How Long Do Pre-Workout Supplements Stay in Your System?

Pre-workout supplements come in many different forms (powder, tablets, bars etc.) and are used to give you that added punch you need during a workout.

Firstly, one of the main questions that people ask when it comes to Pre-workout supplements is ‘how long do they stay in your system?’. Unfortunately, there is no straight answer for this. Often, most pre-workout supplements stay in your system for approximately 60 to 90 minutes, but this can change on a whole host of factors, such as the quality of the supplement and your own physical condition.

What is pre-workout?

Pre-workout is a sports supplement that is used to improve your training session and enhance performance. Once set aside for the elite athletes, it is now a supplement used by all experience levels.

In order for the supplement to work, you take it before a workout to boost your energy levels, allowing the mind and body to be more focused during training. In this day and age with our constantly busy lives, pre-workout can be a good way to help you get the most out of your training session and give you the extra push you need.

There are different ingredients in different brands of pre-workout, however, the 4 most common ingredients are caffeine, Creatine, nitric oxide and beta alanine. These ingredients all offer various benefits to the body to stimulate it and prepare for an intense workout.

Why should I take pre-workout?

If you are looking to improve your fitness performance in any way shape or form then pre-workout could be the perfect supplement for you. Depending on what your goals are will depend on your reason for using it:

Enhance strength & power

If you are trying to get a PB on a deadlift in the gym, or get a great pump during your strength session then pre-workout will help with both of these. The caffeine and Creatine in most supplements will give you more energy to perform the lifts you might have been struggling with previously.

As well as this, the caffeine will stimulate beta endorphin generation which then leads to your neurotransmitters getting a boost that will tolerate against fatigue. Therefore, your muscles will be able to power on for longer without feeling tired as quickly.

Boost endurance

Looking to improve the time on your 5km? Or even training for a marathon? Then pre-workout can come in handy for you too. The beta-alanine will fight against fatigue and keep your body pushing that little bit extra. When you think you’ve got nothing left in the tank, the pre-workout will kick in and push you to your limits.

How long will pre-workout stay in my system?

As we said earlier, that depends on a variety of factors, but most pre-workout supplements will last around 60 to 90 minutes. Things that will determine how long they stay in your system are:

Dosage

The more pre-workout you take then the longer it will take to be used and therefore it will stay in your system longer. There will be different suggested dosages depending on your gender and weight, however most companies will have recommended guidelines. You should ensure you stick to these guidelines, otherwise an overdose of pre-workout can have negative side effects.

Quality

The quality of the pre-workout can be brand dependent and certain brands may also have different levels of strength in their pre-workout. On top of this, it depends which ingredients are in it. Beta-alanine and caffeine will usually last around 60 to 90 minutes, whereas nitric oxide and Creatine can have a longer lasting effect on the body.

Weight and Diet

This point goes back to dosage, if you are a bodybuilder with a large percentage of muscle mass, then you will need a larger dose than a beginner with a much smaller muscle mass.

Along with this, diet also has an impact on how long pre-workout stays in your system. If you consume a lot of food then this will slow your digestive process down. As a result, your digestive enzymes will be working hard to break down the food and therefore be too busy focusing on the digestive process to utilise the nutrients in the pre-workout properly.

However, it is also recommended that you don’t take pre-workout on a totally empty stomach as this can lead to nausea and headaches.

Conclusion

If increasing your power or prolonging your endurance strength is on your list of training goals then pre-workout supplements could be an option for you. On the other hand, if you’ve had a hard day at work and you need that boost then pre-workout will give you the boost you need to get a good training session in. Remember to try and keep your session to 60-90 minutes as this is the average time the supplement will stay in your system.