Does Pre-Workout Go Bad?

The primary purpose of supplement intake is to provide vital nutrients that the body needs for a specific function. But if we talk about pre-workout, people take it to feel a very particular effect. The benefits of it depend on the ingredients it contains. Some are used to improve mental clarity and focus, and some are used to get intense energy for a training session.
We take a supplement to feel its effect, but to ensure its effectiveness is something we usually ignore until it gets late. Therefore, fitness enthusiasts need to know there is a possibility that pre-workout can go wrong or expire. Is it safe to use after the expiry date if it loses potency?

Explanation of a Pre-Workout:

Pre-workouts are a valuable energy source to increase focus and are taken before a workout. They are a proven source of improving performance by increasing training volume. Moreover, it speeds up the loss of body fat. This is best to intake when you participate in gym fitness challenges. This supplement is available in various forms, like caffeine, beta-alanine, and amino acids.

Ingredients of Pre-Workout:

Caffeine:

It is one of the most commonly used stimulants by humans. It enhances brain activity, alertness, and energy levels. This makes it useful for both study and exercise.

Beta-Alanine:

This is a source of reducing the feeling of fatigue during exercise. Furthermore, it gives you more efficiency and endurance during a workout.

Creatine:

This chemical is found in supplements that boost muscle mass and strength. This ingredient does so by helping your muscles to produce more ATP. This encourages optimal muscle function.

Citrulline Malate:

This is an amino acid that is found in citrulline. It is a substance produced by your body during the workout. This ingredient increases the amino acid flow in the body for improving muscle endurance.

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Beta-Phenylethylamine HCL:

This is the source of increasing alertness and energy levels. Apart from other stimulants, it calms nerves and decreases anxiety.

Pyridoxal Phosphate:

It is famous as a muscle relaxant and treats various muscle diseases like dystrophy.

Pre-Workout Expiration:

People ignore focus on the expiration feature of a pre-workout. This is like any other supplement you take. Therefore, it has an expiry date.

Are There Any Chances of Pre-Workout Going Bad?

There is no high risk of pre-workout going bad. But it is possible if you don’t use it within a specified time. There is no time limit for the harmful effects of the pre-workout. So, it’s better to check the expiry date on the tub and use it within that duration because it’s not rational to risk your life by taking expired supplements.
The other reason that can cause your pre-workout to go wrong is the storage process of a product. Have you left it in your hot car? Did you place it in a humid place? Both these conditions can help bacteria grow and can contaminate the product.

How Can You Identify Whether the Pre-Workout Has Expired?

It’s not too difficult to say that this supplement has gone wrong. The best method is to check the expiry date on the tub. This can be anywhere between 6 months to 5 years in the future. However, there are some signs which can indicate this as well.

Signs Of Pre-Workout Expiration:

Here are some signs that indicate your supplement has got expired.

Color Change:

The color of the pre-workout change or fade over time. This can happen because of humidity or by being contaminated with bacteria.

Taste Change:

The supplement might taste differently throughout the expiration date. The reason might be the oxidization of the ingredient or a change in product quality.

Irritability:

The ingredients might irritate your throat or stomach, resulting in nausea or other sensations. The other reason can be bacterial growth in your old pre-workout.

Reduction in Athletic Performance:

There is a possibility of experiencing decreased energy or strength during a workout. Due to this, you won’t be able to reach the goals of weight loss or muscle gain. The product may also make you less focused than usual.

Clumpy:

This pre-workout shows the symptoms of bacterial growth. The water-based supplement might have gone wrong if it shows the following signs:

• Clumpy.
• Dries too quickly.
• Forms into a solid mass.

Is It Safe to Drink Pre-Workout If It Clumps?

The use of clumpy supplements may still be safe. If you identify rock-like clumps in it, inspect it thoroughly. Is it got expired? Have you seen molds forming on the powder? Does it smell spoiled? If any of the above conditions hold, throw it away. If they don’t, then use it.

Safety Concerns of Drinking Expired Pre-Workout Supplements:

The short and simple answer is “drinking expired pre-workout is unsafe.” There are two reasons why you should not intake expired supplements:

• The effectiveness of the ingredient starts cutting down over time. Resultantly, it can alter body processes and change your workout.
• There is a chance of experiencing severe health risks if consumed excessively. Some of them might contain harmful chemical compounds for humans.

Pre-Workouts Expire Faster After Opening a Container:

The oxidation state of the supplements depends on how long the ingredients will retain their potency. The chances of expiration increase when the container gets opened. This happens because pre-workout ingredients are sensitive to air, light, and heat. The elements that tend to go wrong first are caffeine and guarana. Therefore, I prefer to keep them in a perfect dark space.

Side Effects of Drinking Pre-Workout:

We are going to discuss here some possible drawbacks of this expired supplement. But it is also essential to note that other factors like eating toxic food or contaminants can be the reason too.

Insomnia:

Most of the time, caffeine is a part of pre-workout ingredients. It can be a cause of anxiety and insomnia in some people. If you feel it after taking supplements, immediately stop taking them.

Anxiety and Nervousness:

Some individuals may experience nervousness or increased heart rate after pre-workout intake. Even though all individuals don’t experience these drawbacks, caffeine could cause them.

Dehydration:

Some ingredients of the supplement are famous for causing dehydration. They also lead to weight gain because of enhanced water retention. Studies have revealed that creatine is the reason for water retention in the body and weight gain.

Itching Sensations:

There is a possibility of experiencing an itching sensation in the skin, face, throat, ears, or lips. The possible cause of it is beta-alanine found in the ingredients of pre-workout.

Stomach Upset:

This condition is also famous for the name “heat injury.” The ingredients which can cause this condition are given below:

• High caffeine content
• Sodium carbonate
• Magnesium

Headaches:

This is the most prevalent side effect reported by people who use pre-workout supplements. This supplement doesn’t need to be the primary reason behind your headache. The intake of inadequate amounts of water can be the important reason for it.

High Blood Pressure:

This is a long-term problem and can lead to serious health consequences. Heart disease is the most prevalent harmful consequence of high blood pressure. One contributing factor is the intake of certain pre-workout supplements. Therefore, if you’re suffering from high blood pressure, measure the risk of supplement intake.

How Can You Refrain Pre-Workouts from Going Bad Early?

These supplements go bad early if they get exposed to light and heat. So, here are some tips from which you can save them from getting worse.

Place Them in A Cool and Dry Space:

The container must be tightly closed in a calm and dark space. This saves ingredients from breaking down and losing their effectiveness.

Refrain from Light Exposure:

Never leave pre-workouts on the counter or in direct sunlight exposure. Ingredients will lose their potency, and the expiration process will speed up. Try to keep it in an opaque or dark-colored container. Avoid storing it near any heat source like radiators or stoves. This will increase the breakdown process of pre-workouts more than usual. Furthermore, please keep it away from open flames like candles to avoid degradation, specifically if it has amino acids like taurine or citrulline malate.

Never Freeze:

Freezing is not the solution to make your supplement last longer. The cold temperature can make caffeine anhydrous, and citrulline malate breaks down faster than at room temperature. However, it’s not prohibited to keep pre-workouts in a fridge. But if you want them to last longer, don’t do this.

Ensure that Caps are Tightly Sealed:

In the case of loose caps, moisture and air can enter the powder. Due to this, the chances of supplement spoilage increase. Moreover, open the container only if it is necessary.

Wrapping It Up:

Always remember that it can’t be considered safe in any way to use expired products, whether it’s a supplement, food, or drink. They can become cause harm to your health. If you have opened the container of a pre-workout, try to use it as soon as possible. The estimated time of using the supplement after opening it is within eight weeks. If you notice that it is changing color or smelling bad, immediately discard it. Furthermore, please keep it away from light, heat, and air to refrain from the increased degradation process.