Beets for pre workout?

[BBiceps]

Anyone tried powdered Beets before working out?

A guy a know swears by it and says he don’t even need caffeine when he takes it, but I’m skeptical.

 

[_Endure_]

Look up Beatine TMG or HCL. Very prevalent in pump based pre workouts.

 

[Brain5ick]

I use beet root powder and it’s awesome. It’s all pump though, not an energy thing.

 

[aaronuconn]

Use nitrate based products if going for the same effect. More effective than beet root powder. Maybe more cost effective as well

 

[muscleupcrohn]

Look up Beatine TMG or HCL. Very prevalent in pump based pre workouts.

Betaine anhydrous is TMG. This is the ergogenic/sports/fitness betaine. It’s still really something you want to use daily, not so much just acutely for pumps. Betaine HCL is not the same thing, and it’s used for digestion, which is not pre-workout.

 

[muscleupcrohn]

Use nitrate based products if going for the same effect. More effective than beet root powder. Maybe more cost effective as well

Almost unquestionably more cost effective if you know where to get a certain brand of potassium nitrate caps.

 

[mbonheur]

I took concentrated beet juice standardized for nitrates in the past. Pump and endurance was nice, but too costly in the long run for me.

I also used beetroot powder before, which is cheap as chips and I actually like the earthy taste, but I am pretty sure it had no particular acute effect for my workout.

 

[Old Witch]

I use beet juice powder, but I mix it with karbolyn and amino acids.

 

[BBiceps]

I use beet juice powder, but I mix it with karbolyn and amino acids.

What do you feel when taking it?

 

[muscleupcrohn]

OP, beets provide nitrates. That’s their MoA. You can drink a ton of juice which is expensive, or take a ton of power, which is annoying and unstandardized. Or you can just use some potassium nitrate caps for probably under $0.25 a serving. Guaranteed potency of nitrate content. Why bother with something else here?

And don’t expect anything besides nitrates. So if nitrates don’t get you hyped up, because they’re not stimulants, then don’t expect them to replace caffeine.

Expect increased pumps and endurance. Any feelings you get would be secondary to a better pump and endurance; it’s not going to be stimulating, euphoric, mood enhancing at all in and of itself.

 

[Old Witch]

What do you feel when taking it?

Skin splitting pumps.

 

[_Endure_]

Betaine anhydrous is TMG. This is the ergogenic/sports/fitness betaine. It’s still really something you want to use daily, not so much just acutely for pumps. Betaine HCL is not the same thing, and it’s used for digestion, which is not pre-workout.

Didn't think there was a difference other than taste and one being synthesized vs. natural. Both providing same benefits overall as a nitric booster and for digestive health.

 

[muscleupcrohn]

Didn't think there was a difference other than taste and one being synthesized vs. natural. Both providing same benefits overall as a nitric booster and for digestive health.

Betaine’s benefits aren’t primarily from boosting NO, and every study on anhydrous is for athletic benefits and every study on HCL is for digestion. Why even bother doing the exact opposite of what they have a ton of specific studies on? It makes no sense to me.

 

[LeanEngineer]

Use nitrate based products if going for the same effect. More effective than beet root powder. Maybe more cost effective as well

Agreed with this. Might as well go with a supplement that is formulated to give pump vs beet root powder which should give pump but not it’s designed effect.

 

[cheftepesh1]

Agreed with this. Might as well go with a supplement that is formulated to give pump vs beet root powder which should give pump but not it’s designed effect.

Have to agree with this. Beet powder is not designed just for pump.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Do you still need to do high reps to get a pump with a nitrate product or can you do a low rep/heavy weight (ex. 5x5 or 3x3) and still get a pump if taking a nitrate product?

 

[Fastone]

I love my Bountiful beets\Black Maca smoothie, works as good for me as any energy drink ever has

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

I heard that red spinach extract is more potent than beets.