Common Habits, Adverse Events, and Opinions Regarding Pre-Workout Supplement Use Among Regular Consumers

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine characteristics of multi-ingredient pre-workout supplement (MIPS) users, their common patterns/habits of MIPS ingestion, and their associated feelings about the effectiveness and safety of this class of supplements. An online electronic survey was distributed through social media to assess self-reported supplementation practices and preferences among adult males and females who reported regular MIPS use. A total of 1045 individuals responded, with 872 of these individuals (males: n = 636, 72.9%; females: n = 233, 26.7%; mean ± SD; age = 27.7 ± 7.9 years; training age = 8.2 ± 7.3 years) completing the survey. The majority of respondents reported the length of current or past MIPS consumption as greater than one year (n = 630, 72.2%), with ingestion frequencies primarily of four (n = 210, 24.1%) or five (n = 212, 24.3%) days per week of training. In addition, the three most popular goals for ingesting MIPS were increased energy and focus (n = 776, 89.0%), muscular endurance (n = 325, 37.3%), and blood flow or “pump” (n = 322, 37.0%). Although most users reported ingesting one serving size with each use, 14% reported ingesting two or more, and 18% indicated they ingest MIPS more than once per day. Importantly, over half (54%) of the respondents reported experiencing side-effects following MIPS use, including skin reactions, heart abnormalities, and nausea. Females were more likely than males to experience these side effects, despite being less likely to consume two or more serving sizes per dose. Our findings also indicated that MIPS users should consume no more than the recommended serving size of a given supplement, as the potentially significant variability in the caffeine content of MIPS products is compounded as more doses are consumed. Furthermore, MIPS users should minimize the ingestion of other supplements which contain high levels of niacin and caffeine, as the concurrent consumption of such products may put users above the tolerable upper limits for these substances.

Effects of One Versus Two Doses of a Multi-Ingredient Pre-Workout Supplement on Metabolic Factors and Perceived Exertion during Moderate-Intensity Running in Females

“…Caffeine and these additional substances (capsicum, tyrosine, Mucuna pruriens, green coffee bean extract, Coleus forskohlii, and l-carnitine) are combined in a popular [26] pre-workout supplement (Cellucor, Bryan, TX, USA) that appears to be marketed toward females. The purported effects of this pre-workout supplement include increased lipolysis, transport, and utilization of fatty acids.…”

“…A recent survey by Jagim et al [26] examined the supplementation practices of 872 pre-workout users and reported that many consume more than one dose at a time and over 35% do not follow the recommended dosing instructions. Despite this, 85% of these individuals indicated that they believe consuming pre-workout, at their regular dose, is safe [26]. In addition, there are limited data regarding the influence of pre-workout supplements at these doses on metabolic, cardiovascular, and psychological variables in female populations.…”

Undeclared Doping Substances are Highly Prevalent in Commercial Sports Nutrition Supplements

“…We have not taken into account the habit of some sports supplement users to use higher doses than the manufacturer specifies. In a study of users of pre-workout formulas, 14% of them admitted to exceeding the recommended maximum amount by a factor of two or more (Jagim et al, 2019).…”

Effects of a Multi-Ingredient Preworkout Supplement Versus Caffeine on Energy Expenditure and Feelings of Fatigue during Low-Intensity Treadmill Exercise in College-Aged Males

“…Multi-ingredient preworkout supplementation has become a popular strategy for individuals attempting to improve feelings of energy and focus; muscular strength; endurance; muscle mass; blood flow; and fat loss during resistance and aerobic training, group exercise classes, as well as recreational activities [ 1 ]. Among the major concerns regarding preworkout supplements, however, is the common manufacturing practice of using numerous, relatively obscure ingredients often combined into proprietary blends at unknown quantities [ 2 ].…”