Pre-workout supplements are sports nutrition products intended to increase your energy levels for weight training and other types of workouts. These supplements contain ingredients that may help you maintain endurance or strength throughout your workouts. Not all formulations are the same, so some products may affect you more than others. Consult a doctor before using these or other supplements.
Gaspari Super Pump 250
Gaspari Nutrition is a supplement company that produces a wide range of sports nutrition products, including Super Pump 250, which was named the Best Muscle Builder in Bodybuilding.com's 2010 Supplement Awards. This supplement contains creatine, caffeine and other ingredients to increase your energy levels.
BSN NO-Xplode
BSN NO-Xplode is a pre-workout supplement named Best Nitric Oxide product in Bodybuilding.com's 2010 Supplement Awards. Nitric oxide products contain arginine, which is purported to improve blood flow, which may improve exercise performance. NO-Xplode contains creatine along with arginine, a combination that research from the October 2008 issue of the "International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism" found can increase muscle endurance and power output.
VPX Meltdown
VPX Meltdown is an energy-enhancing supplement that contains caffeine, yohimbine and other stimulants that may help you fight fatigue during workouts. According to research published in the August 2009 issue of "Lipids in Health and Disease," VPX Meltdown may also increase your metabolic rate and your rate of fat burning.
AllMax Nutrition Muscle Prime
AllMax Nutrition Muscle Prime contains caffeine and a number of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. One powerful amino acid in Muscle Prime is leucine, which research from the June 2010 issue of "Muscle & Nerve" found could promote retention of muscle even without exercise.
BioQuest Alpha Fury
BioQuest Alpha Fury is among the best pre-workout supplements of 2011, according to supplement retailer ProSource.net. This supplement contains arginine to encourage enhanced blood flow, as well as glycine propionyl-L-carnitine, which may improve recovery and promote an increase in energy.
USP Labs Jack3d
USP Labs Jack3d was rated the second-best pre-workout supplement in ProSource.net's 2011 supplement awards. This supplement contains creatine, caffeine and beta alanine, which research from the June 2010 issue of "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise" found can increase exercise performance.
Labrada Super Charge
Labrada Super Charge is similar to many other pre-workout supplements because it contains creatine, caffeine and amino acids. According to fitness expert Dr. David Ryan, this product stands out for its ability to increase energy and endurance.
Universal Nutrition Shock Therapy
Universal Nutrition Shock Therapy is a pre-workout supplement that contains caffeine, creatine and antioxidants. As Universal explains, the inclusion of antioxidants helps prevent damage from free radicals produced when nitric oxide is created.
Xtreme Formulations Vengeance
Vengeance is a supplement that contains creatine, leucine, caffeine and a beneficial ingredient known as arachidonic acid. As supplement and fitness expert William Llewellyn explains, arachidonic acid stimulates muscle protein synthesis and muscle growth. Strength training decreases your body's stores of arachidonic acid, so a supplement such as Vengeance can help restore the supply.
Optimum Nutrition Essential AmiN.O. Energy
Optimum Nutrition Essential AmiN.O. Energy is a pre-workout supplement that contains caffeine, amino acids and green tea extract. In addition, this supplement contains beta alanine, which a study from the June 2010 issue of "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise" found can improve performance in high-intensity exercise.
References
- Bodybuilding.com: 2010 Supplement Award Winners
- "International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism"; Creatine, Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate, Amino Acids, And Medium-Chain Triglycerides And Endurance And Performance; J.P. Little, et al.; October 2008
- "Lipids in Health and Disease"; Effect Of The Dietary Supplement Meltdown On Catecholamine Secretion, Markers Of Lipolysis, And Metabolic Rate In Men And Women: A Randomized, Placebo Controlled, Cross-Over Study; R.J. Bloomer, et al.; August 2009
- "Muscle & Nerve"; Leucine Attenuates Skeletal Muscle Wasting Via Inhibition Of Ubiquitin Ligases; I.L. Baptista, et al.; June 2010
- ProSource.net: 2011 Best Seller Awards
- "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise"; Role Of Beta-Alanine Supplementation On Muscle Carnosine And Exercise Performance; G.G. Artioli, et al.; June 2010
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