Is It Safe To Mix Alcohol And Pre-Workout?

Pre-workout supplements are used to boost energy and focus while working out. According to Healthline, pre-workout can be made with a wide variety of ingredients, but some of the most common ones include caffeine, creatine, and amino acids. If you work out in the morning, you probably don't need to worry about mixing alcohol with your pre-workout. However, drinking alcohol with your pre-workout can negate the effects of the supplement.

According to Byrdie, the liver begins to detox as soon as alcohol hits the bloodstream. While your body is busy doing that, it can't utilize the pre-workout in your system. Some ingredients, including B vitamins and potassium, will actually be used by the body to help it detox from the alcohol. Caffeine also needs to be detoxed by the liver and will compete with the alcohol in your body, making the process of detoxification take even longer. Mixing alcohol and caffeine can also increase your risk of liver damage.

Many supplements come with potential side effects, and pre-workout is no different. The effects you may experience will depend on the ingredients found in the particular product you choose. ​​Some of the most common side effects of pre-workout include jitters, anxiety, and headaches (via Verywell Health). Some ingredients in pre-workout supplements can also cause nausea, particularly when taken on an empty stomach. Other common side effects of pre-workout include increased heart rate, digestive issues, and tingling in your hands and feet (via Healthline).

Pre-workout is not regulated by the FDA and because of that, it can be hard to determine what is really inside a product, even when all the ingredients are listed. The safest pre-workout products are tested by third-party organizations like NSF or Informed Choice, which test for banned substances and ingredient potency. You should also start taking pre-workout in small doses to test your tolerance until you find the ideal amount for yourself.