I’ve never been a huge fan of pre-workout supplements.
It probably harks back to the days when they first hit the market – cheap, dirty and full of caffeine. They made you feel like the guy who overdid it at a 90s rave – not good.
But I’m pleased to say my mind has somewhat been changed.
Optimum Nutrition is about as far away from that unpleasant vision of pre-workouts as you could get.
It’s certainly rocket fuel, but the packaging says the caffeine is from natural sources such as green tea and green coffee – and it shows.
There’s 175mg of caffeine in every serving – equal to a double espresso – but it’s clean and doesn’t leave you feeling jittery and wired.
Instead, I found the supplement left me focused and energised, which is exactly what you want after a solid slog in the office.
The product has 3g of creatine per serving, which is designed to give you more energy and increase performance, and 1.5g of amino acid beta-alanine – another supposed performance enhancer.
It may just be psychological, but that extra zeal does make you feel stronger – at least initially.
But a word of warning: Don’t take this before bed – you’ll be up all night putting your record collection in alphabetical order.