Most of us will go to extreme lengths to get the perfect body. This includes training for long hours and consuming random supplements that do nothing for our body. But what if we told you there was a safer, easier way to meet your goal of the perfect body? A little bit of research into the wonderful world of ergogenic can tell you a lot. For example, you can find out exactly what your body needs for your workouts to be meaningful. Before you hit the gym, stop by your local grocery store for some good quality food. These foods are effective supplements that will help you meet your gym goals and make working out more fun for you. We’ve made a list of some of the best pre-workout ingredients for you to try. These have all been researched upon thoroughly.
What should you eat before a workout?
- Coffee
Caffeine is a well-known stimulant. It is consumed all around the world for leisure and mental stimulation. But, it’s effectiveness in improving various aspects of our physical performance are relatively unknown. When consumed in safe, moderate doses Caffeine is a potent performance booster. It enhances our exercise capability in many sports. This includes those sports that need high power output or are team sports. Caffeine is also an ergogenic aid for high-intensity endurance exercise. It has also been shown to be effective for time-trial performance as well.
- Creatinine
Creatine is an acclaimed performance enhancer. It is known to increase muscle strength and power, particularly when combined with weight training. Creatine is a substance used by many athletes who want to bulk up and increase muscle strength. It is considered effective, as well as safe. According to the New York Times, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center conducted an experiment in 1995. Eight trained men took 20 grams of creatine every day for 28 days. The result was an increase in their bench press by an average of 18 pounds, an astonishing leap for experienced weight lifters. Unlike most anabolic steroids, creatine supplements do not work by boosting hormone levels. Instead, they cause muscle cells to increase water retention and swell in size. This gives you an increased lean muscle mass.
Like all substances, creatinine is only safe when consumed in moderate doses. So, it must be carefully monitored when consumed.
- Beta-Alanine
Beta-alanine is an amino acid that helps battle muscle fatigue. It is most effective for short bursts of intense exercise lasting one to four minutes. Some evidence shows that Beta-Alanine may be effective for long-term endurance exercises. But most results consider the effect insignificant for exercises lasting between one and four minutes. The optimal dosage for performance enhancement is 4-6 grams a day. Although a popular ergogenic agent, Beta-Alanine can cause paresthesia (tingling sensation on the skin) at higher doses.
- Baking Soda
Sodium bicarbonate is commonly known as baking soda. It works as a pre-workout performance enhancer by acting as a buffer for the acid buildup during exercise. It is known to offset the feeling of “muscle burn” and improve performance. However, it is not recommended for people who are salt-sensitive.
Many studies suggest that sodium bicarbonate may be used to offset the fatigue process during high-intensity aerobic cycling lasting at least 60 minutes. It can also have an ergogenic effect upon 1500m racing.
- Taurine
Taurine is classified as a conditionally essential amino acid. This means that though it is not essential, it still serves various important functions in your body.
Studies suggest increasing Taurine plasma levels decrease oxidative stress markers. This further suggests that Taurine helps prevent oxidative stress in triathletes. Studies also concluded that its ingestion significantly improved 3KTT (3-km TimeTrial) performance.
Taurine works by removing waste products that lead to fatigue and cause muscle burn. It also protects muscles from cell damage and oxidative stress and increases the body’s ability to burn fat. Taurine is safe and has no known side effects when taken in reasonable amounts.
- Citrulline
Citrulline comes in two forms, L-citrulline, and Citrulline Malate. L-citrulline is mostly used for endurance training. While Citrulline Malate is used mostly for weight training. A recommended dose is 6 grams of L-citrulline or 8 grams of citrulline malate. Supplements appear to be safe and do not produce side effects, even at doses of 15 grams.
There’s a plethora of pre-workout supplementation available on the market today. For example, you can browse a wide range of products designed to enhance your athletic performance by visiting guardianathletic.com. What’s important is choosing the right one for yourself based on your particular needs and body type.
What is also important is that you read the doses of all the supplements included in the mix,
Some supplements use words such as “proprietary blends,” to disguise the exact amount of each ingredient used. Which means you won’t know exactly what or how much of it you’re taking. It is best to avoid such supplements.
Conclusion
You should also keep a lookout for the label to see if the supplement has been tested by an independent laboratory. Major trusted independent testing services include Informed-Choice.org, NSF International, and Banned Substances Control Group. If a supplement has been tested by one of the aforementioned companies, a logo from the testing service will be present on the label.
