Shaivy Choubey

In a world where we have become habitual of a sedentary lifestyle and less of manual work, health issues have surfaced a lot than ever before. This is why people are turning towards gyms and various diets to stay fit and healthy. Exercising is the best way to lose weight, build strength and stay fit. But, diet also plays an important role in shaping up your physique.

In an era where various diets have taken over the storm, intermittent fasting is something that the bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts are going gaga over. There are a lot of misconceptions about fasting and some people think that fasting is almost starving your body. This is why they think that it will make them lose muscle instead of gaining.

But is it really so? In this article, we will tell you what is intermittent fasting and how it can help you build muscle.

Life without food is dull. The majority of us love to eat a variety of foods but often end up curbing this desire due to fear of getting fat. People give up on their favorite food to stay lean and muscular. But what if we told you that you can stay fit and muscular while you enjoy the foods you love? It is possible through intermittent fasting. Read below to learn how.

What is Intermittent Fasting (IF)?

IF is a practice to stay without consuming any calories for a longer period of time. It means that all you need to do is drink water or black coffee or tea. There are various modes of performing IF, but the most popular one is 16:8 mode. This means that you keep your body on fasting mode for 16 hours and eat during the 8-hour window known as the ‘feeding window’.

Sounds difficult? Not really!

We are just asking you to stay calorie-less for 16 hours but you still have black coffee, green or black tea to feed on. Still, thinking its too much of struggle? Well, here is a hack to get you past the 16-hour fasting window.

Try and have a protein shake before going to bed. Take 8 hours of sound sleep and when you wake up, you are already past 8 hours of fasting. Yes! The sleeping hours count as the fasting period. Now you have 8 hours to go and during this, you can have coffee, of course without any added sugars, cream or milk. You can also have green tea. The basic idea is to avoid having any calories during the fasting window. Leave the calories for the feeding window.

What can you consume during your fasting window?

Whatever you have, it should contain zero calories. That doesn’t leave you with any choice other than water, green/black tea and black coffee. You can also go for zero-calorie beverages that are unsweetened. Artificially sweetened beverages should be avoided as they can be responsible for insulin response, which affects your capacity of burning body fat. So try and stick with the mentioned drinks. If you need to have something other than these and cannot just bear at all, try lightly flavored sparkling water.

Do I get to eat a pizza during the eating window?

Well, we know, now you can finally eat something during your much-awaited feeding window, but do you get to eat pizza? Well, before we tell you yes or no, learn how you need to eat during this time-frame.

You should not over-eat and neither should you under-eat in compared to your standard diet plan that you follow on a regular basis. Consuming the right amount of carbohydrates, fats, and protein is necessary when you are eating during the feeding window.

Before going on an IF diet, the diet plan that you were following to keep yourself fit is the diet that you need to consume within the hours that you get to eat while on IF. If you under-eat, your performance at the gym will be affected. Anyone looking for building lean muscle mass and developing strength should consume all the nutrients, especially protein.

So all-in-all, your total calorie intake and macros intake stays the same with a shift in the schedule of eating. As per your physique and training goals, you can adjust your calorie intake.

So now you know the answer to this question.

Why Intermittent Fasting?

Here is the most important question- why should one go for an IF? We will tell you why and then you decide when are you taking up IF as your regime to build sturdy muscles and meet your fitness goals.

• Boosts fat burning: Various researches have stated that when you fast for longer periods, your body’s fat-burning capacity increases and speeds up the fat loss, even when your calorie intake is the same. Many people have noticed that they can more of the food from their ‘cheat meal’ menu than ever before when they consume it during their feeding window while on IF. This is one of the reasons why IF is good for most people.
• Easy to follow: As compared to other diets, it’s relatively easy to follow.  Your body just needs to adjust to the new schedule of eating and once you get used to it, it’s easy to stay on this diet. And this is a diet that you can keep going with for years. It is not tough on your body once you get used to it. There is no hassle of preparing special kinds of meals. You can consume your regular meal during the feeding window. Carrying out IF for longer-term has no adverse effects on your body, rather you will be benefited from it.

How does your body burn more fat during IF as compared to other standard diets?

The crucial factor in the fat loss that is induced by fasting is the increase in gene activity that ultimately increases the number of calories the body utilizes and the quantity of fat it burns.

When you are on fasting mode, your body turns on the genes that encrypt for all the uncoupling proteins and enzymes that are responsible for increasing fat oxidation, i.e. the fat-burning mechanism of your body is turned on.

The uncoupling proteins that we are talking about here are like ‘poke holes’ in the mitochondria present inside the muscle cells. Mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cells and most of the energy you get is from mitochondria. When you poke holes in it, mitochondria’s energy production declines and thus your body needs to burn more calories than usual to generate the same amount of energy in the form of Adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

To put it in simpler terms, you will be able to utilize more calories as a source of fuel when into fasting mode, which will help you with weight-loss.

I’m a bodybuilder. Why should I go for IF?

We know your goals, we know what you want to achieve. Intermittent fasting can make it easy for you. Earlier, not much was established on how IF helps in muscle building. Some recent studies stated how it can help in building muscles and be helpful for bodybuilders. In a study released in 2016, resistance-trained males were the subject of study. The study results showed that males who were following intermittent fasting and did resistance training lost more fat mass as compared to those who ate the standard diet and did resistance training. The muscle mass maintenance was similar in both the groups and the number of calories burnt while resting was also the same.

Some researches conducted on the effect of IF on bodybuilding/muscle-building states that:

• Combined with resistance training, IF helps in strengthening the muscles (1)
• Combined with endurance training, IF helps maintain muscle mass and promotes weight loss (2)
• To maintain lean muscle mass and reduce body fat, one should practice IF with resistance training (3)

How to build muscles with IF? Easy tips to follow to meet your goals and enhance bodybuilding

Follow a proper bodybuilding meal plan along with IF: Strategic eating and exercising are the keys to a successful IF routine. Ensure having 1g of protein in your diet per kg of your body weight. When in your feeding window, sip on BCAAs drink as the amino acids present in it helps improve muscle protein synthesis along with minimizing protein muscle breakdown. To gain energy prior to the workout, you can also have caffeine, but not in a large amount.

Exercise calculatingly

Now, this doesn’t mean that you need to count the number of reps while you are working out but deciding when to work out. Depending upon your goals, the workout time may vary. If you aim at fat-loss, workout 2 hours before your feeding window. To stay energized, try working out during your fasting window. Experiment and decide what is best suited for your body as per your goals.

See, it’s that simple to shape yourself with intermittent fasting.

The first meal of your feeding window

The best part about intermittent fasting is that it has a less-stricter diet routine as compared to other diets. But protein still remains an essential component. A diet high in protein combined with a sufficient amount of complex carbs and healthy fats is your ideal diet when consuming your first meal after the fasting period. 

The reason for a high-protein and low-carb diet is that when you fast and then consume a low-carb diet, the activity levels of genes that build-up calorie consumption and fat burning are enhanced with the meal you consume. A high-carb meal, on the other hand, decreases the activity of these genes.

Sipping on to my favorite flavor of BCAAs while in the fasting window won’t have any effect on IF, or will it?

When we say that you are fasting, that means you are keeping your body without any calories for a certain period of time. BCAAs are your Branched Chain Amino Acids and as you might be aware that amino acids come together to form the protein. There are a total of 20 amino acids that act as building blocks of protein. Out of these 9 are essential amino acids and 11 non-essential amino acids. Consuming any of these amino acids means consuming protein in smaller quantity and this, therefore, drags you out of the fasting zone. So technically, not consuming BCAAs is the best option when fasting. 

An exception to the consumption of BCAAs during IF is when you are training when fasting. In such a situation you can have a sip of BCAAs while you workout. BCAAs are a great source of energy and boost your workout capacity. And when you just sip from a BCAA drink, you are not consuming a lot and, burning your energy in a workout.

Diet plays an important role in your fitness routine and fasting techniques like IF help you meet your fitness goals. But, one should not give up on proper training and workout. A solid workout plan combined with intermittent fasting and a healthy protein-rich diet will give you optimum results.

Intermittent fasting is easy to follow and you can continue it for a long period of time and get the desired results. Don’t forget to eat healthy and workout hard.

Burning fat by eating fat- no matter how weird and unbelievable it sounds, the keto diet has made it possible for many individuals. Not only the keto diet has proved itself to be capable of burning fat but it also has been worthy of muscle building.

You might have heard a lot about the keto diet and ketosis- the state under which your body goes when following a keto diet. But whether to go for a keto diet or not is still a troubling question for you. MuscleBlaze, via this article, is presenting a detailed overview of the keto diet so that you can make a final call on following this diet routine.

What is a keto diet?

A keto diet demands you to get your carb intake totally low and rely on fats and protein for your calorie intake.

How does the keto diet work?

When you make your body stay low on carbs every day, it runs out of fuel i.e. your blood sugar that is used quickly. This usually takes up to 3-4 days. Now, when your body is literally carb-starved, to get the required energy it will start breaking down the protein and fats for energy which in turn results in weight loss. This whole process is known as ketosis.

Let’s understand ketosis more…….

Ketosis is a metabolic state that suggests that the number of ketones in your blood is more than the normal levels. When your body is under ketosis, your lipid energy metabolism is intact. Your body will start using fat as its energy source for all the regular activities that you perform throughout the day.

Wondering what is so special about your body being in a ketosis state? We tell you how it benefits you.

Benefits of ketosis

• Enhances the body’s ability to utilize fat for getting energy: Your body generally derives the energy from carbs. But when you undergo ketosis, your body starts utilizing the stored fats for energy as you don’t provide carbs to fuel your body. This way body becomes more able to burn fats for fueling itself.
• Ketosis has a protein-sparing effect: If you are consuming enough protein throughout the day, ketosis gives a protein-sparing effect. When your body undergoes ketosis, it prefers ketones instead of glucose. You are giving your body ample amount of fats, so oxidization of protein is not required for glucose production through gluconeogenesis.
• Higher lipolysis and free glycerol release: Following the keto diet, you get lower insulin levels, which leads to having high lipolysis and free glycerol release in the body when compared to the standard diet. Your body becomes habitual of using fatty acids for energy as insulin gives a lipolysis blocking effect. When the insulin level in your body goes down, your body releases beneficial hormones like growth hormones and other impactful growth factors.
• Appetite suppressor: When your body experiences ketosis; ketones, and protein together work towards suppressing your diet. Foods rich in carb contribute towards high hunger levels. Under the keto diet, you consume more fats and protein which keeps you full and results in reduced hunger.

There is a very common misconception that states that carbs are a must if you want to build muscles. This means that if you are on a keto diet, you cannot build muscles. But is it so?

Well, the reality is, you can not only build muscles while on keto but also increase your gains while your body has adapted ketosis. Keto helps you to gain strength and build more muscles along with minimum fat gain. Pounding on carbs for bodybuilding is now outdated, keto is the new way to build muscles.

This article will tell you how keto will help you achieve your fitness goals and build the muscles to your desire.

Why carbs are not what you need to get the sturdy muscles?

Earlier it was believed that carbs are a very important component required for muscle building. You can still see some bodybuilders relying on carbs to get the glycogen so that they can have spiked up insulin levels to generate an anabolic response. This is all to build muscles.

The truth, however, is you can effectively build muscles while staying on a low-carb diet, given you do it correctly. Various studies have stated that when strength training is combined with a keto diet, lean muscle mass goes up with very low weight gain.

But as they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day! So is the case here. If you want to see positive results, you need to give your body some time so that it fully adapts to the new routine. Your body is in habit of using carbs for fuel, getting used to utilizing fats for energy demands some time. All this while your body is adjusting to the new routine, there is an entire phase known as ‘keto-adaptation’. You might experience a lot of odd symptoms like nausea, vomiting, fever, etc. and your workout performance will also go down for around 1-4 weeks while your body is in the keto-adaptation phase.

Why you should expect low strength during keto-adaptation?

When starting with the keto diet, you will experience a downfall in your body strength and you might not be able to perform exercises with the same amount of energy and intensity as you were when consuming carbs. The reason behind it is the transformation your body is internally going through. It is learning to break down fats to ketones than glucose for glycolysis that is used for energy.

So, to see positive results, you need to follow a keto diet for the long-term.

Your body needs a certain time to adjust as it is used to burning glucose from carbs which acts as the main source of energy for it. When you lower down your carb intake, your body needs to find some other source of energy. This is the time when ketones serve as the body’s main source of energy.

The longer you follow the ketogenic diet, the more effective your metabolism becomes and burns ketones for fuel and your workout performance eventually increases.

When your body learns to use ketones instead of fat, the mitochondrial density is enhanced. This enables you to have a longer and speedier training session.

To put it in simple words, once your body is all ketofied, it combines more energy from the stored body fat and dietary fat to produce energy for workouts. It is known as ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate).

Multiple studies have stated that a low-carb and high-fat keto diet gives a muscle-sparing effect. This means that once your body fully adapts the fats, it will restrict itself from breaking down the muscle even when you are burning via fats.

How do you gain with the keto diet?

Eat more protein: If you consume very high protein while following a keto diet, you throw your body out of ketosis. This process is known as gluconeogenesis where the body converts excess protein to glucose in your bloodstream. When this glucose is present in your body, it will restrict the production of ketones, kicking your body out from ketosis.

What one might overlook is the importance of glucose for your brain. Glucose is very crucial for your brain’s survival. Even when you are going all keto, you need some glucose for your specialized cells, especially the brain cells which can only function on glucose. You can produce glucose from fats; fatty acids have glycerol that helps you form glucose.

Why should I follow a keto diet, if I still need glucose?

When you are on a standard diet, most of you consume a carb-rich diet which leads to insulin resistance and creates trouble in burning the stored fats in the body for energy. This results in a fat gain which is not healthy and also various other problems like high blood sugar, system inflammation, insulin resistance, etc. 

When you are following a keto diet, you offer your body the right amount of glucose which is derived from fats and protein. Being on ketones lets you have a more effective energy source allowing you to build muscles via protein synthesis. You don’t have to worry much about gaining excessive body fat.

Consume more calories to gain muscles

If you want to lose weight or build muscles, keeping a count of your calories is a must and by far the best way to achieve your goals. To have the muscle gain while on keto:

• Have 150-500 more calories than what you would normally consume
• 1g of protein per pound of lean body mass
• Acquire your remaining calories from healthy fats

To have keto gains you need to consume more calories than you burn on a daily basis. Having a caloric surplus and a good amount of protein will help you develop a muscular body that you have been working on.

I am a bodybuilder looking for muscle building. How should I target my ketogenic diet?

If you are looking for muscle gains with the keto diet, you need to have a targeted ketogenic diet that allows you to take 20-50g carbs right before or after your workout session. This quantity sums up your entire carb intake for the day. This enables your body to utilize the quick glucose to fuel your workout sessions. If you carry it out properly, your body becomes efficient in burning carbs quickly and get back to the ketosis state.

The targeted ketogenic diet is the formula best suited for people who have been practising the keto diet for around a month and are involved in heavy-duty workouts.

The number of carbs that you consume has a direct connection to your workout intensity. Mentioned below is an estimate of how much carbs you are required to consume based on your activity levels:

• Individuals who are involved in high-intensity training such as CrossFit can have up to 50g of carbs every day
• Athletes who take part in competitions can have around 100g of carbs per day
• An average individual who workout on an average of 4-5 times per week can have 20g or lesser carbs every day

If you just want to lose weight, this approach is not much helpful. It is for people looking for bodybuilding. To lose weight you should try a standard ketogenic diet plan which lays emphasis on other factors that enhance performance like adequate protein intake.

Keep a check on your electrolyte consumption

To get maximum athletic performance, it is very important to maintain your electrolyte levels. The electrolytes should comprise of potassium, sodium, and magnesium. These 3 electrolytes easily get drained away through urine and sweat. It is very important to recharge yourselves with foods that are rich in nutrients and keto-friendly. This will enable your body to perform its best while working out.

Foods that are rich in magnesium and keto-friendly are:

• Spinach
• Avocado
• Dark chocolate
• Cashews
• Almonds 

Foods rich in potassium along with being keto-friendly are:

• Salmon
• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Cucumber
• Mushrooms

Get more sodium intake

You are committing a mistake if you don’t consider your sodium intake while on a keto diet. Under the ketogenic diet, you are cutting down on carbs and thus your body excretes more electrolytes than it does normally, especially at the beginning of keto diet. If you feel low while working out when on the keto diet, try and increase your sodium intake. It would be more beneficial if you have sodium before workouts.

Sodium is very essential for having healthy muscles, nerve activity and also helps in regulating muscle contraction, blood levels, and nerve function.  You should try and consume 5000mg to 7000mg of sodium on a daily basis. To enhance performance, have 1000-2000mg of sodium before training.

How to build muscles with a keto diet?

1. Reduce your carb intake: This is the most crucial demand of a keto diet. Lower down the intake of carbs. Don’t let it exceed 15-20% of your total calorie intake if you are an average individual looking for weight loss or muscle building. Replace the carbs with healthy fats and protein like nut butter, avocados, and grass-fed cow whey protein.
2. Make sure to have an adequate amount of protein: Protein is quintessential for muscle building. However eating too much protein won’t help you here, but ignoring it is also not the option. Choose your protein as per your preference.
3. Do strength training: There is no substitute for hard work. Resistance training is said to be a mood lifter and by combining strength training with the keto diet you can experience good muscle gains.

So this is how a keto diet helps you in getting big and sturdy muscles. Remember, you will experience symptoms like nausea, bloating, vomiting, fever, etc. when starting with the keto diet, but once you bear with it, there is no looking back.

MuscleBlaze recommends following a low-carb and high-fat diet along with adequate protein intake while on a keto diet so that your body can undergo ketosis and you can see favorable results.

If you are here reading this article, it means that you have already heard of protein supplements. With the market today flooded with a variety of protein supplements by various brands, you might be confused about the reality behind these supplements.

Are there any health benefits of protein supplements?

Can protein powder be a replacement for regular meals?

In this post, we will answer some of these questions that cross your mind every time you see a protein supplement in the market.

Protein is a very essential macronutrient that your body needs to function properly. Protein not only helps in keeping your skin, hair, and nails healthy but also helps you attain lean muscle mass. If you literally drag yourself out of the bed every morning with a desire of sleeping more; if you get too tired every day after office; you’re sleepy most of the time and sometimes tired for no reason- it might be an indication that you are not getting the required protein.

While fatigue and tiredness can also be a result of some other issues, but, protein deficiency can also be one of the reasons. If you are the one that often skips breakfast or has irregular meal patterns, fixing your diet and lifestyle is the only option to keep yourself healthy.

How much protein should you consume?

The recommended dose of protein per day for an average individual is 0.8g per kg of body weight, i.e. for a person weighing 60kgs, 48g of protein is required daily. While some can acquire this protein via whole foods they eat on a daily basis, a majority of them can’t. Especially active gym-goers and bodybuilders who need more protein due to their high activity levels. This is where protein powder comes to the rescue. It helps you in meeting your daily protein requirements in an easy manner.

Protein supplements surely are a convenient way of fueling your body with protein, these cannot replace whole foods. There are a variety of protein powders available in the market ranging from plant-based protein to whey protein. Out of various proteins available, whey protein is very popular among fitness enthusiasts.

Whey protein is popular among bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts as it is known for its muscle-building properties. Some researches also support the usage of whey protein for weight loss.

Protein supplements health benefits

Helps with weight management: Protein is a very satiating component. This is why by eating foods rich in protein and taking protein supplements you feel full for longer hours. This results in restricted calorie intake as you eat smaller portion sizes and experience reduced cravings. This helps in maintaining weight and also shedding the extra kilos.

Whey protein, in particular, has proved to be beneficial in weight loss by reducing body weight and total fat mass in overweight and obese individuals. It also can be helpful in reducing blood pressure, total cholesterol and the risk of heart diseases.

Helps in muscle growth: Protein is very crucial for muscle building. Many athletes and fitness enthusiasts gulp down a protein shake with a belief that it will help them in bulking up post intense strength training sessions. Some researches have shown that protein supplements do help in increasing muscle size and strength in individuals who are involved in resistance training and weight lifting. Though one might experience a difference with age; older adults need more protein than the younger ones.

Helps in muscle growth: Protein supplements get absorbed in your body faster than the protein-rich foods and help in repairing the damaged tissues after intense training sessions. This is the reason why many active gym-goers use protein supplements to experience faster muscle recovery and relief from soreness after intense workouts.

Many studies suggest that protein supplements help in minimizing muscle damage and helps in enhancing muscle performance and boosts muscle protein synthesis.

Out of various types of protein available- soy, pea, hemp, milk, egg, and whey, the most popular protein supplement among fitness freaks and bodybuilders is whey protein. Whey is derived from milk during the process of making cheese. The watery portion on top of the curd is whey which is processed to be converted into powdered form and sold in the market.

What is the reason behind the stark popularity of whey protein?

It’s a complete protein: Whey protein is rich in essential amino acids and BCAAs which makes it a complete protein.

Helps with weight loss: Whey protein has proven effects on weight loss and management. This is the reason why it is popular among fitness enthusiasts and people looking for weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight.

Helps in muscle building and attaining lean muscle mass: This popular protein supplement is immensely popular with the community of bodybuilders and athletes as it helps in building lean muscle mass and enhances muscle size along with boosting muscle recovery. Fitness freaks, bodybuilders and regular gym-goers use whey protein for muscle growth.

Some studies have shown that whey protein is also beneficial in lowering the total cholesterol levels and LDL cholesterol. Whey protein is also helpful in reducing blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

While whey protein lets you enjoy various benefits, it also has certain side effects. People who are lactose intolerant might face issues as this protein contains milk derivatives. It comes in 3 variants:

Concentrate: The one with around 60-80% protein and more lactose content.

Isolate: The one with 80-90% protein or even above and lesser lactose content.

Hydrolyzed: The pre-digested form of whey protein which is the most expensive one too.

For people with lactose intolerance, whey protein isolate is a better choice as it is low in lactose.

There is a popular myth regarding protein supplements that can damage kidneys and liver. The fact, however, is that only people with pre-existing kidney and liver issues need to be alert while consuming protein. Various researches have shown protein to cause no harm or significant adverse effect when consumed in excess quantities. Your protein requirement depends on your goal.

Protein supplements are an easy and fast way to fuel your muscles with protein and meet your daily ideal protein requirement or even the extended needs. What needs to be understood clearly is that these are just “supplements” and cannot replace whole foods.

To achieve the desired results and allow your body to function properly, it is very important that you eat right and workout along with consuming protein supplements. Never think of replacing a full meal with these supplements. Whole foods are rich in other nutrients as well which you might miss out when consuming only supplements.

This can create other nutritional deficiencies in your body which will hamper your growth.

The ideal way to build muscles and get a sculpted physique is to workout intensely along with the right diet and pure protein supplements. Be very careful while choosing your protein supplements as many brands add fillers in their product and the amount of protein is less. Read the label carefully and always verify your purchase so that the possibility of receiving a fake supplement is ruled out.

MuscleBlaze offers totally genuine and authentic whey protein supplements to boost your muscle building and fuel your body with the right nutrition. All our products are tested for authenticity and accuracy and deliver maximum nutrition for maximum performance.

Pre-workout supplements have become a part of people’s workout regime. Some people claim that they can improve fitness and provide the required energy for challenging workouts whereas few say that they can be dangerous and unnecessary. Read on to know about pre-workout supplements including whether you should be taking them or not.

What are Pre-Workout Supplements?

Pre-workout supplements are dietary formulas that are specially formulated to boost your athletic performance. Usually, they come in powder form that you can mix in water or your preferred drink and can have it before exercise. Pre-workout supplements contain ingredients like vitamins, caffeine, Amino acids, creatine and artificial sweeteners are the basic ingredients and quantities can vary as per the brand.

Ingredients in Pre-workout supplement that may improve athletic performance:

1) Creatine

This chemical compound plays a major role in muscular strength and energy production. It is included in pre-workout formulas and is particularly famous among bodybuilders, weightlifters and other power athletes. According to a study, supplementing with creatine can improve muscle mass, recovery time, exercise, performance and strength.

2) Nitric Oxide

One of the main pre-workout benefits is that pump in the muscle. It is possible because of the Nitric oxide. It is included in pre-workout supplements to boost oxygen, improve blood flow and transport nutrients to muscles, enhancing athletic performance.

3) Caffeine

Caffeine frequently used in the pre-workout supplements to boost focus and energy. It may improve memory, mental alertness, fat burning, and exercise performance.

Precautions To Take When Buying Pre-Workout Supplements:

Planning to add pre-workout supplements to your workout regimen? Pre-workout supplements are safe to use only if you take the following things into account. 

• Most of the pre-workout supplements contain artificial sweeteners sugar alcohols. without adding calories, their hand’s flavour but some sweeteners can cause intestinal distress and discomfort. Sugar alcohols can trigger uncomfortable symptoms like bloating gas and diarrhoea in some people. So try to avoid a pre-workout formula that contains these artificial sweeteners or try a small amount first to see how it reacts. 
• Caffeine is the main energy-boosting element that most pre-workout supplements contain. excessive intake of caffeine can cause negative side effects such as impaired sleep, increased blood pressure and anxiety. The pre-workout formula contains caffeine that you could get from 1-2 cups of coffee. If you are getting caffeine from other sources for the day then you might accidentally consume too much. 
• Go for the supplement brand that doesn’t compromise supplement quality and safety and don’t have any inaccurate or misleading product labels.

Pre-Workout Side Effects & Safety Measures

Pre-workout supplements are formulated to boost energy level and performance during exercise. But some people experience side effects after taking. Here are some of the common pre-workout side effects and some tips to avoid them.

1) Feeling Jittery

Caffeine is the main ingredient in pre-workout supplements and it has various potential side effects only if you consume too much. These include nausea, insomnia, increased heart rate,  headaches, drowsiness, anxiety, and jitteriness. 

What To Do

Some people can tolerate caffeine dose better and some can’t. the ideal way to reduce its side effects to start with a small dose of the pre-workout supplement and slowly increases and see how much you can tolerate. Or you can opt for a pre-workout supplement without caffeine.

2) Increase in Water Retention

Another famous ingredient in pre-workout supplements is creatine. The main side effects associated with it are miles but include weight gain, digestive issues, bloating and water retention.

What To Do

You can reduce these symptoms by ensuring proper dosing, you can ask your doctor or nutritionist for proper dosing.

3) Digestive Upset

Few ingredients in pre-workout formulas can cause digestive upset. These include magnesium, caffeine, creatine, and sodium bicarbonate. When mixing a pre-workout supplement using too little water can upset your digestion.

What To Do 

Mixing your pre-workout supplement with 240-350ml of water can minimise the side effects. As it is hard to figure out which ingredient is causing digestive issues, until you find the one you can tolerate, you may want to try different pre-workout formulas.

4) Headaches

Citrulline used in some pre-workout supplements is used to increase the blood flow to the muscles during exercise which results in enhanced muscle building. However, the increase in blood flow can affect the brain and muscles, leading to headaches and migraines in some people.

What To Do 

The best way to reduce headaches from citrulline is by decreasing the dosage.

Can Everyone Take Pre-workout Supplements?

Pre-workout supplements are not for everyone. Everyone’s body reacts differently. People with any medical history or if taking any medication should avoid pre-workout supplements. If you are a healthy individual and you find that pre-workout supplement works for you then make sure you keep a check of their ingredients and your total intake.