Learn how to cycle pre-workout supplements

We tell you all why you should learn to cycle pre-workout supplements to get the most out of them!

Caffeine as the main ingredient

You can read more about the role of pre-wprkout supplements in this article, but in general:

“…These products aim to increase performance in training, providing greater mental focus, energy, and reducing fatigue…

Clenching your teeth for improved performance?

One of the “desired” effects associated with pre-workout supplements is clenching your teeth during the training session, a habit related to sports performance improvement.

However, it’s been shown that chronic, excessive caffeine use can place excessive stress on the adrenal glands and even result in symptoms such as adrenal fatigue, hypertension, tachycardia and… bruxism in daily life, even after training is over.

However, today we’re here to tell you why you should cycle your pre-workouts and how to do so

What is Bruxism?

Bruxism is the involuntary habit of grinding your teeth without a functional purposes, often caused by stress.

In recent decades, several studies have highlighted alterations in central neurotransmitters, specifically dopaminergic neurotransmitters, as the main cause of bruxism.

Oral parafunctional movements

A parafunctional activity is one that’s characterised by a series of movements parallel to normal function, but without a functional purpose, and is therefore disturbed and a source of traumatic forces that are characterised by abnormal direction, excessive intensity, and are frequent and long-lasting.

These abnormal movements, such as bruxism, are produced as a direct consequence of a hypersensitivity of the dopamine receptors of the CNS.

In the particular case we’re referring to, muscular hyperactivity derives from the muscles of mastication, and would originate from a preponderance of the dopaminergic system associated with a diminished function of the cholinergic and GABAergic circuits (which “relax” the CNS).

Symptoms of bruxism

Dentists will usually notice wear of the tooth structures (enamel and dentine), although you can also see wear of the lower front teeth by yourself, when looking in the mirror to brush or floss.

Excessive force can also cause inflammation of the nerve (pulp) of the tooth, or even bending of the teeth at the gum margin.

Beyond this physical wear, other symptoms of possible bruxism (and therefore, perhaps, exceeding the doses of pre-workout supplements) are:

Cycling pre-workouts

If you’ve experienced any of these symptoms, we again recommend the cyclical and non-continuous use of pre-workouts.

Among them, caffeine as an ingredient is a “drug” in itself, causing dependence and adaptation, meaning more and more doses would be needed to achieve the same effects.

The best strategy

A smart strategy would be to use them in one-off sessions:

This would normalise adaptation to caffeine, as well as truly harnessing its effect in the desired workouts and helping to avoid many of the potential side effects.

Bibliographic Sources

1. Hernández Aliaga, M. (2010). Estudio sobre el bruxismo y una nueva prueba de esfuerzo. Tésis Doctoral. Facultad de Medicina y Odontología de la Universidad de Murcia.
2. Hernández, R. C., Cepeda, A. R., Hernández, M. G., & Martínez, M. M. (2001). Hábitos parafuncionales y ansiedad versus disfunción temporomandibular. Rev Cubana Ortod, 16 (1), 14-23.
3. Paesani, D.A, & Andersen, M. (2010). Bruxism: theory and practice. Quintessence.

Related Links:

• Consuming caffeine before training improves performance. If you want to learn more, click here.
• Do you know the answers to these 5 frequently asked questions about supplementation?
• Learn all about the Causes and Symptoms of Overtraining in this link.
• Peri-Training Supplementation.