Does Pre Workout Make You Poop? (Yes, And Here’s Why!)

If you’re wondering whether pre workout does make you poop, then you’ve come to the right place!

In this article, we’ll cover whether pre workout can make you poop, as well as the best pre workout supplements that won’t make you poop.

Does Pre Workout Make You Poop?

The main stimulant in pre workout supplements is caffeine, which can make you poop. Other ingredients in pre workout which can make you poop include artificial sweeteners and amino acids.

Why Pre Workout May Make You Need A Poop

In this section of the article, we’re going to cover reasons why pre workout may make you need a poop.

Just to be clear, not everyone who takes pre workout will need to rush to the toilet.

But it provides possible reasons as to why some people may need a mid-gym session poop.

Pre Workout is Usually High in Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners are used in many supplements as a low-calorie alternative to sugar.

But unfortunately, they can be difficult to digest and absorb.

When the undigested sweetener enters the colon, the bacteria have a whale of a time fermenting it, which produces CO2 and methane.

As I’m sure you’re aware, these 2 substances are gases which may give you abdominal discomfort.

However, if you consume a ton of artificial sweeteners, the bacteria in the colon may struggle to keep up with the demand.

In this scenario, the undigested sweetener absorbs water into the colon, resulting in an emergency trip to the loo.

In one study, subjects who consumed 40g of isomalt per day had a significant increase in bowel movements and watery stools.

While it’s very unlikely to consume such amounts from a pre workout supplement, you may still consume enough to need a poop afterwards.

Pre Workout is Usually High in Caffeine

Pre workout is notorious for its high caffeine content. A typical pre workout powder contains as “little” as 150mg of caffeine per serving, all the way up to a whopping 300mg of caffeine per serving.

Whereas coffee is notorious for making you need a poop.

But coffee isn’t caffeine, so what point are you making, Robb?

That’s a great question.

Coffee isn’t caffeine, but research shows that caffeinated coffee makes you poop more than decaffeinated coffee.

For example, in one study, 12 subjects received caffeinated coffee, decaffeinated coffee, water, and a 1000 calorie meal spread out randomly over 10 hours.

(The caffeinated coffee contained 150mg of caffeine by the way.)

According to the results, caffeinated coffee resulted in 60% more bowel movements than water and 23% more bowel movements than decaff coffee.

So, the fact that caffeinated coffee causes more bowel movements than decaff coffee suggests that caffeine can stimulate bowel movements.

Does Pre Workout Give You Gas?

As mentioned earlier in the article, bacteria love to ferment undigested sweetener in the colon, which produces carbon dioxide and methane.

So yes – it’s very possible that some pre workouts may give you gas.

Does Pre Workout Give You Diarrhea?

As discussed earlier, when you ingest large amounts of artificial sweeteners, the bacteria can have difficulties fermenting it all.

When this happens, the undigested sweetener draws water into the colon, which can manifest as diarrhea.

So ultimately, it depends on how much artificial sweetener is added to the pre workout.

It’s possible that other ingredients can irritate your stomach too which could result in diarrhea.

Does C4 Pre Workout Make You Poop?

As the best-selling pre workout supplement in America, I’m sure many of you are wondering whether C4 Pre Workout makes you poop.

A quick peek at the product label shows that C4 contains sucralose (an artificial sweetener) and 150mg of caffeine.

While sucralose is one of the “better” artificial sweeteners as far as your bowels are concerned, the caffeine content may result in a trip to the toilet.

Does Ghost Pre Workout Make You Poop?

Another highly rated pre workout is Ghost.

A serving of Ghost contains sucralose and 202mg of caffeine.

So, due to the high amount of caffeine, I’d personally stay clear if you want a happy bowel when working out.

Best Pre Workout Supplements That Won’t Make You Poop

Now that we know which ingredients make you need a poop, let’s see 3 awesome pre workout supps which exclude these ingredients.

Type Zero Clean Pre Workout Powder

Overview

An epic caffeine-free pre workout that’s naturally sweetened with Stevia extract.

Type Zero Clean Pre Workout Powder is the bees knees.

Why I like it

I’m super impressed by the potency of this supplement.

With each serving providing 150mg of Beta Alanine, 1,000mg of Beet Root Extract, 2,000mg of Arginine, and 5,000mg of Citrulline Malate, it really is one of the strongest bowel-friendly pre workouts on the market.

And it’s a tad cheaper than other bowel-friendly pre workout supps making it ideal for those on a budget.

Potential Drawbacks

Some users think it tastes a bit weird.

(A small price to pay for clean underpants in my eyes 😉)

Check price and read more reviews of Type Zero Pre Workout on Amazon.

Pre Historic Stim-Free Pre Workout Powder

Overview

A solid, natural pre workout that’s boosted with nootropics.

Pre Historic Stim-Free Pre Workout Powder ticks all the boxes.

Why I like it

It’s great that this supplement helps with each aspect of your workout.

For example, it includes nootropics in L-Theanine and Taurine, which help improve your focus and energy.

It also includes Beet Root Extract and Citrulline Malate to help give you a solid pump.

And there’s stuff like Creatine and Beta-Alanine to help with your strength.

Last but not least, BCAAs are in there too to help with recovery.

So yes. I wasn’t lying when I said this ticks all the boxes.

Potential Drawbacks

One user has reported feeling nauseous after taking this pre workout.

Check price and read more reviews of Pre Historic Stim-Free Pre Workout Powder on Amazon.

Genius Pre Workout Powder

Overview

Another premium quality pre workout that’s naturally sweetened with Stevia and caffeine-free.

Ideal for those who want to train without carrying a spare roll of toilet tissue.

Why I like it

It’s great that this supplement contains Rhodiola Rosea as this has been shown to boost mental and physical performance.

In fact, it’s believed even the Vikings used this stuff before going into battle!

The addition of Arginine is good too as this helps increase Nitric Oxide levels which give you a solid pump.

Also, I have a lot of respect for Genius as a supplement company.

Their products (like this one) are 3^rd party tested for potency and purity which shows that you can trust their labels.

(It’s shocking how many supplement brands report misleading figures in their labels.)

Potential Drawbacks

When you replace cheap ingredients (ahem, caffeine and artificial sweeteners) with natural alternatives, you end up with a pre workout that is more expensive.

Unfortunately, this is passed onto you, meaning it costs a bit more than your typical pre workout supplement.

Check price and read more reviews of Genius Pre Workout Powder on Amazon.

Conclusion

So to wrap things up, it’s clear that some pre workout supplements may be a bad idea if you want to avoid a mid-workout poop.

You can thank their artificial sweeteners and caffeine content for this.

But don’t panic…

There are many epic pre workouts that exclude both caffeine AND artificial sweeteners.

Although these tend to be a tad more pricier than your typical pre workout, it’s a price worth paying if you’re worried about pooping mid-workout.

That’s all for pre workout making you poop, but can pre workout make you sick? Or can pre workout make you fail a drug test?

Thanks for reading!