You’ve probably been in the following situation: in your gym, you and your friends are discussing how much you can lift from the bench and what color liquid is in your shakers. Everyone takes out boxes with flashy neon letters and lightning bolts from their bags. And a great debate begins over whose pre-workout supplement is stronger and how it helped them achieve new PRs in the gym.

A large number of gym users take pre-workout supplements – the jet fuel of the fitness industry. A mixture of caffeine and other substances that is supposed to give you an extra boost of energy and concentration to make your workout more effective. However, there are thousands of horror stories on the Internet that escalate even to a fatal outcome due to excessive intake of pre-workout supplements with dozens of side effects and questionable ingredients. But which one should you believe? Will pre-workout supplements help you or hurt you more?

What are pre-workout supplements?

If your only source of information is fitness influencers on TikTok or the most enthusiastic “dad” at the gym, we’re here to give you an objective perspective on the subject. Generally speaking, pre-workouts are drinks or powders that are taken shortly before a workout to provide extra energy for your workout.

Some of the key ingredients in many pre-workout supplements are beta-alanine, which helps with muscle endurance, L-arginine or L-citrulline, which improve blood circulation, and, of course, caffeine for extra energy. Pre-workout supplements often also contain electrolytes, other amino acids, and creatine, which help you stay hydrated, perform better in the gym, and build muscle faster and easier.

People really love the feeling of being “pumped up,” they love that energy they get at the gym, and the “pins and needles” that everyone describes.

Even if it’s pure placebo for some, a pre-workout supplement can help the body’s processes.

Sounds great – but what’s the catch?

Are pre-workouts effective?

The biggest question you need to ask yourself is whether pre-workouts can provide you with benefits that you can’t get otherwise? That depends entirely on your habits and behaviors outside of the gym.

Supplements can’t compensate for a poor and unbalanced diet. If you’re taking a pre-workout supplement but you’re eating an unhealthy diet or not eating enough food for your workout, you won’t get the benefits you want. If you’re not fueling properly, a pre-workout supplement will give you energy, but it won’t give your body the workout and recovery it needs to grow and continue to perform well in the gym.

Pre-workouts can be effective—but that doesn’t mean you should rely on them alone for your workouts. In the long run, you shouldn’t rely too much on the focus that comes from two fingers of colored liquid in a cup. Half of the muscle building workout is about building your own mental strength – the so-called “mind-muscle connection” and the ability to motivate yourself. At least sometimes you should try to achieve this without a pre-workout supplement. Think of supplements like a weightlifting belt: you should only use it after you’ve exhausted your own capabilities.

How to Combine Caffeine with a Pre-Workout Supplement?

Most of us drink a lot of coffee. You probably drink it too, or you have another caffeinated beverage that you like to incorporate into your daily routine. That means you’re already consuming caffeine—and it’s important to understand how that fits in with a pre-workout supplement.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, about 400 milligrams of caffeine per day (which is about four cups of coffee) is considered “safe and moderate consumption,” and 200 milligrams of caffeine is considered a safe single dose. If the caffeine content in a pre-workout supplement exceeds this limit, or if you take caffeine right after a cup of coffee or another caffeinated beverage, it could be harmful. Make sure the dosage you’re taking is not only for the purpose of better workout performance, but also reasonable for your overall health.

One important factor to consider when taking a pre-workout supplement with caffeine is the timing of its intake. Consuming caffeine later in the day can disrupt one of the most important factors in your recovery: sleep. Even just 100 milligrams of caffeine in your system can lead to bad habits or poor sleep quality.

Around 2 or 3 p.m. is a good time to cut back on caffeine. In addition to this more mindful intake, establish a consistent evening routine and regular meals to build healthy habits. This means that if you train in the evening, a pre-workout supplement may not be the right choice for you.

Should you take a pre-workout supplement?

The answer depends on the foundation you’ve built. Pre-workouts aren’t harmful, but they shouldn’t replace proper rest and recovery between workouts. A pre-workout supplement can’t make up for, say, only three hours of sleep the night before.

Before you even consider taking a pre-workout supplement, you need to make sure your foundation is solid. Are you sleeping well? Are you eating right? Are you exercising enough? Are you managing stress well? Once you answer “YES” to these questions, you can choose a pre-workout supplement.

Pre-workouts should be used as a “secret weapon” on days when you really need it, not as part of your training routine. Otherwise, taking them will quickly become a weakness. If you’re already used to pre-workouts and are desperate for a new workout boost, consider slowly tapering them off. Experts recommend limiting your intake to once a week (or a maximum of two if you have an intense training program). Save your pre-workout supplement for your least demanding workouts or for days when you feel exhausted. This will help you in two ways – you will optimize the effects of caffeine and you will learn to feel how your body feels, instead of relying on supplements out of habit.

And a word of caution: If you have problems with both your physical and mental health, consult your doctor before using any pre-workout supplements.

Used correctly, pre-workout supplements can improve your results in the gym and help you achieve your goals faster. But first, it is important to build a good plan of action to extract the positives before facing the negatives head-on.