Pre-workout Supplements...WTF Is in This Sh*t??

I’ve tried virtually every pre-workout supplement on the market at least once. I was hooked for a while and convinced that I couldn’t lift without drinking one. About 6 months ago though, I went clean. And what made me stop taking these things? Knowledge. I started researching this stuff and finding out some disturbing things…

The main active ingredient in pre-workout drinks is almost always caffeine. A single serving often contains anywhere from 2-4 cups, far exceeding the recommended limit of 200mg per day. The secondary energy sources include ingredients such as Acetyl L-Carnitine, taurine, argenine, methylhexaline, and the list goes on and on and on and… well you get it. With the exception of caffeine, NOT A SINGLE SCIENTIFIC STUDY to date has proven that any of the ingredients in pre-workout drinks (with the exception of caffeine and sugar) actually provide a stimulant effect for the body.

Manufacturers of pre-workout supplements strive to make us believe that their product gains separation from the others through this magical thing called the PROPRIETARY BLEND.

The proprietary blend often contains 20+ grams of a mixture of many of the ingredients listed above. The problem is, the percentages of each ingredient is not listed which means you are unsure if you’re taking 10g of argenine or 2g of taurine or 18g of caffeine, etc. This can make a crucial difference as to if you are ingesting 200mg of caffeine and caffeine related substances or 2,000mg of caffeine. It is these magical proprietary blends that lead to many adverse effects within your body including hormonal imbalances, heart palpitations, and for some athletes, even heart attacks. How is this possible in America though with so many rules and regulations governing our food?

Well, the supplement industry is largely unregulated. Unlike almost all other items meant for human consumption in the US, the Food and Drug Administration has no oversight over these types of products. As a result, manufacturers often make grossly false claims. They use shiny packaging designed to catch your eye, throw in words like EXPLOSIVE and INSANITY, and always claim to be the best on the market. And that’s not even the most dangerous part...

In recent years, the supplement industry has gotten extremely competitive. With more and more products on the market, companies have been going to extreme lengths to gain an edge over their competition. They’ve begun putting things like steroids and HGH in their products and NOT PUTTING THESE ON THE LABLE because there is no law right now that forces them to do so. If you think you’ve never taken steroids before because the only supplements you take are pre-workout products, chances are you’re wrong. Seriously. Even protein supplements are coming up dirty nowadays. Here’s a link to a list of dangerous supplements: http://www.usada.org/supplement411/high-risk-list

So the bottom line is, stay away from these things. Realize that the main reason you take them is for that kick they provide… that buzz that provides focus and motivation in the gym. The BEST, SAFEST, and CHEAPEST way to create this buzz and focus is black coffee. Brew yourself a cup to go next time you hit the gym. If you don’t have time for that then try Hyphy M.U.D. (the M.U.D stands for Make U Dangerous). This is a spoonful or 2 of instant coffee mixed with about 2 fingers of coke or any caffeinated soda. Watch my video on this one (posted right below this article) for a full tutorial. That shit hits you quick and hard.

The key to sustained energy in your body is carbs. But that’s a whole other subject for another time.

Since I know some of you are still going to take pre-workouts in the future, I’ll post a review/ranking of some popular ones real soon.

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