As a fitness trainer for years, I've used and recommended pre-workouts. I know their effects and how long they last.
My best advice is to time your pre-workout supplement use long workout beforehand. This will maximize their effects and your pre workout and performance.
Quick Summary
- Pre-workout duration in your system is about 4 to 6 hours. They are most effective 30 to 60 minutes after taking them.
- Your diet and supplement use can affect how long pre-workouts last in your system.
- Beta-alanine, in pre-workouts, wears off 50 minutes after its usage.
- As a fitness coach, I recommend clients take pre-workout supplements about 30 minutes before their gym session.
How Long Does Pre-Workout Stay In Your System?
Pre-workout stays in your immune system, depending on the ingredients. Caffeine typically lasts up to 5 hours. Other components, common ingredients like beta-alanine, L-carnitine, and CLA, have shorter effects.
Here is a rough guide you can use to estimate how long different ingredients in pre-workout supplements will stay in your body weight, blood pressure and system:
- Caffeine: Whether you get it from caffeine pills or pre-workouts, they're all the same. Caffeine's effect on blood flow may vary by individual factors and tolerance, according to the National Institute of Health [1].
- Green Tea Extract: Green tea from pre-workouts has a small amount of caffeine that you have to account for, and the same timing is valid as above. According to Cleveland Clinic, the detox effects are not stimulating, so you don’t need to worry about how long they last [2].
- Beta-Alanine: The beta-alanine in pre-workouts can make you feel itchy or give you a tingling sensation in your muscles. The energy boost will last for about 45 to 60 minutes. Research from ScienceDirect found its effects are much shorter in high-intensity exercise [3].
- L-Carnitine: For this one, there isn’t any clear scientific answer yet, mainly because your body produces it naturally as well. It can start acting within about half an hour after taking pre-workouts, and it’s probably safe to assume that it wears off in less than an hour.
- CLA: Conjugated linoleic acid is becoming more common in pre-workout products, and the good thing is that it has no stimulating effect. In pre-workout supplements, this ingredient lasts 60 to 90 minutes. But, Medical News Today says it has little effect on fat loss. [4].
"Beyond its use in weight loss, proponents of CLA supplementation believe that it can enhance athletic performance by stimulating testosterone production in the Leydig cells of the testicles."
- Cathy Wong, Certified Nutrition Specialist
How Long Does It Take For Pre-Workout To Kick In?
Pre-workout supplements usually start to work about 30 minutes after use. But, this can vary based on the ingredients, metabolism, and personal tolerance.
It's common to take your pre-workout 30 minutes before your warm-up routine, with many people choosing to do so at home before heading to the gym.
Observe the effects during the kick in the pre-exercise period and adjust your exercise timing next time if they begin too early.
What Can Influence How Long Your Pre-Workout Supplement Lasts?
Many factors affect how long your pre-workout supplement lasts. These are your diet, fasting habits, any nutritional deficiencies, and if you overuse supplements.
1. Diet And Fasting
Meal frequency affects how your the body metabolizes caffeine digests pre-workout ingredients. Excessive coffee can hinder caffeine removal, potentially affecting sleep. During fasting, pre-workout effectiveness may be shorter.
A lack of vitamin C, zinc, calcium, amino acids, and magnesium harms pre-workout energy production, absorption muscle growth exercise, physical performance, and metabolism.
2. Overuse Of Supplements
Unless you're a high-performance athlete, avoid exceeding necessary supplement intake. Using pre-workout, creatine, fat burners, whey, and BCAA supplements together can boost exercise performance and improve muscular endurance too. However, it may also lengthen
You May Also Like: Recommended Pre-workouts without Creatine
How Do You Know The Pre-Workout Has Started Working?
You can tell the pre-workout is working when you start slow feel more focused, energetic, and tingly.
You will have an odd feeling of energy flowing through your skin due to the high concentration of nitric oxide flowing through the blood vessels in your body.
Some people say you just know, but for anyone that has never consumed one of certain common ingredients in these pre-workout supplements, that can be a bit confusing.
So, here are the effects that you can expect to feel in your body.
1. Sudden Boost In Mental Focus And Motivation
One benefit of pre-workouts is the increased in energy levels and focus, especially if they contain too much caffeine and stimulants. This focus aids productivity during your workout and your limited time at the gym.
Be cautious with caffeine intake to avoid overstimulation. If you're sensitive to caffeine, consider a stimulant or caffeine-free pre-workout option.
Related Article: Pre-Workout vs Coffee - Which is Better?
2. Tingling Sensation
It's normal to feel itchy or have pins and needles during a pre-workout. It's usually caused by beta-alanine, a common ingredient in pump-enhancing supplements.
Research from the NIH shows that beta-alanine boosts strength and endurance muscle cells. It also stimulates nerve endings in the skin, which can cause itchiness [5].
3. Surge Of Muscle Energy
Take your pre-workout supplements 20 minutes before training. It should boost your own energy levels during pre workout duration and your warm-up.
This boost increased energy can help with intense exercises like squats and deadlifts. It less muscle soreness makes sets easier and improves pumps.
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This helped me implement the best results for my pre-workout intake. It answered questions such as how long before a workout to take a pre-workout. You answered a ton of questions and concerns I had. Thanks for this helpful piece!