Why Cycle A Pre-Workout Supplement?

By Mark Robinson


Something that everyone should know about when using some form of pre-workout supplement is how to take time off. Your reading this right now tells me that you're no stranger to pre-wo's, and you can probably still recall your first time using one. You felt like you had unlimited energy, drive, and focus which produced some of the most productive workouts you'd ever had up to that point. But what happened then? A couple weeks later, you take the one scoop you took before, but feel nothing. Then two or three scoops, and you feel something but not more energy. You actually start feeling more tired than before the supplement.

This can be incredibly confusing and frustrating, and more and more people are starting to experience this. How could it possibly make me more tired? This article isn't here to tell you not to use them; I'm a long time fan myself! What it will do is teach you why you're feeling this, and a few wise decisions that can help you to go beyond it. This will keep up your intense gym schedule, and allow you to enjoy using these supplements for years to come without making them ineffective.

So Why Are You Crashing?

Nearly all pre-workout supplements contain a pretty big dose of caffeine along with some other stimulants like Yohimbe extract and others. The recently removed 1 3 dimethylamylamine (DMAA) ingredient was also a big factor in producing the crash we're talking about, but it has been banned nowadays. Basically, when you consume stimulants, it sends a message to your brain to release adrenaline and cortisol into the blood stream. These are both produced by the adrenal glands. In a sense, you can think of those as two little fuel tanks for our bodies (one is located on each kidney).

As we begin to consistently take in high levels of stimulants with pre-workouts, you start to put more and more stress on these glands, but they do have a maximum output each day. And so, with them being worked harder to produce these chemicals, the body does not have enough time to refuel them properly. So how do we keep them on full as much as we can?

By "Cycling" Your Pre-Workout Supplement!

If you can restrict yourself to taking your pre-workout supplement for fairly short cycles of between 4-6 weeks, followed by 1-2 weeks of very low stimulant consumption - this will allow your adrenal glands to fully recuperate and get your routine back on track. During this week, you'll need to stay strong, which I know can be tough. This means no fat burners, energy drinks, pre-workout supplements, party drugs, or anything with caffeine. Some people, myself included, like to take advantage of stimulant free pre-workout supplements here as well. This can lead to some withdrawal symptoms like headaches, anxiety, and low energy levels, but trust me it will be worth it in the end. It will be just like the first time you used your pre-workout, all over again. Thank you for reading!




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