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VERIFIED CONTENTAuthor: Maciej Szukała

In sports stores you will find a large selection of pre-workout supplements. It is a group of supplements intended for use before physical activity in order to improve efficiency, increase motivation and accelerate gains in strength and muscle mass. What substances are used in pre-workouts and are they always safe?

Pre-workoutsare used primarily to increase efficiency. They have a stimulating effect on the body during intensive training. There are many types of pre-workouts. Check what are the ingredients of pre-workout supplements and how to safely take them.

What determines the safety of a supplement?

When you read the supplement's label, the first thing you should pay attention to is the list of active substances and their amount in one serving of the product. A good example is caffeine, which is usually present in a concentration of 100-300 mg per serving, but it is not difficult to find products from foreign companies where this value will even exceed 400 mg.

It will be too much for most athletes, especially since most of us regularly drink coffee, energy drinks or caffeine from other sources. In fact, the daily consumption of the substance will be much higher.

Another problem is combining several stimulants in one product. While caffeine alone is unlikely to harm you (apart from feeling sick and headache in the event of a significant overdose), combining it with a few other supplements with psychoactive or thermogenesis-stimulating effects may have an unpredictable effect, including heart disturbances and pressure fluctuations. .

The degree of purification of the mixture taken is of decisive importance for the athlete's he alth. It should contain as few as possible:

  • artificial additives,
  • sweeteners,
  • dyes.

Reputable manufacturers focus on a very high level of ingredients quality. As a result, even a small amount of the active substance will work effectively for a long time, because it shows high affinity to receptors (including adrenergic receptors) and quickly crosses the blood-brain barrier.

When buying pre-workout supplements, pay attention to the markings they refer tothe quality of production processes. The most popular are:

  • GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice),
  • EFE Free (Ephedra Free),
  • HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points),
  • ISO13485,
  • ISO9001,
  • ISO22000.

What ingredients are considered safe?

In popular pre-workout supplements you will find dozens of different substances that have been thoroughly tested. Their use does not carry any he alth risks, as long as they are used in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations (both in terms of the dose and the total period of supplementation. The most popular ingredients include:

  • caffeine - has a stimulating effect, accelerates fat burning and delays the onset of fatigue,
  • beta alanine - improves endurance and resistance to fatigue,
  • L-tyrosine - adrenaline and norepinephrine precursor, increases training efficiency,
  • citrulline and arginine - increase the secretion of nitric oxide, causing an increase in muscle volume by causing the so-called muscle pump,
  • Korean ginseng extract - stabilizes blood glucose levels, increases concentration, improves resistance to mental and physical stress,
  • Rhodiola Rosea - stimulates the central nervous system, has a positive effect on concentration, mood and libido,
  • alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) - stabilizes blood sugar levels, fights free radicals, improves the transport of creatine and amino acids to muscle cells,
  • bitter orange extract - stimulates, accelerates fat burning,
  • tyramine - increases fat burning.

All of the ingredients listed are approved in Europe and are considered safe enough to be placed on the market. The appropriate combination of them will allow you to achieve the expected effect in the form of stimulation, increased endurance and faster fat burning.

Which substances should you be careful about?

Polish producers are obliged to comply with the domestic law, which is quite restrictive in the field of dietary supplements. The Chief Sanitary Inspectorate, when deciding to withdraw a given ingredient from sale, is guided primarily by the number of tests that show no negative effect (but no positive). For this reason, the active substances that you can find in supplements of Polish companies are certainly safe.

The issue of pre-workout supplements imported from the United States is a bit different. Onwhich ingredients should you pay special attention to?

Yohimbine

Yohimbine extract comes from the medicinal yohimba, a tree that grows in Africa. By activating the sympathetic system, it causes increased secretion of adrenaline and norepinephrine, the main neurotransmitters responsible for increased efficiency, as well as the "fight or flight" syndrome.

The use of yohimbine leads to the blockage of alpha-2 adrenergic receptors. As a result, adrenaline activates beta-2 adrenergic receptors, which have the opposite effect. That is why yohimbine is widely regarded as one of the most effective fat burners on the market.

Sometimes this compound is also used to treat serious erection problems. Unfortunately, using yohimbine for too long and in too high doses can have a number of side effects. They include, first of all:

  • muscle tremors,
  • dizziness,
  • strong sweating,
  • increased nervousness,
  • increase in blood pressure.

It should not be taken by people suffering from heart disease, thyroid hormone disorders and mental problems (depression, anxiety, manic-depressive disorders).

Methylhexanamine

The supplement better known as 1,3-dimethylamylamine (as well as geranium, geranamine, 2-amino-4-methylhexane or simply DMAA) is one of the most stimulating ingredients that can be found in pre-workouts. It works by blocking the reuptake of norepinephrine, which in turn leads to an increase in its extracellular concentration.

The perceptible effects of using DMAA include, first of all, strong agitation, focus, increased alertness and delayed fatigue. The effects also include increased body temperature, appetite suppression, and a drastic increase in endurance, lasting up to several hours.

Unfortunately, it comes at a price. The side effects of chronic DMAA use include:

  • insomnia and irritability,
  • bouts of aggression,
  • high pressure,
  • decreased sexual performance.

Many people also complain about the feeling of dullness after taking the substance, as well as reluctance to exercise and lack of motivation to act after stopping DMAA supplementation.

The union is so aggressive that the World Anti-Doping Agency included it on the list of banned substances.

DMAE

Dimethylaminoethanol is an aminoethanol derivative and a precursor of acetylcholine responsible, among others, for improving the mood and streamlining processes

As a component of pre-workout supplements, it improves mood, focus and endurance.

AMP Citrate

Alpha Methylpentane Citrate has a very similar chemical structure to DMAA and was temporarily used as its replacement. Its action manifests itself as an intense energy boost, a feeling of focus and strength gain, as well as an acceleration of metabolism. Beginners' effects last for about 4 to 6 hours.

Unfortunately, its structure coincidence with DMAA also means similar side effects. The most popular are the acceleration of heart rate and pressure increase, as well as muscle tremors that accompany taking too high a dose of the supplement.

DMHA

DMHA stands for 2-amino-6-methylheptane. Currently, it is produced only synthetically due to the extremely expensive purification process of the plant extract, which exhibits strong poisonous properties.

Interestingly, DMHA was originally used as a bronchodilator drug for people suffering from asthma. However, her sports potential was quickly discovered.

The substance not only perfectly increases aerobic capacity, but also improves reflexes, focus and increases the concentration of dopamine and norepinephrine. All this without the feeling of "light-headedness" and many other unpleasant symptoms that accompanied taking DMAA or AMP Citrate.

In excess, the ingredient may cause an increase in blood pressure, increase in heart rate, increased sweating, and also induce attacks of shortness of breath.

Ephedrine

Ephedrine (a derivative of phenylethylamine) is one of those substances that have received an exceptionally bad reputation in sports. Its use significantly increases thermogenesis, accelerating fat burning by activating beta adrenergic receptors. It also affects the improvement of aerobic and anaerobic capacity, allowing for the intensification of training.

To some extent, the substance is also anti-catabolic, as it limits the excretion of anabolic nitrogen with urine.

Unfortunately, the use of ephedrine causes:

  • increase in blood pressure,
  • anxiety, irritability and insomnia,
  • insulin level disturbance.

In the United States and Canada, ephedrine-containing supplements were banned in 2004.

N, a-DEPEA

A flagship example of the unethical practices of supplement manufacturers was the use of N, a-diethyl-phenylethylamine in the Craze pre-workout from Driven Sports. Tests by independent laboratories have shown that the substance is an analoguemethamphetamines.

Interestingly, N, a-DEPEA was not officially disclosed in the composition of the preparation. The supplement was withdrawn from the market in 2013, and its main active substance has not appeared in any competitor's products.

The mentioned phenylethylamine derivative is a strong stimulant, intended for the treatment of ADHD and obesity. It has a very intense stimulating effect that lasts for many hours.

The substance, however, is very toxic, has an addictive effect, and in high doses causes impairment of the functioning of the central nervous system.

Why shouldn't you combine pre-workouts?

Many people try to combine portions of pre-workout supplements from different manufacturers. However, this is definitely a bad idea.

Each mixture is designed to provide a specific absorption kinetics. Mixing the compositions leads to its disturbance. What's more, supplements can be purified to varying degrees, which translates into the intensity of side effects.

Finally, more active ingredients don't always mean better product performance. On the contrary, too high doses of stimulants usually work in a completely counterproductive way.

Pre-workouts and sports competitions

When planning to start in sports competitions, carefully check the composition of the supplement that you are going to take in the period before the competition. The metabolites of many substances remain in the blood for months, so when you test for the presence of forbidden active substances in the urine or in the blood, you must take into account a positive test result.

Also note that most manufacturers (mainly foreign) openly write on the supplement's packaging that the product has not been tested and approved by the World Anti Doping Agency. In such a case, you act solely at your own risk.

Always read the composition of pre-workout supplements before buying. This way, you can be sure that you are taking only substances that are legal and safe for your he alth.

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