Pre-workout supplements are a great way to help you be at your best. These supplements can increase your energy level and give you a little boost before a workout.
This article is going to talk about how long does pre-workout supplement lasts after taking it. Many factors determine how long the supplement will last, such as the type of workout, your weight, and what else you’ve been doing that day.
What Are the Pre-workout Supplements?
The pre-workouts are designed to make both your body and brain function at an optimal level, which means they are capable of enhancing the way you train. The main goal is to boost your workout performance.
They are designed to provide your body with all the nutrients it needs to function properly by providing you with extra oxygen and energy.
The stimulants in them are typically added for this purpose, but other ingredients like creatine may also be added to help support muscle growth. They may also contain other important nutrients like essential amino acids, for muscle recovery.
How Long Pre-Workout Stay In Your System?
After taking a pre-workout supplement, the effects of the pre workout last anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours on average. Which is more than sufficient for your gym session.
However, the time frame depends on which product you take. Every pre-workout supplement will have a different time frame. Some pre workout last longer up to 2 hours on an average where as few may not last more than 30 minutes.
For instance, for a pre-workout supplement to provide 30 minutes of benefit, it should generally contain caffeine which has a half-life of 6 hours in the body. That means that after 6 hours, 50% of the caffeine is still in your system and provides you with some energy boost that lasts about 45 minutes before being eliminated from your body. [1]
The other 50% of the caffeine has been metabolized by your liver and kidneys over the previous six hours and eliminated from the body via urine or sweat, also providing some benefits in terms of preventing dehydration during workouts when working out in hot or humid environments. The pre workout caffeine quantity also determines your daily caffeine intake.
Another pre-workouts to provide 30 minutes of benefit could contain Arginine. It has a half-life of approximately about 30-120 minutes, meaning that the benefits are present for about 1.5 hours before it is eliminated from the body. [2]
What Factors Can Influence How Long Your Pre Workout Supplement Lasts?
Many factors can influence how long does pre-workout lasts. Some of them are listed below:
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Dosage
The dosage is one of the most critical factors to consider. If you take an optimum dose, then it will work as intended and you will experience positive effects such as increased energy levels and enhanced focus. However, if you take a small amount of the product, it may not be as effective. The same theory applies if you take a large dosage; you will feel tired shortly after taking the supplement and the effects may not last as long as expected.
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How Often You Exercise
Depending on how frequently you exercise, your pre-exercise supplement can have different effects on your body chemistry all depending on what works for others.
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Your Overall Health
If your overall health is poor, then it can negatively affect how long your pre-workout lasts. The more healthy your body is the better effects the product will have on you from taking it.
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Other Supplements
Other supplements you are taking can also increase the quantity of fat that is stored in your body and affect how long your pre-workouts will last.
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Your Weight
Your weight is the single most important factor in determining how long your pre-workout supplement will last. If you’re a lightweight individual, it’s going to take a lot shorter for your pre-workout supplement to fully absorb into your body before peak performance. Conversely, if you’re a very heavy person, your pre-workout supplement may not be fully absorbed before peak performance.
How to Know Is Pre-Workout Working?
How do you know whether a pre-workout supplement is working for you? If you notice that your energy level is higher than it normally is, or your focus is better than usual during your training session, then your supplement may be working as intended.
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Does Pre Workout Has Any Side Effects?
No, generally pre workout doesn't has any side effect. But however, if you are experiencing negative side effects when using pre-workouts such as nausea, headaches, or mental fogging which are making your workout session difficult to complete, then the pre-workout may not be for you. Try taking a few days off from taking the product to assess if it does work for your body and constitution. Always start pre workout in smaller quantities.
One of the side effect few notice is that some ingredients like beta alanine in pre workout supplement may cause tingling sensation in the first 30 minutes for some people, but its not alarming. Beta alanine is an amino acid which helps in increasing muscle endurance and delay muscle fatigue.
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Caffeine in pre workout and its lasting effect?
As discussed earlier when taking pre workout you also consume caffeine. Which can range any where from 40mg to 400mg at a time.
As per Food and Drug Administration, caffeine consumption up to 400mg a day , isn't associated with any negative side effects. Though individual tolerance may vary. (3)
If you have low tolerance to caffeine, we suggest you to go with pre-workouts without caffeine to start with.
The duration of a single pre-workout dose will depend on the product you are using because each one has its effectiveness and serving size.
You can also check on benefits of pre workout here.
Summary
This conclusion will give you the information you need about how long does pre-workout lasts. There is a lot of variation between people and not everyone will experience the same effects. However, a single supplement can have a different effect on each person associated with it.
The most important thing to take from this article is that pre-workout supplements from most pre-workout supplements brands last from 30 to 60 minutes. They are effective for people who exercise regularly and have healthy lifestyles.
William Toro ‧ CPT & Nutritionist
William is a certified personal trainer from NASM, he has also been a rehab physiologist for sports persons. He has more than 15 years of experience training people. And has featured in multiple publications like FoxNews, CNBC, Bustle, and other.
References:
1. Caffeine for the Sustainment of Mental Task Performance: Formulations for Military Operations, Pharmacology of Caffeine, retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK223808/
2. Aitor Viribay, José Burgos, Julen Fernández-Landa, Jesús Seco-Calvo, Juan Mielgo-Ayuso, Effects of Arginine Supplementation on Athletic Performance Based on Energy Metabolism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7282262/
3. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much#:~:text=For%20healthy%20adults%2C%20the%20FDA,associated%20with%20dangerous%2C%20negative%20effects.
