Why Does Pre-Workout Make You Poop?

Pre-workout has many advantages for you as a weightlifter that it may be impossible for you to think it has side effects. However, several pre-workout users have noticed that the weightlifting magic potion also makes them visit the loo more often than normal. As a result, this article will investigate the relationship between pre-workout and pooing and answer the question, “does pre-workout make you poop?”

First, what is pre-workout?

Pre-workout is something that weightlifters take just before exercising for an additional energy boost during workouts and to assist them with exercise endurance. It is commonly in powdered form that you mix with water, similar to how you consume protein powder.

Why does it make you poop?

As you can guess, pre-workout makes you poop because of what it contains. Most pre-workouts have active ingredients, and for most of them, the active ingredient is caffeine. Caffeine acts as a strong nervous system stimulant, and research has demonstrated that it causes several benefits in both aerobic and anaerobic nature. Nevertheless, caffeine can also increase your urge to poop, and this can be through various mechanisms, including colon over-activation.

Another potential reason your pre-workout makes you poop is the artificial sweeteners they comprise. Artificial sweeteners are why your pre-workout tastes nice with little to no calories. Unfortunately, they can also disturb your digestive system. Excessive gases can be produced and accumulate in your stomach, causing discomfort due to artificial sweeteners’ properties. 

Mixing this outcome with your colon getting overly stimulated due to it absorbing excess sweetener can result in a sudden and necessary urge to visit the loo. Furthermore, taking your pre-workout without having eaten before can worsen the urge to go the bathroom, as there is little to no food in your stomach to absorb the caffeine. 

How to fix this mess

If you have a home gym, it may be easier for you to poop while or after going to the gym. However, pooping after using pre-workout may affect your weightlifting experience if you can not find a comfortable toilet quickly or if you would instead complete your programs before stepping out. 

The most significant step you can take to reduce the urge to poop after taking pre-workout is to cut back on stimulant-based pre-workouts. Try out caffeine-free pre-workouts, as caffeine is the most probable reason you have to go to the toilet after using pre-workouts.

However, if you can not make the switch for any reason, you can reduce the urge by lowering how much caffeine-present pre-workout you take before you hit the gym. Reducing the dosage gives your body time to get used to the caffeine. While this option may be effective, you may have to combat less energy for workouts in the immediate weeks after you lower your dosage. 

Another step you can take is to ensure you do not take your pre-workout on an empty stomach, as it can worsen the urge to use the toilet. If you can eat a meal before using the pre-workout, you should, as many persons have reported this to do the trick. 

A more drastic step you can take is to cut out the pre-workout entirely if you can not catch a break. This may affect how much energy you can expend at the gym, but you can also rely on other alternatives for energy before hitting the gym. I recommend the  Rogue AB-3 Adjustable Bench if you use a home gym.

Other FAQs about taking pre-workouts

Here are some other FAQs about using pre-workouts:

How long does pre-workout take to kick in?

How long your pre-workout takes before you start feeling its effect kick in primarily depends on its active ingredients. For example, a caffeine-based pre-workout needs roughly thirty minutes to an hour and thirty minutes to kick in. Additionally, your caffeine tolerance also determines how long the pre-workout takes to kick in. 

Despite this, most pre-workouts have a peak period when all their active ingredients are circulating through your body after it absorbs them all. Peak periods typically vary but are commonly between an hour to two. If you want to time the peak period perfectly, you can use the BlenderBottle Shaker Bottle Pro Series to take your pre-workout to the gym.

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Taking pre-workout on an empty stomach

Taking a pre-workout without eating before is bad news as it may make you feel dizzy or make you feel very pressed very suddenly. To avoid these unpleasant outcomes, you should eat before consuming your pre-workout. 

For optimal benefits, you can take energy-filled meals as your pre-workout. Remember that you also need protein in your meal, and I recommend the Premier Protein Shake, Caramel, 11.5 Fl. Oz if you can not get enough from your meals.

What happens when I take a pre-workout without working out?

Taking pre-workout without working out should not result in any side effects. However, you should be sure that you are about to work out before you take it so that you do not receive a sudden energy surge when it may leave you with unpleasant circumstances. 

How long would I feel the effects of pre-workout?

Similar to how your pre-workout’s active ingredients factor in when you start feeling its effect, the same ingredients affect how long you feel its effects. Furthermore, your tolerance level also determines how long you feel its effects. As a result, decent tolerance levels may have you under its influence for roughly six hours. With less than that, you may have to deal with the effects for much longer than six hours.

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