Maybe you're the type of person who drinks a coffee before a workout. You've probably noticed you run a little faster, jump a little higher and lift a little heavier. That's not your imagination: caffeine is one of the best-studied performance aids there is. A pre-workout supplement builds on the same idea, and a good one adds more than caffeine. Here's what a pre-workout is, what to look for, and when to take it.
Is coffee before a workout a good idea?
It can be. The International Society of Sports Nutrition concludes that caffeine improves many kinds of exercise performance, with the most consistent benefits for endurance, at doses of 3 to 6 mg per kilogram of body weight.
Two common worries about coffee are overstated. Moderate coffee doesn't dehydrate you: in a controlled study, habitual coffee drinkers (all men) who had four cups a day stayed just as hydrated as when they drank water. The bigger issues are practical. Coffee gives you caffeine and nothing else, the dose varies from cup to cup, and if you add sugar and syrups you may get a spike and a slump that has nothing to do with the caffeine. If that's your experience, there may be a better option.
What is a pre-workout supplement?
A pre-workout is a powder you mix with water and drink before exercise. Most combine an energy source with ingredients chosen to support endurance, blood flow, hydration or focus. A good one gives you steady energy without leaving you jittery, and you should be able to read and recognize every ingredient on the label.
They vary enormously. When researchers analyzed the top 100 pre-workouts on the market, the average product listed 18 ingredients, and nearly half of all ingredients were hidden in proprietary blends with undisclosed amounts. That's a good reason to read labels closely. For a full breakdown, see what's in a pre-workout supplement.
What should a good pre-workout contain?
When choosing a pre-workout, look for ingredients in four categories.
A sensible dose of caffeine
Caffeine does most of the heavy lifting. More isn't better: the FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most healthy adults, and that total includes your coffee, tea and soda. A pre-workout with a moderate dose leaves room for the rest of your day.
Electrolytes
You lose sodium and potassium in sweat, and the American College of Sports Medicine notes that losing more than about 2% of body weight as fluid can impair aerobic exercise performance. Coconut water is a common natural source of electrolytes in pre-workouts. For long or very sweaty sessions, a dedicated electrolyte drink such as Thirst Aid does more.
Nitrate-rich plants
Your body turns the nitrates in foods such as beets and leafy greens into nitric oxide, which helps blood vessels relax. In a meta-analysis of 80 studies, nitrate supplements gave a small but real performance boost in recreationally active young men, with less clear effects in women and highly trained athletes. Our guide to why nitric oxide matters explains more.
Adaptogens
Exercise is good for you, but it's still a form of stress, and so are deadlines, commutes and a dog that chews your favorite shoes. Adaptogens are herbs traditionally used to help the body handle stress. Ashwagandha is the best studied: a meta-analysis of 12 trials found it reduced self-reported stress and anxiety compared with placebo. Read more in what adaptogens are and what they do.
We prefer pre-workouts made from organic, plant-based ingredients rather than long lists of synthetic additives, which is how we make ours. Renewable Energy combines 90mg of caffeine from organic green coffee bean, matcha and yerba mate with organic ashwagandha, rhodiola, panax ginseng and maca, beetroot and pomegranate juice powders, and coconut water. If you want a stronger dose, Renewable Energy Plus has 180mg of caffeine from organic green coffee beans, plus beetroot, pomegranate, ashwagandha, ginseng and maca.
When should you take a pre-workout?
As the name suggests, before your workout. About 30 minutes beforehand is a good starting point for most powders, and the most common timing in caffeine research is 60 minutes before exercise. Drinking it as you head to the gym or change in the locker room means it's kicking in just as you finish your warm-up.
A few practical tips:
- Start low. Everyone processes caffeine differently, so try half a serving for the first week and adjust from there.
- Don't double up. Skip the coffee on pre-workout days, or you'll take in more caffeine than you meant to and won't be able to tell whether the pre-workout is working.
- Mind the clock. Caffeine can disturb sleep for hours, so save it for morning or early-afternoon sessions.
Our guide on when to take pre-workout covers timing in more detail.
Who should check with a doctor first?
Talk to your doctor before using a caffeinated pre-workout if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, have a heart condition or high blood pressure, are sensitive to caffeine, or take prescription medication. The same goes for adaptogens: ashwagandha, for example, isn't recommended during pregnancy.
What else makes a workout routine work?
A pre-workout can help you show up with more energy, but consistency is what gets results. Listen to your body, make good form a priority, and aim for a routine you can repeat: enough to create change, but not so much that you can't do it again tomorrow. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans suggest 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week plus strength work on two days. Change things up regularly to avoid boredom and burnout, and refuel afterward with a post-workout protein shake. Most importantly, have fun.
