Pre-Workout Nutrition - Benefits and Precautions

What Is Pre-Workout Nutrition?

It is essential to boost the body with the required nutrients before exercising. A sufficient amount of nutrients will help provide energy and strength to the athletes to enhance their performance. All the macronutrients and micronutrients play a unique role before a workout.

What Is the Composition of Pre-Workout Nutrition?

Pre-workout nutrition consists of the following components:

Carbohydrates

For energy, the muscles depend on glucose extracted from carbohydrates. Glucose is mainly processed and stored in the liver and muscles in the form of glycogen. The primary energy source for muscles during short and high-intensity exercises is glycogen. In the case of more extended practices, the amount of carbohydrates required depends on factors such as the intensity of a workout, the type of exercise, and the athlete's overall diet. These glycogen stores in the muscles are limited. The output and power of the workout decrease as soon as these stores get depleted. Some studies have shown that during workouts or exercise, carbohydrate oxidation leads to an increase in glycogen storage and utilization. The most effective method to boost glycogen storage is carbohydrate loading, that is, the consumption of a carbohydrate-rich diet for one week.

Proteins

Pre-workout protein consumption has shown many benefits in improving athletic performance and also helps in muscle protein synthesis. The following are the benefits of consuming proteins as pre-workout nutrition:

• Increase in muscle strength.

• Increase in lean muscle mass.

• Increases muscle recovery.

• An anabolic response of the muscle leads to the growth of muscle.

Fats

Fat is the primary source of energy for moderate-to-low-intensity and longer workouts. While glycogen is used for short-intensity exercises.

Other Effective Ingredients:

• Caffeine - It is the main ingredient that is used to provide additional energy.

• Beta-Alanine - It is used to decrease fatigue and enhance better workout performance.

What Are the Natural Pre-Workout Meals?

• If the workout starts within two to three hours or more, then the pre-workout meal should contain whole-grain bread, egg omelet, brown rice, roasted vegetables, and a cup of chopped fruits.

• If the workout starts within 2 hours, then the pre-workout meal should contain a Protein smoothie (protein powder, milk, banana, and mixed berries), natural almond butter and fruits, whole-grain bread, and whole-grain cereal and milk.

• If the workout starts within an hour or less, then the pre-workout meal should contain Greek yogurt and fruit, protein bars, and a piece of fruit like a banana, orange, or apple.

What Are the Common Pre-Work Supplements?

The most common multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements(MIPS) are listed below-

1. Cellucor.

2. Beyond Raw by GNC.

3. Optimum Nutrition.

4. Jym Supplement Science.

5. ProSupps.

6. MusclePharm.

7. 1st Phorm.

8. BSN (Bio-Engineered Supplements and Nutrition)..

9. Redcon1.

10. Advocare.

11. Ghost.

12. PEScience.

13. GAT Sport.

14. MyProtein.

What Are the Factors That Influence Pre-Workout Supplement Selection?

Factors that influence pre-workout supplement selection are as follows-

1. Caffeine.

2. Beta-alanine.

3. Creatine.

4. Vasodilators.

5. Branched-chain amino acids.

6. Vitamins.

7. Banned stimulants.

8. Banned anabolic agents.

Factors influencing product selection are as follows-

1. Included ingredients.

2. Quality of product or independent verification.

3. Price.

4. Supported benefits from scientific publications.

5. Reputable brand.

When Should Pre-workout Supplements Be Taken?

The pre-workout supplements should be taken 30-35 minutes before the workout so that the ingredients like caffeine and citrulline malate can work optimally. The effectiveness of the pre-workout supplements increases when taken prior to the workout sessions and all the nutrients flow in the system.

How Much Supplement Should Be Taken?

One scoop of pre-workout supplement provides 200 milligrams of caffeine (varies from brand to brand). Initially, the pre-workout supplement consumption is started with half a scoop followed by a three-fourth scoop of the supplement slowly so that the body does not get habitual to this supplement.

When To Consume These Supplements?

These pre-workout supplements are meant to improve workout performance and energize the body, decrease fatigue, and enhance focus. Thus these products should be consumed on the days when individuals feel low motivation and require a boost to their energy and increased concentration to bring out the best performance.

What Are the Precautions of Pre-Workout Nutrition?

1. One should not work out late in the evening after consuming pre-workout supplements as these products can create difficulty while sleeping.

2. High dosages of supplements should be avoided as these can cause side effects like itching or intolerance towards caffeine.

3. Avoid fake or cheap quality products and choose only genuine supplements.

4. These supplements should be taken 30-35 minutes prior to the workout, so as to increase the effectiveness of the products.

5. These supplements should be diluted in cold water before getting consumed as hydration is also important. This will improve the fluid balance.

What Are the Potential Benefits of Pre-workout Nutrition?

The main aim of pre-workout nutrition is to provide energy to the muscles and support the workout to yield good performance.

The following are the benefits of pre-workout nutrition:

1. Increase in Physical Performance - For muscle maintenance and growth, protein synthesis is important. Protein is a key nutrient to increase muscle mass. Some pre-workout supplements contain creatine that helps in boosting physical endurance during short-term, high-intensity exercise.

2. Prevention of Fatigue - The energy levels get depleted during exercises and workout sessions, and the muscles also become tired and exhausted prematurely. These pre-workout supplements provide enough energy to be consumed by the body during vigorous exercises and thus prevent the muscles from being broken down for energy, leading to the prevention of premature fatigue.

3. Reduction in the Process of Protein Breakdown - The rate of protein synthesis should be equal to the rate of protein breakdown to maintain the muscle tissue. Branched-chain amino acids present in pre-workout meals help in keeping the protein content in enormous quantities, thus preventing muscle breakdown.

Conclusion:

It is very important to keep the body updated with a sufficient amount of nutrients before a workout session in order to maintain the overall performance and recovery of the individual. Carbohydrates help the body to utilize glycogen for performing short and high-intensity exercises. Fats help in energizing the body for longer sessions of exercise. Proteins help in improving muscle protein synthesis, preventing muscle damage, and promoting recovery of the muscles. Pre-workout meals either in natural form or as supplements help in enhancing performance and promoting recovery.