It is no secret that for a regular gym goer, the energy resources that he or she should take are plenty. The debate is which is the best option? The four primary options available are energy drinks, coffee, pre-workout supplements, or nothing at all.
Of course, what you choose is ultimately dependent on the one you prefer. However, most people find it difficult to choose between coffee and pre-workout supplements. Listed below are the pros of both these sources so that you can make an informed decision.
About pre workout supplements
Of course, each person aims to get the maximum benefits he or she can from the exercise session they perform. Pre workout supplements guarantee to help you achieve just that! For this reason, trying out one of the numerous supplements available in the market becomes tempting before you start your workout session.
When you take such a supplement, you are ultimately hoping to gain an increase in the energy levels, endurance levels, and muscle power during the workout session.
What do pre workout supplements contain?
Usually, these supplements consist of a blend of mysterious 7 ingredients that vary from creatine to caffeine, and even to guarana. This brings up a critical question; are the supplements even safe to take?
According to experts, supplements have ingredients that can increase the flow of blood around the body, speed up the rate at which the heart beats, increase blood flow towards the skin, improve focus, and even make your skin tingle!
However, one thing that people often ignore is that all of these mentioned effects do not make the person faster, bigger, or even stronger. The truth is that the supplements only provide individuals with an edge but only if they push themselves to the maximum limit.
Almost all of the supplements that you see in the market contain creatine. The function of creatine is to boost the production of energy in the muscle cells. Moreover, it draws fluids from the plasma to the skeletal muscle.
This, in turn, improves the performance of the muscles. The bottom line is that while a majority of the workout supplements are not detrimental to health, however, there is hardly any scientific research or proof supporting the claims a lot of such supplements make.
Can coffee substitute pre workout supplements?
Coffee has a number of benefits which is also why you should consider taking it instead of a pre-workout supplement.
Perhaps the biggest advantage that you can get from drinking coffee is the fat burning properties. When coffee is consumed before an exercise session, it causes the fat cells to burn and function as the source of energy instead of glycogen. Moreover, black coffee consists of a high amount of caffeine which plays a significant role in increasing the rate of metabolism. Consequently, you tend to burn a greater number of calories throughout your day.
Caffeine, along with the other chemicals that are present in coffee, functions as an appetite suppressant. Consequently, you consume a lesser amount of calories overall.
Apart from providing you with increased amount of energy to help you get through the day, caffeine also has the ability to improve your mental focus too. Improved focus, in turn, contributes to making workouts more efficient and increasingly productive.
Moreover, with caffeine, you can complete a greater number of reps at higher resistance. Similarly, you tend to run longer and faster during your cardio sessions. One other advantage of caffeine is that it can protect the body from various diseases because of the antioxidants it contains.
Final verdict
The decision is up to you now that you know the pros of both pre workout supplements and coffee (specifically caffeine). If you decide to take pre workout supplements just take care that you check its safety.
