How Long Does a Pre-Workout Last?

How Long Does a Pre-Workout Last?

So how long does a Pre Workout supplement last? The answer to that can be a little bit tricky, because as with anything, it depends on each persons body and their body's sensitivity to various stimulants, as well as other ingredients cointained in these pre-workout supplements. 

Most pre-workout powders, as well as ready to drink (RTD) preworkouts last anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 hours in healthy adults who aren't particularly sensitive to stimulants. That's also the average amount of time for those who haven't built up abnormally high tolerances to caffeine. 

Most experts recommend cycling on and off their pre-workout supplement every 8 weeks to avoid developing a tolerance and having the preworkout no longer work, and no longer have an effect on their body. 

There are however a number of factors which can effect both how long a preworkout lasts for as well as how effective it is for you.

These Factors Are...

Dehydration - Water is the substance that drives nutrients through your body. If you're not properly hydrated a pre-workout won't be as effective in behind delivered through your entire system. 

Malnutrition - If you don't eat enough to fuel your body and power your body no amount of pre-workout is going to give you the energy you need to get in a solid workout.

Over-Eating - If you're body already is working incredibly hard just to digest your food you've recently eaten, it won't be able to properly absorb the preworkout supplement efficiently. 

Fatigue - Make sure you're getting enough sleep. If your not getting enough sleep or are overworking yourself a preworkout can help energize you a bit, but you don't have the fuel you need to properly make it through a tough workout. 

Tolerance - Many people who take pre-workouts eventually build up a tolerance to the pre-workout and the supplement is no longer as effective as it once was. Most experts recommend using a pre-workout for eight weeks and then taking some time off to wean your body off. Some people who struggle with energy to workout will opt for a stim free preworkout during the time they are cycling off. 

Everyone who takes a preworkout or other pretraining supplements developes a tolerance to it at some point. The only way to avoid that is like we discussed to cycle off of the supplements they are taking periodically so that your body has some time to reset.