How to choose your pre-workout & Pump Addict review

Citruline Malate…                                                 

Beta alanine…

L-Tyrosine….

All words that can be found and read on the label behind a pot of "pre-workout", but WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

And for the caffeine found there: 150 mg…200 mg…400 mg per scoop… What dosage do I need? Is it adequate? Too ? Not enough ?

My “guy tchum” or my “girl tchum” only prays for this: “A workout at the gym, you need your pre-workout scoop. »

However, I saw on Tiktok or on "instagram" that it was bad...

In short, choosing or not a pre-workout, it becomes a REAL PUZZLE

First, should you take a pre-workout before your workout? Do you really need it? We're preparing the answer for you in a next vlog, stay alert 😉

In this one, we are going to help you understand how to choose the most suitable "pre-workout" for you according to your type of training and your needs.

In a "pre-workout", there is a list of ingredients that can be grouped into 4 large families with very specific and different effects on your body in order to help you have the best possible performance.

Stimulation

These are substances intended to stimulate our vigilance and our state of wakefulness. It acts mainly on our central and peripheral nervous system by allowing the release of neurotransmitters associated with motivation, attention and well-being, namely dopamine , adrenaline (norepinephrine) and serotonin .

Interesting studies have even shown that caffeine would significantly reduce the perception of physical effort associated with training. So, for the same intensity or for the same load lifted, the effort could seem less “difficult”. Strong is to bet that we are likely to be more inclined to surpass ourselves and to push our limits 😉

On the other hand, too many stimulants is like not enough… It's a question of making sure to find the right dosage for us. We come back to this later in the article for more details 😊

Concentration

This category includes ingredients still little known that are called "neurostimulant" or "nootropics" in the jargon of training. The end result of these substances is the same as for caffeine & other stimulants, but via very different mechanisms! The difference ? Their effect remains at the level of the brain and does not influence at the systemic level of the body. That is to say, they increase levels of alertness, concentration and motivation without however increasing heart rate, lung ventilation and blood pressure.

For a workout at the end of the day or if caffeine can tend to give us anxiety-inducing effects, it might be advisable to opt for a “pre-workout” consisting mainly of nootropics rather than stimulants.

Muscular endurance

Lift heavier…Run/walk longer without getting tired…These are all benefits that this class of ingredient can provide. These substances will act mainly at the level of the muscle itself to allow it to work more efficiently.

In short, during exercise, they would make it possible to better "recycle" the lactic acid that accumulates in order to use it as a source of energy, to increase the levels of energy in oneself and to promote muscle contractions. sharper and more powerful.

If one is planning a workout that requires prolonged effort such as endurance sports or high-repetition sets in bodybuilding, this is definitely an ingredient category that deserves our attention.

muscle pump

Citruline malate, arginine, glycerine, etc. these are all natural ingredients to stimulate a substance in the body called “Nitric Oxide”. Nitric oxide works its effect on blood vessels by creating vasodilation, or “widening” of vessels. Vasodilation increases blood flow to the muscles and thus transmits a greater quantity of nutrients, energy and oxygen to them. In short, the muscle pump then comes from better cellular hydration, better muscle performance and a good look in the mirror 😉

Let's do the exercise with a popular "Pre-workout" from Believe Supplements :

The “Pump Addict”

Ingredients category: Stimulation & Concentration

Caffeine : 200 mg / ½ scoop (400 mg / full scoop)  Here, it is important to keep in mind that too high a caffeine dosage leads to vasoconstriction of blood vessels, the opposite of vasodilation and the effect wanted during training.

Less vasodilation = less blood & nutrients to the muscles…but also less muscle pump ☹

Too high a caffeine dosage can also interfere with recovery through less deep sleep (even if you feel like you sleep well) and even bring you too "high" a level of stimulation (which can then create the reverse effect of concentration sought”.

Remember : Depending on individual tolerance, 80 to 150 mg is an interesting dosage allowing a good level of concentration/stimulation without however significantly affecting your performance or your recovery. 200mg is still great, but I would recommend this dosage more for a workout at the start of the day.

DMAE, L-Tyrosine, Bitter Orange : Here, these are all natural ingredients that can be included in the family of "nootropics", therefore which can provide greater cognitive stimulation as well as increase alertness and motivation.

The response to dosage is variable and unique to each individual. Some people may be very sensitive to this category of ingredients Vs others may have the impression of feeling no effect... But certainly, it's worth trying!

**Interesting info on “Bitter Orange”: in addition to its known effects on concentration, it could contribute to fat loss via its thermogenic attributes**

Ingredients Category: Muscle Pump, Endurance & Hydration

Citrulline Malate : Ingredient adored by bodybuilding enthusiasts to allow greater vasodilation of blood vessels (vasodilation = better blood circulation = more nutrients & oxygen to the muscles = better muscle performance) and to help delay muscle fatigue, but what about there dosage?

Well, according to a 2021 study by Norwegian researchers with bodybuilding individuals, Citrulline Malate could have a potentially significant effect on muscle performance and bodybuilding gains when taken in dosages of 6-8g.

A smaller dosage does not necessarily mean no effect. We can perhaps just expect a slightly lessened effect.

Beta-Alanine : Non-essential amino acid, since it is synthesized by the body, it has been widely demonstrated by the scientific literature to delay muscle fatigue and improve athletic performance. In a high intensity effort or involving heavy loads, beta-alanine would regulate the production of lactic acid which normally tends to accumulate when muscular effort is prolonged or as one progresses in the body. 'coaching. However, most studies agree that there would be great individual variability regarding the adequate dosage allowing significant results. In a study by Brazilian researchers (2021), the effect was variable depending on the weight of the individual, suggesting that a heavier individual would require a higher dosage. This is true, but there could also be other factors that can come into play and influence the response of this ingredient (for example: individual tolerance, diet and sleep).

In short, for the majority of people, 1500 -2000 mg of Beta – Alanine pre-workout should be adequate and beneficial for optimizing muscular endurance.

L-leucine : Essential amino acid for muscle synthesis, this ingredient has its place in a "pre-workout" formula. In addition to preventing muscle breakdown during training, L-leucine would increase the body's sensitivity and accessibility to produce energy that can be used quickly during training (greater insulin production = better use glucose for energy).

A dosage between 2000 and 4000 mg would be more than enough to obtain an interesting effect on muscular endurance.

Glycerol Monostearate : Substance intended to ensure muscle hydration (and therefore allow a good pump 😉!). It is an ingredient widely used in the medical field to treat multiple conditions, but on the training side, it becomes especially interesting for delaying muscle fatigue, increasing endurance and maximizing performance. Perhaps it could even help prevent muscle cramps and reduce the risk of "raking" after rigorous training.

If you are one of those who wish to increase their muscle mass or further “tone” their frame, a “pre-workout” containing this substance is certainly worth considering as well. Indeed, who says better hydration, also says better muscle growth. Indeed, these moisturizing properties would help stimulate a better blood "flow" to the muscles, allowing them to deliver & absorb a greater quantity of nutrients to them.

Interesting studies have therefore shown that it could be beneficial for any type of physical activity. Significant results are obtained both on short-duration/high-intensity activities (weight training, sprinting, power sports, etc.) and on medium-long duration activities (running, swimming, spinning, etc.).

However, studies seem to suggest a minimum dosage of 2000mg pre-workout to get the most of these benefits.

A ½ “scoop” could therefore be slightly insufficient, but I would prefer it despite everything so as not to end up with too high doses of stimulant in return.

Conclusion

In short, we can argue for a long time whether a “pre-workout” is good or bad… The truth is that the answer will probably vary from one person to another. The important thing is to ask yourself:

Patlar, S., Yalçin, H., & Boyali, E. (2012). The effect of glycerol supplements on aerobic and anaerobic performance of athletes and sedentary subjects. Journal of Human Kinetics, 34(1), 69-79. https://doi.org/10.2478/v10078-012-0065-x

Sas-Nowosielski, K., Wyciślik, J., & Kaczka, P. (2021). Beta-Alanine Supplementation and Sport Climbing Performance. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(10), 5370. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105370

Vårvik, FT, Bjørnsen, T., & Gonzalez, AM (2021). Acute Effect of Citrulline Malate on Repetition Performance During Strength Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism , 31 (4), 350-358. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2020-0295