Pre-Workout Drink: The Details You Need to Know

It’s common knowledge that proper preparation is central to getting the most out of your workout. Appropriate hydration for recovery, nutrition to give your body exactly what it needs, and sufficient sleep to supercharge recovery are all essential aspects of optimizing your training.

No area of fitness is more hotly contested than the pre-workout drink. There are countless books, podcasts and opinions on pre-workout supplements, particularly for athletes who are engaged in endurance training.

Forget about the bro-science. Here’s what you need to know about the best pre-workout energy supplement based on scientific reviews and literature available.

What is Pre-Workout?

It’s remarkable how many people are unaware of what pre-workout is. There’s no single definition of healthy pre-workout drinks. Generally, it’s considered to be something you consume to pump up your upcoming workout. Or something that gives you the extra boost to get off the couch and begin training.

This is a generic term for a range of supplements designed to enhance your performance and hence is widely utilized by almost any company that markets an “energy” drink.  

At times, some of these drinks may contain high amounts of stimulants such as caffeine and taurine. Research has indicated that such additives in pre-workout drinks may not be beneficial at all, and frankly can be harmful due to their effects on a person’s body.

You must do your research before buying from any vendor, particularly when purchasing online. As many pre-workout drinks are not regulated by the FDA.

How Does a Pre-Workout Drink Help?

 The best pre-workout powder can transform your training and help elevate your fitness to the next level. Whether you’re looking for the best pre-workout energy drink or the best pre-workout shake, each supplement may be targeted towards something different.

Some of the benefits to investing in pre-workout supplements include.:

Boosting Energy

The single most important benefit of any pre-workout is the energy boost. Due to the presence of caffeine, pre-workouts will make you feel alert and ready to go. Although, caffeine is not what we typically recommend during or at the beginning of the workout.

Caffeine can accelerate your heart that is already being boosted and it is not an effective supplement for hydration. Caffeine can make you lose water more than you ingest. However, small amounts of caffeine may be useful in some pre-workout drinks for those athletes who need that extra boost.

Tired workouts lead to a drop in performance, but your pre-workout drink can get you ready for a grueling trip to the gym.

Improving Recovery Time

Studies have shown that athletes who use pre-workout have up to 66% more glycogen in their muscles than those who don’t. And caffeine consumed after the workout helps glycogen to be stored effectively in the muscles after the workout.

Glycogen is something the body burns during high-intensity workouts and adequate stores of the same are vital for endurance training. It can be difficult to replenish this, but pre-workout ensures your recovery time isn’t hindered by replacing what you lose.

Enhancing Performance

That added burst of pre-workout energy can also lead (at times) to better performance. When you have a great workout, you burn more calories and push your body to the limit.

Whether you’re aiming for a new PR or looking to shred belly fat, pre-workout helps you accomplish your goal particularly when it is paired with a good hydration mix such as MAGNAK.

What should a Pre-Workout drink be made of?

This is where understanding healthy pre-workout drinks become difficult. Due to the lack of regulation and standardization across the global industry, every product is different.  Some are better than others.  So, what’s a good pre-workout drink?

Here are the main elements found in the vast majority of pre-workout formulations:

• Carbohydrates. These are your body’s primary source of energy. It’s vital to carb up your body with a mixture of simple sugars or a mix of simple sugars and complex carbohydrates to ensure an immediate source of energy is available. And to make sure your body is going to have the energy to survive under the strain of your next workout.
• Electrolytes. These are key in the pre-workout drink. Without electrolytes, particularly magnesium, sodium and potassium (as seen in the MAGNAK formula), a clean energy sustained boost cannot be achieved. 
• Caffeine. This can boost alertness. Experts claim that this may contribute to overall performance although if used, a very small amount of caffeine is typically recommended.
• Beetroot Juice. This juice increases the nitric oxide in your body, increasing blood flow, and thus benefiting your cardiovascular performance.
• Vitamin C. An antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory compound, ascorbic acid (as Vitamin C) can boost alertness and allow more flexibility during exercise when consumed in the pre-workout drink.
• Creatine Monohydrate. A derivative of three different natural amino acids. Studies have shown it increases strength and helps build long-term muscle mass although a certain amount of controversy exists about whether creatine is completely safe for consumption.

There are huge amounts of variation when it comes to the ingredients inside pre-workouts. Just like when searching for the best post-workout drink, you must do your research.

Some other ingredients that are commonly used in healthy pre-workout drinks include:

• Beta-alanine for improving strength and endurance.
• Nitrates to help you train longer by its action on the vascular system.
• L-arginine to decrease blood pressure and improve blood flow to the muscles.

With sports science advancing at a breakneck pace, every athlete needs to take a science-based approach when determining what they put into their bodies.

The Benefits of MAGNAK Electrolyte Formula

MAGNAK Electrolyte Formula serves as an excellent powder for your pre-workout drink.

Unlike other supplements, it contains no artificial sweeteners, flavors, or chemicals that could compromise your health. And just enough of the balance of electrolytes to sustain endurance.

Some of the benefits of premium MAGNAK powder include:

• A balanced formulation of three major electrolytes to limit workout soreness.
• Inclusion of the missing mineral magnesium for better muscle relaxation.
• Low osmolar (thinner than the blood) for rapid hydration.
• No headaches, no dizziness, no bloating.

These are just some of the benefits offered by this premium electrolyte powder. Unlike other supplements, this pre-workout has been scientifically engineered for optimal performance and tested on endurance athletes.

Achieve Your Next PR with MAGNAK

Sports nutrition science has advanced a long way in recent years. To achieve their next PR, an athlete must do his research and supplement his workout with the best pre-workout and recovery drinks.

MAGNAK premium electrolyte powder serves not only as a pre-workout but also as a post-workout recovery drink allowing you to do more, repeatedly. Contact us today to learn more about MAGNAK, discover how it can unlock your best ever training session, and learn how to stay hydrated before, during, and after a workout.