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Supplements for pre and post workout at the gym
In 2022, the UK dietary supplement business is valued at $1.4 billion, and it's still growing.
Bestsellers like workout supplements, for example, are marketed in a number of forms, from pills to powders and ready-to-drink smoothies, and are often taken before ('pre-workout') or after exercising ('post-workout'). The global pre-workout supplement industry is expected to grow to $23.77 billion by 2027.
When it comes to your workouts, your balanced nutrition might not provide the required vitamins and energy for your specific fitness goals. There always other options that provide you with the necessary nutrients, specifically in the form of supplements.
If you want to see the best workout supplements in one place, then you’ll love this guide.
At medino, we sell 39 workout supplements and the best thing is that workout supplements are used not only for gaining muscle, but also to improve pre-workout and your fitness in general.
Pre workout Supplements
1. Protein World Pre Workout Peach Tea 500g
Benefits:
- Perfect for those workout sessions where you’d like to push a little harder
- Provides a steady supply of energy when you need it, without the crash
- An ideal pre-workout pick me up after a long day at home or the office
Scientific facts:
According to National Library of Medicine, the carefully crafted mix of IBCAA, L-Carnitine, Choline, and Caffeine helps to increase your training sessions, allowing you to exercise harder and grow more muscle while also burning stubborn fat.
This is the perfect pre-workout pill to take before those strenuous training sessions. The mix is formulated with natural and quality components to provide you with a pre-workout boost while also reducing post-workout crashes.
2. Protein World Pre Workout Summer Fruits
Benefits:
- Jam-packed with Choline
- It doesn’t give you the jitters or shakes
- Shake the weight, contributes to your fat metabolism
Scientific facts:
Nutrition Today reports that Choline is recognised as an essential nutrient by the Food and Nutrition Board since 1998 and in the UK this nutrient is often overlooked and not included in official food recommendations.
This pre-workout supplement delivers a powerful energy boost without the jolt of caffeine, as well as choline that contributes to better metabolism.
3. Mushrooms 4 Life Organic Cordyceps Beetroot Latte
Benefits:
- Cordyceps helps improve endurance and stamina.
- Perfect for warming up and strengthening your body before a workout
- It is made with nitrate-rich beetroot juice and creamy coconut.
Scientific facts:
Cordyceps is prized for its effects on endurance by Chinese athletes in the early 1990s. It is traditionally associated with enhanced stamina and physical performance.
This is a great blend to try before your next yoga session or workout Sometimes known as Himalayan gold, ancient Chinese and Tibetan medicine valued cordyceps for its beneficial properties to the respiratory system and support for kidney essence that is easily depleted by stress.
4. Planet Paleo Organic Bone Broth Sports Protein Chocolate
Benefits:
- Minerals including calcium and magnesium
- Europe's first organic bone broth protein powder
- Rich in collagen, a source of chondroitin, glucosamine and hyaluronic acid
Scientific facts:
Bone broth is a traditional food that has been eaten all over the world for thousands of years. Many of the unique compounds that are found in bone broths are missing from modern diets that are based on muscle meat.
Paleo slow cooks their bone broth to release all the powerful nutrients, then gently dehydrate it into a powder.
5. Protein Slender Banana Split
Benefits:
- Get rid of the weight you've been battling for a long time
- A protein-rich pre-workout smoothie that can help you gain lean muscle mass
- Replace your high-carb, high-sugar snacks with a delicious low-calorie alternative
Scientific facts:
The shake is a good choice if you are looking to lower your sugar and increase your fibre intake while also maintaining a healthy diet and active lifestyle. Just replace two of your main daily meals with a fine blend.
This delicious banana split shake has been specially formulated with a unique blend of vitamins, minerals, and protein to provide the nutrition your body needs.
This drink is infused with green tea, guarana extract and natural flavors for a smooth and satisfying taste. These meal replacement shakes help you lose weight while keeping your muscles healthy.
6. Terranova Beetroot Juice, Cordyceps & Reishi Powder
Benefits:
- Improves energy and oxygen level in the blood
- No fillers or other additives
Scientific facts:
Take 1 teaspoon (about 5g) per day as a dietary supplement for adults, 60 minutes before exercise, mixed with juice or water.
With the advent of Beetroot Juice, Cordyceps & Reishi Super-Blend, a tremendously active and profoundly synergistic pre-workout formulation to improve endurance, energy, and oxygen levels in the blood, Terranova's powder of fresh freeze dried botanical powders reaches highest performances.
7. Lindens Health + Nutrition Caffeine Energy
Benefits:
- The ingredient that gives coffee its jolt
- A pick-me-up in the mornings or late at night
- Each pill has the caffeine equivalent of three cups of coffee.
Scientific facts:
Caffeine is a naturally occurring alkaloid present in plants such as tea and coffee that gives coffee its kick. Caffeine is frequently found in sugary energy drinks, but if you don't like them, Lindens Caffeine 200mg capsules are a handy way to get your caffeine need without the sugar!
Each Lindens Caffeine 200mg Capsule offers 200mg of caffeine in an easy-to-swallow, rapid-release capsule, which is roughly comparable to 3 cups of instant coffee.
8. Nutri Advanced Megamag Muscleze
Benefits:
- Developed to aid muscular function and recuperation after exercise.
- Highly absorbable and stomach-friendly
Scientific facts:
MegaMag Muscleze Magnesium Glycinate Powder provides 240mg of magnesium per scoop in superior, highly absorbable bisglycinate and malate forms that are pleasant on the stomach.
Malic acid, amino acids (l-carnitine, creatine, glutamine, and taurine), and B vitamins (including body-ready, active versions of vitamin B12 and folate) are also included in the mix (vitamin B9).
To build muscle creatine stores, the International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests eating 5g of creatine monohydrate (0.3g/kg body weight) four times day for 5–7 days; after muscle creatine reserves are fully saturated, stocks may be maintained by swallowing 3–5 g/day.
After workout supplements
9. KIKI Health Organic Hemp Protein Powder
Benefits:
- Rich in protein
- Rich in omega 3
- Plant-based protein
Scientific facts:
In terms of amino acid content, hemp is a high-quality plant protein.
A light powder that contains all 8 essential amino acids and is rich in protein. Omega 3 (including GLA) and Dietary Fibre are both necessary fatty acids.
Hemp protein is very easily digested, with hemp nuts digestion exceeding 90%. Other non-essential amino acids, such as arginine, are abundant in hemp protein.
10. Planet Paleo Pure Collagen
Benefits:
- Planet Paleo Pure Collagen Small 105g, provides a high-strength shot of hydrolysed collagen
- Contains 100% highly absorbable collagen peptides
- Grass-fed beef collagen from farms with superior animal welfare
Scientific facts:
A study of the Journal of Medical Nutrition shows that collagen supplementation can help reduce the effects of ageing, such as reducing wrinkles and improving elasticity.
Another study on the Journal of Skin Pharmacoligy and Physiology shows that women who took the supplements had higher elasticity and moisture levels without having any side effects.
What the expert says
We've interviewed Anne-marie O’Shea, the technical Specialist in Nutrition at Future Fit Training. Anne-Marie is a nutritionist with over 15 years of experience. She has a degree in Nutritional Sciences from University College Cork and an MSc in Public Health Nutrition from Southampton University.
We asked her thoughts on Creatine and Proteines found on workout supplements.
What is Creatine and what does it do?
'Creatine is a compound found naturally in meat, poultry and fish. It can be taken in supplement form as creatine monohydrate and is sometimes added to sports foods such as meal replacement drinks.
Creatine acts on the phosphocreatine energy system that powers short bursts of high-intensity activities such as sprints and weightlifting. It has been shown to aid short bursts of muscular performance, potentially helping you to sustain maximum effort for longer and enabling faster recovery between repeated, high intensity sets.
It’s worth noting that creatine supplementation can result in weight gain of 1–2kg due to increased muscle cell volume resulting from water retention. It should also be avoided by anyone with liver or kidney dysfunction.'
Why should you use Protein supplements?
'If your workout includes some weight training you may benefit from additional protein to help build and repair muscle tissue.
This extra requirement can fairly easily be met through a balanced diet but many people use protein powders for convenience.
The two most popular are whey and casein. Casein causes a much more gradual and prolonged increase in blood levels of amino acids than whey. This is why it is often referred to as ‘slow’ and whey as ‘fast’.
Casein may not increase muscle protein synthesis as much as whey protein but it is better at slowing muscle breakdown. This means there is a role for both whey and casein in building and repairing muscle so a protein powder that contains both is ideal.
Soya protein powder is a good alternative for vegans. It is best to consume protein in small amounts regularly throughout the day including before and after a workout, rather than in large amounts less frequently. It is also worth noting that there is an upper limit beyond which additional protein does not provide any additional benefit. This is approximately 2g per kilogram body weight per day.'
FAQs
Do workout supplements help build muscle?
Yes, workout supplements can help to build muscle – but they can’t do it alone. You need to have a nutritionally balanced diet and a strong workout routine to grow your muscles and your strength or stamina.
What workout supplements are proven to work?
While it depends largely on the kind of discipline that you’re aiming to get better at, protein and creatine are essential for improvements in both your physique and your performance. Creatine will help you to perform better during exercise, leading to greater strength and more gains over time. Protein is also critical for gaining muscle, and helping you to stay fuller for longer if you’re trying to tackle your diet. Caffeine will give you an energy boost for workouts, and can be essential for runners when tackling longer distances or speedwork.
Can you grow your muscle without supplements?
You can grow your muscles without supplementation, but it will be much harder for you. Your diet will have to be nearly perfect, and you won’t see results as fast as you would while supplementing.
Conclusion
Caffeine and creatine are two workout substances that can help you perform better in high-intensity, difficult physical activities like marathon training or power lifting.
A balanced diet rich in healthy carbs, protein, and water, on the other hand, is enough to fuel the body for moderate physical activity, such as an hour of running or cycling.
Because workout supplements are not subject to FDA scrutiny for safety or efficacy, you should speak with a doctor before adding them into your exercise regimen to see if there are any potential issues if you have any medical concerns.
