Nation,
As an additional post in relation to the one I did on supplements in general I now want to focus on pre-workouts. These types of supplements have the highest incidence of illegal or banned substance use and user deaths than any other supplements. I also want to say you never see issues with supplements from established vendors like Optimum Nutrition and BSN. This is because they have built substantial businesses based on the reputation and quality of their products. Any scandal would result in the loss of millions of dollars.
The reason pre-workouts are of considerable concern is because people are always looking for an easier way to make their workouts more energetic. My personal opinion is these are unneccessary products if you eat a nutritious diet and get plenty of rest. These become more of a mental or physical crutch just like smokers get addicted to nicotine. I believe it is best to train your body to deliver energy on demand naturally not with the aid of external substances. At the end of the day, it is your personal choice and this is just my opinion.
I wanted to write this post as I have been seeing numerous posts lately asking about pre-workouts and which ones to use. My word of advice and caution is this: like steroids greatly enhance muscle growth in humans external stimulants like caffeine and amphetamines do the same for workout energy. As I have stated before, the supplement industry is not regulated or monitored by the FDA or the FTC. This means supplement companies are free to use whatever ingredients they want and make whatever claims they want virtually oversight free. Supplement companies know that while caffeine and some herbs are nice only amphetamine class chemicals will give their product the "jolt factor" to separate them from the pack so you will buy it. There are many different chemical names and compounds that fall under the class of drugs that are amphetamines. In the U.S. and most of the world, these are ILLEGAL compounds and some are only legal under the prescription of a doctor. There is a reason for this because amphetamines are extremely dangerous when used in an unsupervised manner and can damage your CNS, heart, and brain. Even some natural herbs like Ginseng can KILL in high dosages. Most amphetamines are derived from chemicals plants make to defend themselves from insects and pests. Nicotine is a perfect example. It is designed to destroy the nervous system of insects munching on the leaves of a tobacco plant. We are much larger than insects so nicotine has a stimulant effect on us. You may think that because you are young or only use them before a workout your risk is reduced. You are sadly mistaken. Using these chemicals is no different than snorting a bunch of cocaine before your workout. Just remember you are just one busted blood vessel away from being a paraplegic vegetable in a wheel chair - and it only takes ONE time. This visual is dramatic and it is intended to be. The potential risk is real and if you have ever met anyone who has had a stroke you know what happens. Amphetamines greatly increase your blood pressure which is already raised when you workout. It doesn't take much even in a healthy individual to have something give way - resulting in paralysis or death.
My advice to the Nation is to avoid all pre-workouts from unknown or un-established supplement providers and with market worthy names like "Jacked", "Craze", etc. Look at the ingredients list and if it looks like something a PhD in Chemistry would understand or lists exotic flowers or herbs avoid it. Just because it sounds natural or may be natural does NOT mean it is safe. Avoid supplements with generic ingredient names like "CNS Stimulant Complex". These are "legal" ways to hide illegal or banned substances as the FDA does not require full disclosure. Remember what happened to Rob Riches a couple years back with the Craze pre-workout he used. He failed a drug test and tested postive for metabolites of amphetamines. Whether you believe his story or not about being drug free, he fell victim to a supplement he bought in a health store. The owner of the company that made it, Designer Supplements, has been indicted by the U.S. government numerous times for using illegal and banned substances - some that have been banned since the 1930s because they are so deadly. He is still out and about and is now coming out with Craze II. How you ask? Because currently the FDA and FTC do not have the powers to put someone like this away for good. "Caveat Emptor" - "Let the Buyer Beware"
John
