ending up being more of a dangerous pre workout without benefiting the consumer at all.

HOW TO AVOID THIS?

Always check the label of the pre-workout supplement before you buy it. If you are planning to buy a supplement with yohimbine, make sure that you won’t be consuming it all year round. This is to ensure that you won’t encounter the possible discomforts mentioned earlier.

ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS

Artificial sweeteners are substitutes for sugar to make a drink or supplement taste better. They are also used as an alternative to other sweeteners because they contain less food energy, making the drink or supplement low in calories.

WHY IS THIS BAD?

Sugar alternatives despite their very low calorie can be dangerous for the body because of all the side effects that come with it especially if  consumed in large amounts

Such side effects include headaches, bloating, intestinal cramping, and diarrhea. Some researchers have also linked artificial sweeteners to increasing the risk of cancer.

HOW TO AVOID THIS?

Since most pre-workout doesn’t taste well, people tend to buy those with included sweeteners. This should be avoided because of the effects mentioned above.

An alternative way to make your pre-workout taste better is by adding sliced bananas in it. Not only will it improve the taste of your pre-workout, but you’ll also be getting more carbohydrates that you need to last longer during your workout.

ANTIOXIDANTS

Antioxidants are substances that help in preventing or delaying oxidation of other molecules in our body. They mostly come from fruits and vegetables, but they can also be man-made.

Free radicals (molecules that underwent oxidation) left unchecked can cause a wide range of ailments and chronic diseases. And they are sometimes produced during exercise.

This is an ingredient that is beneficial for our body, but it is not advisable to be included in the pre-workout.

WHY IS THIS BAD?

Antioxidants, such as resveratrol, and vitamins A and C, can cause harm to the muscle signaling response of our body, which is important for our body’s adaptation. They may also interfere with our body’s natural reaction to deal with stress, making it harder for our body to recover from fatigue.

HOW TO AVOID THIS?

Antioxidants aren’t bad for our bodies. We should just avoid taking it as a pre-workout ingredient.

To avoid this, refrain from taking antioxidants such as resveratrol. You can always get these antioxidants from fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, blueberries, kale, spinach, beans, or even dark chocolates.

Eat food that is rich in antioxidants after your workout session to make sure that you are consuming them on the right time.

CARBONATED DRINKS

Carbonated drinks such as soft drinks, seltzer water, and some sports and energy drinks are beverages that contain dissolved carbon dioxide.

Carbonation is a process done to some liquor to give it an effervescent quality, or fizz. It can also provide a more refreshing effect when consumed compared to drinking water alone.

Drinking plenty of fluids is important when you are doing a workout. Although, carbonated drinks as an ingredient for pre-workout are not advisable.

WHY IS THIS BAD?

Some carbonated drinks such as Red Bull, Rockstar and other diet soda include caffeine as an ingredient. Even with caffeine seen as a good ingredient to help your body to burn more fat for an extended exercise session, this is not effective with short bouts of exercise done by most people.

Carbonation on drinks can make people feel bloated, especially when consumed quickly or in large amounts. This is because carbonated drinks cause an air build up in your stomach. Being bloated will make it difficult for you to exercise efficiently, as having a full stomach slows you down.

The sugar in many carbonated drinks may also result in low blood sugar during exercises. Having a low blood sugar will make you feel tired and weak, hindering your exercise performance, therefore, making them very unsuitable pre workout drinks for energy.

Additionally, carbonated drinks are usually high in sodium and calories, which will interfere with your target for doing workouts—which is to lose weight. It may also cause nausea and intense stomach pain.

HOW TO AVOID THIS?

Instead of drinking carbonated drinks as a pre-workout or refreshment during a workout, drink regular water. If you find water alone boring or tasteless, try slicing lemons, raspberries or cucumber then add it to your water to make it more refreshing.

Not only will water keep you hydrated, but it is also virtually free, saving you a lot of money.

FAT

Fat is an essential nutrient as it serves as the most efficient form of energy storage. It doesn’t bind with water, neglecting the possibility of an increase in body mass.

It slows down the body’s absorption of carbohydrate and protein, regulates blood sugar better and creates a more full feeling in each meal.

This may be an essential nutrient, but it is not advisable as a pre-workout ingredient.

WHY IS THIS BAD?

The more fat you consume right before exercising, the slower the digestion during a workout.

When this happens, your body is going to be more focused on digesting food than supplying your working muscles with blood flow and muscle building nutrients.

This will result in the suppression of growth hormones that occur during high-intensity exercises.

It also negates the effect of many pre-workout ingredients that help in your body’s blood flow, such as citrulline and arginine.

Not only this ingredient is not advisable for pre-workout, but for after workout as well, since the same effect applies.

HOW TO AVOID THIS?

Since most pre-workout doesn’t include fat as an ingredient, you can easily avoid this by keeping an eye on the supplement facts of the product. Also, try to avoid food that is rich in fat, such as fried food.

Like all supplements, you don’t necessarily need pre-workout supplements to gain the body that you desire. If you’re wondering, “should I use pre workout?”, you should first be aware that the pre workout can just supplement your fitness journey but is not as important as a healthy and regular diet and exercise routine.

Most companies that produce pre-workout supplements include details transparent enough for the customer to know what they will be getting. To ensure that you get the most of your money, keep an eye on the ingredients, and choose wisely.