Pre-Workout World reader Paul G. writes in and asks:
I’m 65 and only recently started working out. Is pre-workout ok for seniors to take and if so can you recommend a pre-workout product that’s good for older folks? Which ingredients are the ones to look out for?
Great question Paul!
The best pre-workout ingredients for older people include ingredients like L-Citrulline, Nitrates like Red Spinach and Beet Root Extract, Creatine, and also Caffeine. Most pre-workout supplements are marketed towards younger gym rats. And that’s understandable since kids keep the gyms in business.
That may lead you to wonder whether pre-workout supplements are good for older people too. The answer to that question is yes. And the reason behind why might surprise you.
Pre-Workouts Work For Older People Too
When you are over 40 years old, your body starts to noticeably decline unless you fight hard to keep in shape. After the age of 33 most people start experiencing sarcopenia (muscle loss) every year for the rest of their lives.
To counter the effects of aging, there is no better solution than resistance training. And if you’re doing resistance training, you’ll get the most out of your workouts by following three simple rules:
- Stay well hydrated
- Use a pre-workout with creatine, l-citrulline, nitrates, and caffeine
- Consume plenty of protein (1g per lb of body weight per day)
Why are these rules important? Well, your muscles need to be hydrated to do resistance training, or else they cramp up and can’t contract. We’ll go over the pre-workout part below so keep on reading. And finally, protein helps your body build muscle and fully recover and helps eliminate the feeling of muscle soreness.
Ingredients That Are Good For Older People
Let’s say you are over 50 and you’ve been working out your whole life. You notice that your body is having a harder time recovering and that you’re wearing down faster. Three things happen with age that relate to working out:
- Blood flow is not as efficient
- Muscle growth declines
- Energy declines
The good news is that there are ingredients in many pre-workout supplements that help counteract each of these declines. What are those ingredients that can help build stamina?
The 4 Pre-Workout Ingredients That Help Older People
The three pre-workout ingredients that are very beneficial for older folks are L-Citrulline, Nitrates like Red Spinach and Beet Root Extract, Creatine, and Caffeine.
1. L-Citrulline
As older people know on cold days, blood flow declines with age. But your muscles need blood to receive oxygen and produce energy. The more blood flowing to your muscles the better your workout will go. L-Citrulline helps improve blood flow. The ideal dose for L-Citrulline is about 6-8g every 3-4 hours.
2. Nitrates
Nitrates also help improve blood flow. The ideal dose for Nitrates seems to be about 1g every 3-4 hours.
3. Creatine
Creatine is a wonder supplement for people over the age of 60, not to mention everyone. It helps with muscle growth and retention. Not only does it slow the effects of sarcopenia but it also has been proven to be neuroprotective and increase memory (something we all know declines with age!). The ideal dose of creatine is 5-10g per day.
4. Caffeine
All of the older people I know, especially the elderly, love their naps. Our bodies lose energy and efficiency over time. Caffeine gives us a great energy boost when we can’t get our naps in. And it gives us the nudge we need to get to the gym and keep ourselves fit. Everyone has different caffeine tolerances but the effective doses seem to range from 100mg to 400mg. You’ll have to find your best dose!
So the bottom line is that any pre-workout with these 4 ingredients is good for older people. You can check out our ranking of the top Pre-Workout products on the market and choose products with the four ingredients mentioned above.
