Sometimes You Need Supplements, Sometimes You Don’t

The reality is that athletes, no matter how talented, dedicated and motivated they are, don’t always have the stamina or endurance to push themselves to where they think they need to be. And that’s where the trending, oversized pre-workout supplements online industry steps in. We all want to perform better and faster, and they always show on these promises with products that are designed to improve and boost performance, crush fatigue, extend power, and more. You already know how you feel when you don’t get enough sleep cranky and lethargic. But chronic sleep deprivation has very real consequences in the pool, and perhaps more importantly, to your long term overall health and development. Taking pre-workout to mask the sleepiness and sleep deprivation can keep you chugging along a little while longer while putting off the inevitable crash, encouraging less optimal sleep habits and short-cutting recovery. Why some pre-workout supplements online product gives you a headache if you ask? It depends on the formula, but many have vasodilator compounds in them, or ingredients that cause your blood vessels to expand. This dilates, among others, the blood vessels in your head, which can cause a headache.

The specific vasodilator is typically the amino acid arginine, which increases nitric oxide in the body. The idea behind including this is that at rest, a large part of your vascular beds are closed. In theory, you could take in nutrients or remove waste products better because you have more blood circulating. Some pre-workouts claim this may actually have anabolic effects and can cause muscle growth. But, if you keep getting headaches, see your physician and consider switching to a supplement that doesn’t have this ingredient. Though note that it might have other vasodilators that could cause the same problem. Notice in any generic supplement store and you’re going to see it or better yet, you’ve probably heard of it. Now days there are countless pre-workout supplements online products that simply are not designed to help your goals. We’re talking about of supplements whose ingredients are based on how they can make your brain feel and not how they can help support your body. This is achieved through a combination of the overuse of inexpensive stimulants and the absence of quality BCAAs and power molecules that results in a supplement that’s short-term sensational and incredibly profitable for its maker. What it does is drains your adrenal glands, keeps you awake at night increasing stress hormones, and ultimately makes you jump on the next supplement they make in hopes of that one producing better results. When you glance at the label of a lot of pre-workout powders you not only see a few made-up ingredients, but sometimes a laundry list of vitamins, amino acids, creatine, and much more. The sheer number of ingredients can fool a swimmer into thinking that they are getting what amounts to a well-balanced meal with their pre-workout shake, and as a result, it can lead to some less than stellar eating habits. A supplement should be exactly that, something is complimentary to a full and healthy diet.