Raise your hand if your trainer at the gym has recommended pre-workout drinks. In that case, I’ll raise my hand as well, and I’d wager that most people here would agree with me. While we appreciate your desire for a toned and trim physique, ladies, pre-workout drinks are unlike regular energy drinks and should be consumed with caution.
Amino acids, beta-alanine, caffeine, and creatine are the main ingredients in most pre-workout drinks. These components also include synthetic flavours, colours, and sweeteners. The usage of the phrase “artificial” complicates matters, as the negative consequences of pre-workout beverages can be quite alarming.
Why Make Your Own Pre-Workout?
There is a glut of pre-workout supplements on the market. So, there’s no use in your making your own, right? Money is only one area where you’ll see significant savings from this. Rather than purchasing a pre-workout, you can save money by making your own. Apart from saving money, making your own pre-workout allows you to choose exactly which ingredients to use. Insufficient amounts of active ingredients are used, and many products contain unnecessary additions, fillers, and preservatives.
The confidence that comes from knowing that the substance you are putting into your body was created by you, the person who chose the ingredients, selected the doses, and mixed them, is unmatched.
The Ingredients for A Pre Workout
Creatine
Creatine has solidified its position as a must-have performance enhancer as one of the most extensively studied supplements in the fitness market. Muscle cells are where creatine is stored in the body. The contraction of muscles is caused by phosphate being transported to the muscles. Creatine supplements the energy your muscles use to contract during exercise, helping you work out for longer and harder. You won’t be able to keep contracting that muscle if your body runs out of creatine.
The amount of creatine stored inside the muscle tissue increases when creatine is taken as a supplement.
Beta-Alanine
In the form of beta-alanine, this amino acid is taken up by the body and sent to muscle tissue. There, it undergoes a chemical change that makes it into a molecule that buffers hydrogen and lactic acid, both of which contribute to weariness. With that in mind, taking a beta-alanine pill will help you feel less tired and sore during and after your workout by easing neuromuscular fatigue.
Supplementing with beta-alanine has been shown in several studies to boost strength gains during resistance training. A group of resistance trainers who took beta-alanine supplements during their workouts saw better gains in squat strength compared to a placebo group, according to research published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
Three to five grammes of beta-alanine should be a component of your pre-workout routine. You may want to try different concentrations of this ingredient to find the sweet spot between no tingle and too much tingle on the lips. Dose at 5 g if you don’t experience this side effect or if it doesn’t disturb you. If so, reduce the dosage to 3 g and see how it goes. The tingling is harmless; you’ll just have to get used to it.
Caffeine
Almost all pre-workout supplements rely on caffeine as a primary component. Caffeine has been shown in numerous studies to increase performance-related metrics like work rate, sprint distance, and muscular strength. Correct dosing is crucial. To get the most out of your workout, most studies recommend consuming about 3 milligrammes per kg of bodyweight. If you weigh about 100 kg (about 220 lb. ), you should aim for about 300 mg of caffeine in your pre-workout supplement.
Caffeine levels in this range may cause jitters or anxiety in sensitive individuals. The jitters, an overly stimulated state of mind, and a post-workout energy crash are all possible effects. Once again, you’ll need to try things out to learn how your body responds. Limiting your pre-workout by 50 milligrammes instead of the 100 milligrammes recommended for your weight won’t have much of an effect. Although the performance-enhancing effects of caffeine administration will be diminished, the cognitive and alertness benefits will still be experienced.
Citrulline Malate
It’s important to note that citrulline is an amino acid. Ingesting it helps the body take in more arginine, which has the effect of raising overall arginine levels. This results in an increase in nitric oxide, which in turn improves blood circulation. When performed in conjunction with resistance training, this will significantly enhance the “pump” impact of your workout. Faster delivery of oxygen and nutrients to working muscle tissue is another benefit of improved circulation. This counteracts exhaustion and lets you train harder for longer.
Not all citrullines are the same. There are essentially two types on the market:
- L-Citrulline
- Citrulline-Malate
Citrulline-malate is the one you should choose. The absorption and utilisation of the citrulline have been enhanced by the addition of a molecule called malate. The best benefits have been seen when taking a product containing a 2:1 ratio of citrulline to malate.
Betaine
Beet juice contains the chemical known as betaine. Strength and performance can both benefit from this, as can lean mass gain and fat loss. If beets aren’t a regular part of your diet, you’ll be more attuned to their impacts from this component.
Salt
This last component might make you scratch your head. And yet, it has been shown to significantly enhance physical performance in exercise.
Salt is comprised of two electrolytes:
- Sodium
- Chloride
Muscle contraction is aided by sodium. Additionally, it helps transport amino acids into muscle cells, which boosts protein synthesis. And since salt improves nutrient uptake, your pre-workout supplement will do you even more good.
Your pre-workout doesn’t need any extra salt, period. You can get by just fine with regular table salt. Just 50 milligrammes (mg) per day is all that is required.
Is it safe to make your own pre-workout?
Doing your own pre-workout is very safe. You can easily find all the ingredients you need to create your pre-workout. The only thing left to do is combine the ingredients.
Should men and women take the same pre-workout ingredients?
Exceptions apart, men and women can safely take the same pre-workout substances. The first is that men’s bodies tend to be more robust than those of women. Caffeine use among both sexes is expected to decrease as a result. Caffeine consumption in women shouldn’t match that of men because of their significantly lower weights. Women should therefore consume roughly two-thirds as much caffeine as men.
The remaining components of a pre-workout routine shouldn’t differ between men and women if they’re both engaging in the same style of strength training. However, the following should be added to the homemade pre-workout of ladies who plan to engage in other forms of exercise, such as CrossFit, Zumba, or running:
Glutamine
Vitamin C
Biotin
Making your own pre-workout is not a very difficult task to do. Not only it allows you to add the ingredients you want to add but also makes sure that fitness doesn’t come at a very heavy price which affects your wallet.