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It used to be that you ate a banana or piece of toast before a tough workout, and that was sufficient. But now, it seems like everyone in the gym is talking about a pre-workout supplement—colloquially referred to as “pre-workout.”
“If I want to get in a good workout, I need pre-workout.” “Oh my God! This workout is so hard. I can’t believe I forgot to take my pre-workout!” “Seriously, you don’t take pre-workout?”
As a trainer and regular gym-goer, I’ve heard these lines from everyone—from female clients to random guys attempting to hit on me by the weight racks.
For the record, no, I don’t take a pre-workout supplement, nor do I recommend you take one either. But since I know how often people talk about these supplements and how heavily marketed they’ve become, I decided to talk to sports dietitians to get their take. Turns out, while some pre-workouts may contain safe, energy-boosting ingredients, others can be pointless—or potentially harmful. Here’s what you need to know before joining the pre-workout faithfuls at your gym: