TweetSometimes it amazes me how things that seem like obvious discoveries actually take forever to make it to the forefront of modern thought. For decades now body builders have taken pre and post workout dietary supplements. Some of the supplements were taken to help them workout harder. Other supplements taken after a workout used to help the body recover faster. Why is it that it took until recently for people to realize what you take during a workout is just as important.

Intra-workout supplements have just now started becoming common place in the dietary supplement world. Most of these supplements are taken either right as you start your workout or put into a drink that you consume while working out. The odd thing is that a lot of the ingredients you find in either your pre-workout supplement or your post-workout supplement are combined into your intra-workout supplement.

The main ingredients that makes an appearance in supplements you take during a workout are amino acids. Many of the supplements contained what are called free form amino acids. This type of amino acid does not have to be digested and it taken into the body as soon as it is digested. These are great for supplements you take while you workout because they are used by the body faster.

Regular essential amino acids are also present in a lot of these supplements. Beta-Alanine also shows up in quiet a few of the newer intra-workout supplements available in the market today. Beta-Alanine is present to help promote the ability to workout longer and stronger. Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) are used to help you have a longer workout.

Many of the dietary supplement makers who are focusing on the intra-workout supplement trend are also adding Amino Acids that help with Nitric Oxide Production. Studies have recently suggested that higher levels of Nitric Oxide during a workout will increase blood flow to the muscles which will in turn improve the fullness of the muscle. What this means is that your muscles will be harder and bigger than they would be with normal levels of Nitric Oxide.

People who recently started taking intra-workout supplements have been pleased with the fact that they feel less sore after a workout. Dietary supplements that are taken when you workout tend to have ingredients that help the overall healing process. Many of the ingredients present promote faster muscle re-growth which in turn means less pain.

When looking for supplements to use while working out there are a lot of choices on the market these days. Each supplement is aimed at a particular type of workout. Some of the intra-workout supplements are aimed at body-builders. Some of the other supplements are aimed at athletes who play team sports and some other supplements are aimed at runners.

The best news about these new supplements is that they are able to replace the old habit of drinking energy drinks before a workout. Taking energy drinks before or during a workout often leads to rapid dehydration and a bad post workout crash. Both of these reactions are counter-productive. It is best to skip the energy drink and go with a good intra-workout dietary supplement.

TweetExcellent read, one of the first I've seen geared toward Intra's.
Been using a particular brand for the last year, year and half and won't be leaving home without again.