I Created my own Pre-workout

The pre-workout craze is bigger than ever, and with thousands of products on the market how do you know which one is right for you? Most of the pre-workout supplements available are loaded with fillers, artificial sweeteners and straight nonsense. For this reason, I have put together my own blend that’s not only cleaner but more cost effective than most pre-workout supplements.

If you’re not familiar with pre-workout, it’s a supplement that’s taken prior to your training session which contains various ingredients designed to boost energy and enhance your workout. Most pre-workouts have a long list of ingredients. I have picked out my 4 favorite ingredients to create my own “stack”. The four ingredients are L-citrulline, betaine anhydrous, pink Himalayan salt and green tea. Each one of these components plays a key role in my performance in the gym by giving me that extra edge I’m looking for in a pre-workout.

L-Citrulline

L-citrulline is an amino acid that is found in foods such as watermelon, garlic, almonds and even dark chocolate. L-citrulline increases nitric oxide production which allows for greater blood flow (aka vasodilation). This process also helps carry oxygen and nutrients into the muscle during exercise. L- citrulline reduces muscle fatigue as well as increases your recovery time post workout. L-citrulline is by far my favorite ingredient in my pre-workout stack, due to its ability to increase blood flow, giving me a great “pump”.

Betaine Anhydrous.

Betaine Anhydrous is naturally found in foods such as beets, spinach and quinoa. Betaine Anhydrous works by converting the amino acid homocysteine to methionine through a process known as methylation. Methionine elevates creatine production as well as protein synthesis, resulting in increased muscle gains. Betaine Anhydrous may also improve body composition and fat loss. A study done by Jason M. Cholewa and colleagues (link bellow) took 23 subjects and placed them in a placebo group or Betaine Anhydrous supplementation group. After six weeks, the study concluded that the betaine group had improved body composition, arm size and bench press over the placebo. Betaine anhydrous is a new supplement for me. I’ve only taken it for about a month now. It’s hard to say how much I have benefited, however the supplement is reasonably priced with research to back it up, for this reason I add it to my pre-workout stack.

Pink Himalayan salt

Salt is an essential mineral our body needs, it is also an electrolyte. Electrolytes help us maintain fluid balance while keeping us hydrated. Salt draws water into our muscles through intracellular water retention, which improves muscle contraction and endurance. I use pink Himalayan salt because it has a higher mineral content than regular table salt, however table salt would work just fine in this case.

Green tea/Coffee

The caffeine source in my pre-workout interchanges between green tea and coffee. My morning workouts will consist of 16 ounces of coffee, coming in at around 200mg of caffeine, while my evening workouts consist of 16oz of green tea which is approximately 100mg of caffeine.

Dosage

L-Citrulline 6g

Betaine Anhydrous 2.5g

Pink Himalayan salt 1 tsp

16oz green tea or 16oz coffee

Sources

(Study) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3844502

English, N. (2019, June 19). The Surprising Benefits of Salt for Strength Athletes. Retrieved from https://barbend.com/sodium-salt-benefits-for-athletes/

Felman, A. (2017, November 20). Electrolytes: Uses, imbalance, and supplementation. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153188.php

Should You Take Citrulline Supplements? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/citrulline-supplements

JimStoppaniPhD. (2018, October 25). Jim Stoppani's Expert Guide To Betaine. Retrieved from https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jim-stoppanis-expert-guide-to-betaine.html

Foods Containing L-Citrulline. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.livestrong.com/article/321823-foods-containing-citrulline/