Should you cycle your pre-workout?
Posted by Jordan Acheson on
Multi-ingredient pre-workouts are the firm favourite supplement of many avid gym-goers. With many different brands to choose from, modern day products vary in their specialties. Many provide skin splitting pumps, a surge of energy, or an impenetrable sense of focus. Some even combine all these effects together! Whatever product you choose, all pre-workouts sold at The Little Supplement Company are top draw.
Given pre-workouts profound ergogenic effects, it is commonly suggested that users should cycle these products in and out of their supplement regimens. Indeed, it would be wise to limit the continuous use of products which are high in stimulants, as there is a possibility of desensitisation with excessive use. This often leads individuals to use double, or even triple the amount of servings to regain the same buzz they once experienced before. However, exceeding serving suggestions is unadvised as high doses of stimulants can bring upon undesirable side effects, such as nausea, loss of appetite, heart palpitations and insomnia. Furthermore, as many stimulants play a profound role in dopamine secretion, individuals may develop addiction, whereby frequent doses are needed to maintain a sense of normality.
Products which are non-stimulatory can be used frequently as it is less likely for tolerance to build. Such pre-workouts are primarily designed to improve blood flow to the muscle, providing increased nutrient delivery and a head-turning pump. However, many products can now also foster a sense of stimulation without actually including stimulants. These products utilise nootropics to increase mental focus and determination, placing the individual in an ideal cognitive state to train hard and accurately.
To conclude, it is recommended that stimulatory pre-workouts, such as NVRENUF's Ultimate Impact, should be used sparingly to reduce unwanted side effects and maintain tolerance. An example of this may be 1-2x p/w for your hardest training sessions. For sessions which are not as physically taxing (i.e arms), utilising a non-stimulant pump based pre-workout, such as DNA's Thank Pump For That, may be more viable. However, if you do consume heavy stimulant pre workouts frequently, it would be prudent to take 1-2 week breaks from use entirely every few months to regain sensitivity.