Your gym clothes are on, your sneakers are laced, and you’re ready to hit the weights: all that’s left is to take your pre-workout. But if you dread that itchy, tingly feeling that often happens after taking pre-workout, you’re not alone: many people experience this uncomfortable side effect when using pre-workout powders or supplements. Fortunately, there are techniques you can use to nix that itchy feeling and focus on your workout. Keep reading to learn exactly why pre-workout makes you itch and what you can do to get rid of it and focus on your exercise routine.
Things You Should Know
- Pre-workout makes some people itch because of beta-alanine. This amino acid can cause a side effect that causes tingling and itching.
- Stop the pre-workout itch by splitting up your pre-workout into multiple doses.
- Alternatively, try a sustained-release pre-workout or a pre-workout made without beta-alanine to avoid any uncomfortable side effects.
Steps
Expert Q&A
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QuestionCan pre-workout have negative effects?Pete Cerqua is a Certified Personal Trainer and Nutritionist. Pete is also a five-time best-selling author of books including "The 90-Second Fitness Solution" and "High Intensity Fitness Revolution for Women/Men" published by Simon and Schuster and Skyhorse Publishing. Pete has over 20 years of personal training and nutrition coaching experience and operates the 90-Second Fitness flagship studio in New York City.It definitely can, especially if you aren't healthy enough when you start using it. It's really important to make sure you get your health on point before you start exercising and using pre-workout formulas—if you're not healthy enough, pre-workout formulas can actually harm you.
Tips
- New users of pre-workout are more likely to experience itching and tingling. As you get more accustomed to using pre-workout, the itchiness will likely decrease (and may even go away completely). [9] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to sourceThanks
Warnings
- Some people use creatine for their pre-workout, while others use a caffeine-based supplement to get their heart rate up and warm up their muscles before exercising. Although these options add in a little more intensity, do not use them unless your health is in check. If you're not healthy enough, those things can actually harm you. Consult a doctor before using a pre-workout or starting an exercise regimen.Thanks
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about working out, check out our in-depth interview with Pete Cerqua .
References
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3491570/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4501114/
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30003336/
- ↑ https://greatist.com/discover/best-pre-workout#the-best-pre-workout
- ↑ https://totalshape.com/supplements/best-pre-workout-without-beta-alanine/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3491570/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4501114/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4501114/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4501114/