Like any supplement, pre-workouts are often the subject of debate. So when is it actually safe and recommended to take it?
A pre-workout is a supplement you can take before your workout to deliver an extra burst of energy, boost strength, and enhance mental focus. They contain a mixture of a mixture of caffeine, amino acids, creatine, beta-alanine, and other stimulants designed to improve performance and delay fatigue.
Certain risks have been identified with pre-workout supplements, including elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate, and possible stomach irritation. Aside from these potential risks, there are times when taking a pre-workout may not be necessary – or may even hamper your progress.
According to Ron Jones (@bigronjones), a “health and wellness personal trainer” with more than 15 years of experience, you shouldn’t take a pre-workout before a cardio workout.
In a viral video, Ron says a friend told him he does, in fact, take a pre-workout before his cardio workout. Ron questions the logic of using pre-workout before cardio, as he believes stimulants are more suited for anaerobic activities that rely on muscle strength.
He explains, “I use pre-workout to facilitate a pump. That’s because I’m going to be doing anaerobic activity, which means I’m going to be using my muscles. Aerobic activity is just using my cardiovascular, there’s no need to facilitate additional blood flow for that. Not to mention, I don’t want to have additional caffeine in my system before I intentionally raise my heart rate.”
The video received hundreds of comments, but one sticks out in particular, and Ron even posted a follow-up video quoting it. The user said, “Had a buddy feel like he was going to die after taking pre-workout before a two-mile sprint in the army. Says a lot about that.”
Ron concluded his follow-up video with this message: “Stop using pre-workouts before your cardio. Pre-workouts are designed for anaerobic activity, while cardio is aerobic activity. The caffeine involved with pre-workouts can actually elevate your blood pressure. You don’t want to raise your blood pressure before you elevate your heart rate.”
While Ron Jones advises against using pre-workout for cardio, it’s important to consider what scientific research reveals about the supplement’s impact.
A 2010 study conducted by Smith et al. and published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition looked at the “effects of a pre-workout supplement containing caffeine, creatine, and amino acids during three weeks of high-intensity exercise on aerobic and anaerobic performance.”
The study ultimately found “an increase in VO2 max, training volume, and lean muscle mass in participants who used pre-workout before completing HIIT workouts.” This suggests that taking a pre-workout before high-intensity cardio workouts may improve performance.
A 2012 study published in the Journal of Nutrition & Metabolism wanted to examine “the effects of the pre-workout supplementAssault on upper and lower body muscular endurance, aerobic and anaerobic capacity, and choice reaction time in recreationally-trained males.”
Participants were split into two groups: one took a pre-workout supplement before exercise, and the other took a placebo. The group who took the pre-workout “significantly improved agility choice reaction performance and lower body muscular endurance while increasing perceived energy and reducing subjective fatigue.”
DMARGE reached out to Advanced Sports Dietician Jess Spendlove to get her take on whether it’s safe or recommended to take a pre-workout before cardio sessions. Jess emphasized that “the goal and duration of the session determine if someone should have something before they train.”
“If they are training for performance – to improve their fitness – and the session is 45-60 minutes or more, then, yes, they should take something.”
While she recommends people take “something” before they train, she says this doesn’t necessarily need to be a pre-workout supplement.
“Consuming carbohydrates before training is the ideal source, and in doing so, be they high or low GI, it will increase blood sugar levels, as that is the body’s natural response to ingesting them. If someone is working at a high intensity and aiming for performance improvements, it would benefit them to do so.”
“Pre-workouts (in a supplement form) are not necessary, but ingesting pre-workout nutrition before a gym session can be beneficial to help again with the performance in the session. If you want to gain lean mass, I recommend consuming some carbohydrates and protein before the session.”
“Overall intake and distribution are important when it comes to protein, but if you are training fasted (i.e., first thing in the am) and it’s been 10-12 hours since your last meal with protein, having something prior might be beneficial – for example, fruit & yogurt.”
The takeaway from all this?
A pre-workout may boost your performance when doing high-intensity cardio exercise. However, it does not replace smart whole-food nutrition before your workout. Humans operate best on whole food, so if you can, you should get your pre-workout nutrition in that form.
Can You Take Pre Workout on an Empty Stomach?
Many people enjoy hitting the gym first thing in the morning, so it’s common to wonder whether taking pre-workout on an empty stomach is a good idea.
Taking a pre-workout first thing in the morning on an empty stomach is possible, but there are pros and cons to doing so. On the plus side, the lack of food in your system means that the pre-workout ingredients will be absorbed more quickly, providing a faster energy boost. However, this may also result in stomach upset, nausea, or jitteriness. It may also cause a drop in blood sugar, which can lead to fatigue and lightheadedness.
We recommend starting with a small dosage to assess how your body responds. Pairing your pre-workout with a banana may alleviate the negative consequences of taking the supplement while fasting.
In conclusion, if you want to take a pre-workout before eating, first prepare for different possibilities. If it enhances your session, you can then make it a regular practice.
Key Take-Away
While pre-workout supplements can enhance performance for strength-based workouts, they may not always be necessary for cardio. Whole foods like high glycemic carbohydrates can provide similar benefits in a more natural form. As always, it’s best to consult with a sports dietitian to tailor your pre-workout nutrition to your individual fitness goals.
