Lately, though, its thepre-workout supplements category thats been getting a lot of attention.

(Not all of it good.)

But now it seems like every exerciser (at least on social media) is talking about pre-workout.

PreEnergyBoost

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If I want to get in a good workout, I need pre-workout.

This workout is so hard.

I cant believe I forgot to take my pre-workout!

Seriously, you dont take pre-workout?

Turns out, while some pre-workouts may contain safe, energy-boosting ingredients, others can be pointlessorpotentially harmful.

Here’s what you’re gonna wanna know before joining the pre-workout faithful.

What is pre-workout?

Why do people take pre-workout?

But does pre-workout actually do these things?

The ones that dont work are ineffective at best, and dangerous for your health at worst.

Heres what you should probably know.

What are the benefits of pre-workout?

Heres a brief overview of what the research indicates they might do for you.

Creatine monohydrate is often included in pre-workout formulas.

you’re able to take creatine monohydrate pre-workout, post-workout, or at 8:49 p.m., Fear says.

This can make your muscles look slightly bigger and weigh a bit more.

The strongest research on HMB is actually on workout recovery.

(Its also been found to be safe and well tolerated.)

What are the possible harms of taking pre-workout?

All workout-performance questions aside, safety is a big concern here since pre-workout supplements are not regulated by theU.S.

Food and Drug Administration(FDA) in the same way that drugs are.

BothNSFandInformed Choicefollow a strict vetting process to verify the quality and purity of supplements.

Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health.

(Its also possible to overdose, but its rare.)

What else should you know before taking pre-workout?

And in this case, if youre eating whole foods, youll know exactly what youre getting.

Ansari agrees that a food-first approach is best.

Basically, before you roll delving into pre-workout, double-check your basics are on point first, says Ansari.

(ensure you stick to the serving size and take as directed.

Additional reporting by Christa Sgobba.