Pre-Workout Powders and Drinks: Are They Really Worth the Buy?

As an RD, I’m not a fan of pre-workouts as they can contain synthetic/artificial ingredients as well as questionable and sometimes even banned substances for sport. Much of the time, the ingredients they do contain are not backed up by sufficient research to say they do improve performance.

With underlying questions and the possibility for concern, I encourage coffee as an alternative to a pre-workout. You’ll save money, not have to question “what’s in my drink?”, and you’ll still experience the same training intensity as if you had that pre-workout product.

Sometimes coffee gets a bad wrap but it shouldn’t! Coffee is rich in antioxidants and who doesn’t love the little pick-me-up from the caffeine. Coffee is just as, if not more, beneficial as a pre-workout product you can buy at a supplement shop!

And when it comes to health and drug testing, it’s when you surpass the 4 cups of coffee where more concern regarding overall caffeine intake should be assessed.

So go ahead. Enjoy your coffee and train like a champion!

Healthy Regards,
Jessica G. Anderson, MS, RD, LD, ACSM EP-C less