Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy Pre Workout Powder, Energy Drink with Amino Acids, BCAA and L-Glutamine, Food Supplement with Vitamin C and Caffeine, Orange Cooler Flavour, 30 Servings, 270 g

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This supplement comes in well over a dozen different flavors, including mocha cappuccino, peach lemonade, and cotton candy. We tried the blue raspberry flavor which tasted a lot like blueberry candy. It was a little sour and a little fruity, pretty standard flavors in BCAAs, but I wouldn’t call it delicious. The Takeaway

Jeukendrup, A. et al. (2014). A step towards personalized sports nutrition: carbohydrate intake during exercise. Sports Med, 44, S25–S33.If you struggle with pre-race nerves, and find it hard to digest solid food, a lighter liquid meal could be a good option for you such as my go-to pre-race smoothie:

Assuming that your client has loaded their muscles in the 24-36 hours prior to their start time, the aim of race day nutrition is topping up liver and muscle glycogen stores and hydrating adequately, while ensuring your client is not hungry or overly full at the start line. With nutrition and hydration taken care of, the final thing to consider is supplementation. Caffeine is one of the most researched ergogenic aids and is regularly used to enhance endurance running performance [2]. Low-moderate dose of caffeine between 1-3mg/kg appears to be sufficient for enhancing endurance performance[3]. Concentrations are in the bloodstream after just 15 minutes and peak 1 hour after ingestion so aim to have you caffeine supplement within the final hour leading up to the race. You can then look to top up towards the end of the race to help power you through the final stages, around 60-90minsis a good time to take this on board, so if your target time is 4 hours, then around the 3 hour mark is fine. Graham, T. E. et al. (1991). Performance and metabolic responses to a high caffeine dose during prolonged endurance exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 71, 2292-2298. There’s also 160 milligrams of caffeine (about as much as you’ll find in a cup and a half of coffee) made from green tea extract and green coffee extract. The green tea extract has been standardized for EGCG, which means it has retained a lot of the healthful phytonutrients found in green tea. Of course, they also isolate the most important amino acids for building and maintaining lean muscle— leucine, isoleucine, and valine—in thirst-quenching drink powders that happen to taste like the sugary drinks that you might be craving anyway.

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These contain between 75mg-150mg caffeine per serving or a piece or two of caffeine gum which contain 100mg of caffeine per piece. Again, this is very individual depending on your caffeine tolerance and body weight so I recommend testing what works in training leading up to the race.

Post workout: 1 to 2 servings (2 to 4 scoops) For a more intense burst of energy before the gym, the Gold Standard Optimum Nutrition Pre Workout might be a more suited pre-workout supplement for the more advanced gym goer. It’s generally best not to regard fitness-focused supplements as ‘magic’ pills or powders that will work without any effort on your part. Essential Amino Energy’s label says that it’s for “anytime muscle recovery” and “energy and focus,” and it has perhaps more ingredients than any other BCAA supplement we’ve seen. Are they bogus, or could it be the ultimate BCAA? Caffeine is an effective ergogenic aid which can help cognitive function and energy. An intake of 1-3mg/kg.BW, 15-minutes to hour before the start of the race is optimal.Dietary supplements are not intended to replace a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle overall.