The Australian government adopts the policy of encouraging its citizens to follow a healthy diet and regular physical activity. This initiative strengthened more after a 2019 study, which revealed that one in every two Australian adults did not comply with their physical activity guidelines. Also, the said report showed approximately 70% of Australian within the 2 to 17-year-old age bracket did not meet the same guidelines.
Moreover, another report claimed that 67% of Australian adults are obese, which lead to the search for the best pre workout powder Australia.
In the past, toast and bananas were considered the best pre-workout food. Then again, with the introduction of pre-workout supplements, these workout staples were quickly replaced. While a vast majority of the people who seriously work out were convinced about the effectiveness and safety of these supplements, there are still those who are quite hesitant.
So, what’s inside these pre-workout supplements? Are they safe? Check the facts below.
Carb versus calorie-free supplements
While there are supplements that contain carbs, most of them are calorie or carb-free. Some also contain beet juice, caffeine, and amino acids like ornithine, citrulline, and arginine. All these will rev your body’s “fight or flight” response up. They can also make your blood vessels dilate and increase the volume of blood going in and out of your muscles. Some supplements also come with deer antler velvet that helps improve the insulin growth factor in your body. This is responsible for increasing your tissue and muscle growth while you are undergoing resistance training. All the ingredients mentioned above, along with creatine monohydrate, are proven to improve exercise performance.
Carbohydrates
Carbs are the most common workout fuel. If you search online for pre-workout powder in Australia, you can see supplements with carbs as their main ingredient. This is your body’s primary source of energy, and even experts recommend that you consume carbs before your workout.
In fact, in a study published by Asker Jeukendrup, it was reported that various pieces of evidence support the use of multiple ranges of carbohydrates from different athletic applications. This includes taking 30 grams or 60 grams every hour during certain endurance events. You can rinse a carbohydrate solution and have your body ready for sprint events.
When you exercise at high-intensities like lifting sessions, indoor cycling classes, and boot camps, your body spends high levels of glycogen and blood glucose. These serve as your body’s primary energy sources.
Caffeine
Aside from carbs, caffeine is also a known energy-booster. Being a stimulant, it heightens alertness and keeps one active. Various research studies also prove caffeine’s ability to increase your energy while decreasing the feeling that you are working hard. This theory asserts that caffeine burns more fat to be used by your body as upfront fuel. It then preserves the glycogen in the body, making you work out longer and harder without feeling tired. As you intensify your workout, your body also uses all the energy you store until you tucker out.
Beetroot juice
Compared to caffeine and carbs, the ability of beetroot juice to improve your body’s endurance to strict workout routines has not been widely recognized yet. However, a 2017 review supported the hypothesis that the concoction can increase your body’s nitric oxide level and subsequently use it to improve your cardiovascular performance. You can buy beet root powder on its own if you want to have flexibility with what you add it to. Its considered a super-food and has numerous health benefits.
Staying fit and healthy takes a lot of effort. Aside from making sure you eat a balanced diet, you also need to engage in physical activities. However, as soon as you get to see results and changes in your body, you can get addicted to keeping fit. And if you are the kind to take physical training seriously, finding the right pre-workout supplement can make the whole journey more worthwhile.
