Top Ingredients That Must Be in Your Pre-Workout Supplement

Chances are, if you’re like most people, you are under the ball and chain of the daily grind. You wake up early to battle traffic, spend the day spacing out and daydreaming at work, then re-enter the battle to get back home. After your daily obligations of work and family are fulfilled, you can hear the gym calling your name. Problem is, the bed is looking a lot more tempting than the bench. This is where the best rated pre-workout supplement comes in to save the day. A top tier pre-workout supplement can deliver that much needed jolt to put you back in the game and ready to hammer out that routine. Make no mistake about it: Not all pre-workout supplements are created equal. In fact, many are laden with more sugar and marketing than with quality ingredients. Not to mention lacking on the core compound ingredients and often full of artificial sweeteners. Let’s take a look at the top clinically proven ingredients that should be in your pre-workout formula if you are looking to dominant the weight room.


ALPHA GPC

More commonly known to be beneficial in treating illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and stroke, this precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine is making headlines in the supplement industry. Why all the hype? This cognitive boosting compound is now being used in many premium grade pre-workout supplements to enhance your performance. It’s more than just a simple pill to amplify how alert you feel during workouts. Alpha GPC has been shown to significantly increase maximum performance. It also helps to encourage the recruitment of high-threshold motor units. Recruiting more motor units results in greater hypertrophy, which is exactly what you need when you are building lean muscle tissue. (“Alpha GPC” 2014. Para. 7.)

BETA ALANINE

Beta alanine is called a non-essential amino acid. This means that while it is important to the processes of the body, it is made in sufficient quantities naturally from other ingested vitamins, minerals, and compounds. In other words, the body makes it on its own. However, the body makes only what it needs. When you supplement with a non-essential amino acid, such as beta alanine, you may notice some terrific benefits.

As it turns out, beta alanine is a fantastic pre-workout ingredient. It can dramatically reduce fatigue during training by helping to control the drop in blood PH levels during intense exercise. So how does this work? Once ingested, beta alanine is converted into carnosine. Fast forward thirty minutes, you are working out and the intensity is rising. As you push yourself, ordinarily your blood PH levels would begin to drop and you would soon feel the dreaded crash. Since you took beta alanine; however, your blood PH levels remain stable, allowing you to keep pushing as hard as you can. (“Your Expert Guide to Beta-Alanine” Oct 23, 2012. Para. 9)

BETAINE ANHYDROUS

Betaine anhydrous is a pre-workout staple, proven to support gains in strength, power, and lean muscle mass. There are a few ways in which betaine can influence your gains: one is by increasing the production of creatine in the body. The other is by supporting protein synthesis.

It’s not just bro-science either. Betaine anhydrous has been the subject of plenty of research studies, all confirming its benefits. The average increase in muscle strength as observed within these studies was a staggering 25% Perhaps, one of the most solidifying studies took place at the College of Springfield. Male subjects were made to follow a 6-week training session while supplementing with 1.25 grams of betaine anhydrous per day. At the end of the 6 weeks, the average arm size had increased 10% while the average lean muscle gain was an astounding four pounds! (“Expert Guide to Betaine” 2014. Para. 2, 3)

BIOPERINE

Bioperine is just another way of saying black pepper extract. Now before you judge too harshly, take a look at what it offers. Does bioperine influence your performance directly? No; however, it greatly enhances the absorption and utilization of the nutrients taken with it. This makes it one of the most ideal additions to a pre-workout supplement. It essentially amplifies the benefits of all of the other ingredients. No pre-workout is complete without it. Think it’s all talk?

In several studies, bioperine was taken in conjunction with only one other ingredient: beta carotene. The purpose of the study was to evaluate if the body could digest and assimilate the beta carotene to a higher degree with the help of bioperine. After all was said and done, the results clearly showed that the beta carotene had been significantly assimilated and utilized by the body when compared with the placebo group. In other words, bioperine ensured that more of the ingredient was used efficiently and not just thrown away by the body. Convinced? (“Piperine, an alkaloid derived from black pepper, increases response of beta-carotene during 14-days of oral beta-carotene supplementation.” 1999. Para. 1)

CAFFEINE

Caffeine has been in the supplement industry for a long time and rightly so as it works so well. Why do you think so many people rely on it just to start the day? It may come as no surprise but caffeine’s efficiency as a pre-workout supplement has been well documented. When it comes to boosting alertness, amplifying endurance, and increasing peak performance, caffeine is king. In a review of 21 studies, researchers concluded that athletes showed a dramatic improvement in performance when supplementing with caffeine. (“Is Caffeine Pre-Workout Bad?” Aug 16, 2013. Para. 3.)

CITRULLINE MALATE

Another non-essential amino acid, citrulline has become quite popular after it was discovered to be a valuable ally in amplifying your energy and performance while supporting the post workout recovery process. There are two ways in which it does this: To provide you with energy, citrulline is converted into the highly efficient adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. With a plentiful supply of energy for your most intense workouts, you’ll be ready to go. As for the post-workout benefits, citrulline helps to soothe soreness and quicken the healing process by removing lactic acid build-up from the muscles. A buildup of lactic acid is the reason that you feel so sore the day after your workout. Like all the other supplements on this list, citrulline is backed up by several studies. One study in particular showed a 40% reduction in muscle soreness post-workout when compared with the placebo group. (“Citrulline malate enhances athletic anaerobic performance and relieves muscle soreness.” May 24, 2010. Para. 1)

CREATINE MONOHYDRATE

The only other supplement to compete with caffeine in terms of time in the industry and usage, creatine is a non-essential amino acid that is extremely popular. Like caffeine, it has earned its reputation. Creatine supplies energy to the muscle through the creation of ATP. While your body makes approximately one gram per day, imagine what could happen when you supplement with a 5 gram serving. Creatine is more than just an energy booster, it also has a crucial role in increasing lean muscle mass and endurance. Study after study has confirmed these amazing benefits, making it the go to supplement for bodybuilders and weekend warriors alike.

Again, science has creatine’s back. One review of 22 research studies and clinical trials confirmed that the use of creatine monohydrate had an obvious impact on increasing muscular performance, strength, and size when compared with the placebo groups. (“Effects of creatine supplementation and resistance training on muscle strength and weightlifting performance.” November 17, 2003. Para. 1.)

VITAMIN B12 (Methylcobalamin)

Becoming trendy in fast stop health spas, vitamin B12 is getting the recognition it deserves in the field of natural medicine and the fitness industry. As doctors supplement patients with B12 for diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, fitness enthusiasts are supplementing themselves to boost performance. Vitamin B12 supplementation has been shown to contribute to boosting the immune system to help with the post-workout recovery process. The intensity of the workouts performed by athletes, bodybuilders, and extreme fitness enthusiasts can become problematic for the body if proper supplementation is not administered. Vitamin B12 has also been shown to elevate energy and amplify peak performance. (“Methylcobalamin: Stimulant.” N.D. Para. 6.)

CONCLUSION

The average lifestyle of all work and no play is hectic enough. When you need to run to the gym 3 to 5 times a week, it seems almost impossible. Thankfully, modern advances have given us the ability to regain energy and performance and all it takes is a scoop of powder in a glass of water. A pre-workout supplement is a necessary part of the health and fitness lifestyle. It ensures you give everything you have to your workout, maximizing your results. The listed supplements above are the best in the business. Shown by scientific research and studies to be the real deal, those ingredients are a must have for anyone who is serious about their physique. Lucky for you, Jacked Factory has placed every one of those ingredients into one powerful and convenient pre-workout supplement: Get your hands on Altius today and experience a new level of strength in your workout.

REFERENCES

1. “Methylcobalamin: Stimulant.” rawmusclegain.com. N.D. Web.

2. Badmaev, V., Majeed, M., Norkus, E. “Piperine, an alkaloid derived from black pepper, increases response of beta-carotene during 14-days of oral beta-carotene supplementation.” bodybuilding-help.com 1999. Web.

3. Ball, G., Hobson, R.M., Saunders, B., Harris, R.C., Sale, C. “Effects of β-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis” ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. July 2012. Web.

4. Beckmann, M., Davison, G., Thatcher, R., Tumilty, L. “Oral tyrosine supplementation improves exercise capacity in the heat.” researchgate.net. N.D. Web.

5. Evans, Grey. “Is Caffeine Pre-Workout Bad?” Livestrong.com. Aug 16, 2013. Web.

6. Jakeman, PM., Pérez-Guisado, J. “Citrulline malate enhances athletic anaerobic performance and relieves muscle soreness.” ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. May 24, 2010. Web.

7. Lockwood, Chris. “Your Expert Guide to Beta-Alanine” Bodybuilding.com. Oct 23, 2012. Web.

8. Rawson, ES., Volek, JS. “Effects of creatine supplementation and resistance training on muscle strength and weightlifting performance.” ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. November 17, 2003. Web.

9.Cholewa, J. M., et al. Effects of betaine on body composition, performance, and homocysteine thiolactone. Journal of The International Society of Sports Nutrition 10:39, 2013.

10.Apicella, J. M., et al. Betaine supplementation enhances anabolic endocrine and Akt signaling in response to acute bouts of exercise. European Journal of Applied Physiology 113:793-802, 2013.

11.Trepanowski, J. F, et al. The effects of chronic betaine supplementation on exercise performance, skeletal muscle oxygen saturation and associated biochemical parameters in resistance trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 25(12):3461-71, 2011.

12.Lee, E. C., et al. Ergogenic effects of betaine supplementation on strength and power performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 7:27, 2010.

13. Stoppani, Jim. “Expert Guide to Betaine” 2014. Bodybuilding.com Web.

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HealthStatus has been operating since 1998 providing the best interactive health tools on the Internet, millions of visitors have used our blood alcohol, body fat and calories burned calculators. The HealthStatus editorial team has continued that commitment to excellence by providing our visitors with easy to understand high quality health content for many years. Our team of health professionals, and researchers use peer reviewed studies as source elements in our articles. Our high quality content has been featured in a number of leading websites, USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, Live Strong, GQ, and many more.

Louis
22. June 2017
Louis
22. June 2017
Really informative article, I started taking cellucor?s C4 a few days ago and started feeling a bit of itch but I think is normal from the pre-workout.

Andrew
7. November 2016
Andrew
7. November 2016
Has anyone tried the amino acid blend that includes caffeine? It just seems like those should be separated from pre-workout to intra workout. Hopefully someone has a little insight.

Craig
13. October 2016
Craig
13. October 2016
Great article! I have found that my face tingles when I use a pre-workout with beta alanine. Have you ever had this happen?

Nash Rich
3. May 2016
Nash Rich
3. May 2016
I didn't know there were so many different kinds of ingredients in workout supplements. Some of them sound really good for you too. I feel like when it comes to caffeine, I'm a special case though. It actually makes me more tired. I get a tiny high, and then crash for the rest of the day. I'm sure there are plenty of good supplements that don't have it that I could use though.

Kimball Basil
11. September 2015
Kimball Basil
11. September 2015
Thanks for sharing these guides. I was looking for same kind of post a week ago. You fulfilled all my probables. I hope that some of them will surely embrace me with their advantages. I used to hit gym 4-5 times a week and looking for some supplements that will help.

Pre Workout Drink
31. July 2015
Pre Workout Drink
31. July 2015
Altius is a very good pre workout supplement, i use this supplement combined with a natural pre workout drink Hydroslim.

Pre Workout Meal
1. July 2015
Pre Workout Meal
1. July 2015
I agree with james! This is one of the best articles i've seen, it helped me find a good pre workout. I really liked cellucor's C4, they taste as good as they work!

James
27. November 2014
James
27. November 2014
Thanks for sharing!!! This is the best article i've seen about pre workout supplement ingredients with trust sources of references.

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Written by HealthStatus Team
Medical Writer & Editor

HealthStatus has been operating since 1998 providing the best interactive health tools on the Internet, millions of visitors have used our blood alcohol, body fat and calories burned calculators. The HealthStatus editorial team has continued that commitment to excellence by providing our visitors with easy to understand high quality health content for many years. Our team of health professionals, and researchers use peer reviewed studies as source elements in our articles. Our high quality content has been featured in a number of leading websites, USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, Live Strong, GQ, and many more.

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