11 Apr When The Preworkout Kicks IN
Back in the olden days, before a tough workout, your mom would hand you a piece of toast and a banana. Then she’d rub your hair and push you out the door. That was called pre-workout. Nowadays you take a scoop of some unidentified substance, made by a company you’ve never heard of before, and it sends your workout into another universe.
If you exercise frequently you’ve probably heard someone at the gym say this before:
- “If I want to get in a good workout, I need pre-workout.”
- “Oh my God! This workout is so hard. I can’t believe I forgot to take my pre-workout!”
- “Seriously, you don’t take pre-workout?”
Here’s the quick and dirty on what pre-workout actually is:
“Pre-workout” is any supplement, usually a powder drink mix, that claims to boost workout performance if you consume it beforehand.
If you’ve ever taken pre-workout before you know how it can make you feel “tingly”. This is actually a sensation called “paresthesia” and it’s caused by Beta-Alanine, a popular pre workout ingredient.
What is Beta-Alanine & Why is my skin tingling?
Beta-Alanine is a molecule that can be found naturally in high-protein foods. Foods which commonly contain sources of Beta-Alanine include: pork, beef, chicken, and fish.
Why don’t I feel the tingles after every meal?
There is not enough Beta-Alanine in the average serving of your favorite chicken, or beef meal for you to experience the benefits – or side effects.
Supplement companies often add Beta-Alanine into their pre workouts, due to its ability to improve muscular endurance in the gym. But, it comes with one drawback – it can cause tingling or an itch on your skin, as a result of a side effect known as paresthesia.
The good news is that paresthesia is not actually dangerous to the body. Though the itch may get in the way of your workout, it also makes some of us feel like we’ve become superhuman. And with that we bring you – when the pre-workout kicks in gif gallery!
One Scoop
Two Scoops
I didn’t count Scoops
