Pre-workout supplements have become increasingly popular among gym-goers and athletes looking to boost their energy and performance during workouts. However, many pre-workout users wonder if heat can affect the quality and potency of these supplements. This article will examine how heat impacts pre-workout supplements and whether they can “go bad” if exposed to high temperatures.
What’s in pre-workout supplements?
Pre-workout supplements typically contain a blend of ingredients intended to provide an energy boost, increase focus, and enhance exercise performance. Common ingredients include:
- Caffeine – Stimulant that increases energy, alertness and concentration
- Beta-alanine – Amino acid that may reduce fatigue and increase muscular endurance
- Citrulline – Amino acid that enhances blood flow and nutrient delivery
- Taurine – Amino acid with antioxidant properties
- BCAAs – Branched chain amino acids to aid muscle protein synthesis
- Creatine – Helps increase strength and power output
- B vitamins – Aid in energy metabolism
The specific blends and doses of ingredients can vary widely between different pre-workout products. But most contain stimulants like caffeine as well as performance-enhancing compounds.
Do the active ingredients in pre-workouts degrade in heat?
When stored properly, most of the active ingredients in pre-workout supplements are stable in the heat. Here’s how some of the key compounds respond to high temperatures:
- Caffeine: Very stable in both solid and liquid forms. Starts to degrade at temperatures above 235°C.
- Beta-alanine: Stable in solid form. Degrades slowly in liquids, faster at higher temperatures.
- Citrulline: Relatively stable as a solid. Begins degrading in liquids above 60°C.
- Taurine: Retains structure well even at high temperatures. Very stable as a solid.
- BCAAs: Leucine is most stable, followed by isoleucine then valine. Degrade faster in liquid form.
- Creatine: Converts slowly to creatinine at temperatures above 100°C but remains stable if dry.
Most pre-workout powders contain these ingredients in a dry form, which protects them from heat exposure. However, liquid pre-workouts or pre-mixed drinks may be more prone to ingredient degradation.
How does heat impact pre-workout quality?
Even though most active compounds resist heat quite well, high temperatures over prolonged periods can still impact pre-workout quality:
- Accelerates breakdown of amino acids and converts creatine to creatinine
- May cause some loss of potency in stimulate ingredients like caffeine
- Could lead to oxidation and degradation of antioxidants
- Encourages vitamin degradation
- Promotes moisture damage, clumping and separation
Additionally, liquids and drinks premixed with water are more vulnerable to heat than dry powder mixes. Elevated temperatures speed up chemical reactions that can diminish potency and shelf life.
What storage conditions keep pre-workout stable?
To optimize stability and shelf life, pre-workout supplements should be stored:
- In a cool, dry place away from moisture and sunlight
- In an air-tight container to avoid oxygen exposure
- At controlled room temperature around 20–25°C
- Away from heat sources like stoves, radiators or pipes
Avoid leaving pre-workout, especially liquid forms, in hot places like a garage, car or direct sunlight for extended periods. Only mix powder with water right before consumption.
How long do pre-workouts last before going bad?
The shelf life of pre-workout depends primarily on storage conditions:
- Dry powder mixes last 1–2 years if stored properly in a cool, dry place.
- Liquid or ready-to-drink pre-workouts last 6–9 months when refrigerated.
- Drinks premixed with water last 24–48 hours when refrigerated.
Higher temperatures and humidity dramatically accelerate degradation. Signs that pre-workout may be expired include:
- Change in color, texture or consistency
- Noticeable change in taste or smell, especially unpleasant odors
- Clumping, hardening or separation of powder
- Fizzing, bubbling or foaming when mixed with water
- Reduced potency and weaker effects
Does freezer storage prolong shelf life?
Freezing pre-workout supplements can help extend their shelf life beyond normal refrigeration. However, some considerations include:
- Only unmixed dry powders should be frozen, not pre-mixed drinks.
- Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles which hastens degradation.
- Use air-tight containers to prevent moisture damage.
- Thaw completely before use to avoid altered texture.
- Liquid forms have reduced stability when frozen compared to powders.
With optimal freezing methods, the shelf life of dry pre-workout powders can be prolonged to 2–3 years. But liquids tend to hold up worse.
Does heat during shipping reduce efficacy?
Pre-workouts exposed to high temperatures during shipping and handling can degrade quicker. Some tips for mitigating heat exposure when ordering online include:
- Select expedited shipping if possible to minimize transit time.
- Avoid orders shipping during hot summer months.
- Opt for climate-controlled shipping if available.
- Request insulated packaging and ice packs.
- Request night delivery when temperatures are cooler.
- Provide specific handling instructions like “keep cool.”
Well-packaged pre-workout shipped with cooling measures can still retain potency even with some heat exposure. But unprotected, prolonged heat risks diminishing quality and strength.
Should you take hot pre-workout straight out of the car?
It’s best to avoid taking pre-workout that has been baking for hours in a hot parked car. Reasons to let it cool first include:
- Prolonged heat accelerates ingredient degradation.
- Higher temperatures increase chemical reactions and oxidation.
- Heat can cause powder clumping, affecting texture and mixing.
- The super-heated supplement may upset your stomach when ingested.
- Waiting for it to cool to room temp maintains optimal quality.
Drinks premixed in hot vehicles should especially be discarded or refrigerated and consumed within 24 hours. Letting overheated pre-workout cool protects quality.
Does traveling with pre-workout in carry-ons risk potency loss?
When traveling by air, carrying on pre-workout supplements can expose them to temperature extremes that impact potency:
- Checked luggage compartments often exceed 30°C and freeze.
- Carry-ons left on hot airport tarmacs freeze then heat up.
- cabin temperatures also fluctuate during flight.
- Moisture and air pressure changes accelerate degradation.
- Repeated freeze-thaw cycles particularly damage liquids.
To retain supplement potency when flying:
- Opt for shorter flights when possible.
- Keep pre-workout in insulated bags with ice packs.
- Use moisture-proof bottles and containers.
- Keep containers sealed until use.
- Let liquids come to room temperature before opening after flights.
Carefully protecting pre-workout from temperature swings when flying helps preserve stability and shelf life.
Should you toss out supplements left in hot workout bags?
Pre-workout and other supplements left for prolonged periods in hot, moist gym bags and lockers can degrade faster. Consider tossing products if:
- There are clear signs of damage like smell, taste, texture changes.
- They endured repeated high temperature spikes.
- Liquids appear separated or foamy when agitated.
- The supplements are very old or expired already.
- You experience nausea, stomach upset or diminished effects from use.
With proper storage between workouts, pre-workouts can withstand some gym bag heat exposure. But clear signs of degradation or compromised quality mean it’s time to replace them.
Can you fix separated or clumped pre-workout powders?
Pre-workout powders that have hardened, clumped or separated after heat exposure may still be salvageable by:
- Breaking up clumps into a fine powder again.
- Shaking or stirring liquids to re-blend separated ingredients.
- Freezing briefly to solidify, then breaking into powder.
- Adding a small amount of water to moisten and reconstitute.
However, if efforts don’t improve texture and the taste or smell is off, the product may be too degraded to use. Severely compromised pre-workout caused by excessive heat should be discarded.
Will chilled or icy water help potency when mixing hot pre-workout?
Using chilled water when reconstituting pre-workout exposed to heat likely won’t restore any lost potency. However, there are some benefits to cold water:
- Produces a more palatable, refreshing drink.
- Ice water helps powders fully dissolve.
- Lower temperature inhibits further degradation.
- Colder liquids are absorbed faster.
- Provides a “cooling” sensatory effect.
While icy water can’t reverse heat damage, it remains the preferred solvent for pre-workout drinks to maximize enjoyment and absorption.
Should you take a full hot scoop or smaller cooled dose?
To avoid overdosing from potency loss yet minimize wasting product, consider taking 3/4 or 1/2 scoop if the full pre-workout scoop was heated. Reasons to reduce the heated dose:
- Ingredient degradation increases risk of taking too much.
- Lower dose compensates for any potency reductions.
- Allows assessing tolerance to the heated supplement.
- Prevents wasting unused product if it’s still efficacious.
- Can gradually increase back to full dose if no issues.
But if the product shows clear signs of spoilage, it’s safest to discard it entirely. Use good judgment based on the conditions and your reactions.
Conclusion
While pre-workout supplements are quite heat-stable in their dry powder form, excessive heat exposure over time can diminish potency, especially in liquids. To retain supplement quality and performance, store pre-workout sealed in a cool, dry place around room temperature. Avoid leaving premixed drinks or powders in hot vehicles or environments. Follow dosage suggestions carefully if consuming pre-workout exposed to high heat, and discard products that show definite signs of degradation.
