Pre workout does make you sweat more as it makes your workouts more intense. This results in your body burning more calories which increase your core body temperature, causing you to sweat.
There are also some ingredients in pre workout that increase your core temperature. Let’s take a look at these in more detail.
Which Ingredients In Pre Workout Make You Sweat More?
Thermogenics
Pre workout supplements often include a range of thermogenics, such as:
- Caffeine
- Green Tea Extract
- Pepper Extract
- CLA
- Garcinia Cambogia
- L-Carnitine
- Yohimbe
- Capsicum
Thermogenics raise your temperature by increasing fat burning, and when your body burns fat, your temperature increases. Let’s take a look at these individually.
Caffeine
Most stim-based pre workouts have a range of between 150mg to 300mg of caffeine per dose.
To give you some perspective, the average cup of coffee contains 100mg of caffeine. So, some pre workouts have 3x as much caffeine as coffee!
When you consume a lot of caffeine, the nervous system tells the body to release fight or flight hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.
This can increase your heart rate and temperature, so the body produces sweat to cool down and balance fluids.
Green Tea Extract
Green Tea Extract helps fat burning in multiple ways.
For example, the polyphenol compounds help increase thermogenesis. Also, the caffeine helps increase metabolism which results in more calories burned.
Pepper Extract
Peppers contain compounds called capsaicinoids which speed up your metabolism, causing your body to burn more fat.
The hotter the pepper, the more caspaicinoids it has.
CLA
CLA is a fatty acid mainly found in meat and dairy products. It’s a popular thermogenic thanks to its ability to target fat deposits.
Garcinia Cambogia
This tropical fruit extract is a common ingredient in fat burners and pre workout as it may promote fat burning thanks to a compound called HCA.
Along with its fat-burning properties, research suggests that Garcinia Cambogia can increase your metabolic rate, making this ingredient another possible cause of sweating more after pre workout.
Capsicum
Capsicum is the compound in chillies which gives it its “heat”. Research shows the thermogenic effect of capsicum can increase metabolism and fat burning long after exercise!
Yohimbe
Yohimbe is a type of bark extract of an African tree.
It’s often added to pre workout because it may increase dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline, boosting fat metabolism and indirectly the rate of sweating.
L-Carnitine
L-Carnitine is amino acid derivative that’s naturally found in red meat. It helps shuttle fatty acids from your blood stream into the mitochondria where it can be used for energy.
Nitric Oxide Boosters
As covered earlier, one of the ways pre workout can make you sweat more is by making your workouts more intense.
Nitric oxide boosters can increase the intensity of your workouts by widening your veins, allowing more blood, oxygen, and nutrients to flow to your muscles.
2 common nitric oxide boosters found in pre workout are L-Citrulline and Beta Alanine.
L-Citrulline
L-citrulline is a non-essential amino acid that your body produces and is converted to L-arginine – a nitric oxide precursor – in your kidneys.
It may improve blood flow to your muscles, giving you more energy and faster recovery, allowing for a more intense workout.
L-citrulline is often combine with malic acid to produce citrulline malate, which is absorbed better than the amino acid form.
Beta Alanine
Beta-alanine is often included in pre workout supplements as it may reduce lactic acid build-up in your muscles, which allows you to push yourself harder and longer during exercise.
If you’ve ever experienced the tingling sensation after taking pre workout, you can thank beta-alanine for that.
Conclusion: Why Does Pre Workout Make You Sweat?
In summary, pre workout can make you sweat more as it makes you train harder and increases your core body temperature.
That’s all for pre workout making you sweat, but does pre workout make you pee?
Hope this helped!
FAQs
Does pre workout make you sweat at night?
Pre workout supplements, particularly those containing stimulants like caffeine, can increase heart rate and body temperature, potentially leading to increased sweating. This effect can persist for several hours after consumption and may impact sleep quality for some individuals, causing them to sweat at night.
Does pre workout make you hot?
Yes, pre workout supplements, especially those containing stimulatory ingredients like caffeine, can increase body temperature and cause a feeling of heat. This is due to their thermogenic properties and the activation of the body’s metabolic processes.
Does pre workout make your sweat smell?
Pre workout supplements themselves do not directly cause sweat to have a specific odor. However, the increase in body temperature and intensity of workouts associated with pre workout use can lead to increased sweating, which may contribute to a stronger body odor. Proper hygiene practices can help manage any potential odor concerns.
Does sweating mean a better workout?
Sweating is a natural response of the body to regulate temperature during physical activity and does not necessarily indicate the intensity or effectiveness of a workout. The quality of a workout is better assessed based on factors such as effort, performance, and achieving workout goals.
Is excessive sweating during a workout dangerous?
Excessive sweating during a workout is generally not dangerous and is a normal response of the body to regulate temperature. However, if accompanied by symptoms like dizziness, nausea, or chest pain, it may indicate dehydration or overexertion. Staying hydrated and listening to your body’s signals is important.
Does pre workout make you burn more calories?
Pre workout supplements themselves do not directly burn more calories. However, the stimulatory ingredients in some pre workout supplements, like caffeine, may increase energy expenditure and potentially enhance fat oxidation, leading to a higher calorie burn during exercise.
Sources
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10584049/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257466/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4815210/
I’ve been in the fitness and strength training industry for nearly a decade. In that time, I’ve gained 30 pounds of muscle, written hundreds of articles, and reviewed dozens of fitness supplements. As for my educational background, I’m a currently studying for my Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training.