I review lots of products, but sometimes, it’s just not feasible for me to buy from several different manufacturers and try the products myself. So when I come across someone that has done the research for me, I’m always curious as to what the criteria was for the review. I can usually poke lots of holes in someone’s case for which product is best, especially in the food/supplement world.

As I looked through the “Pre-Workout Supplement” review on Reviews.com, I was surprised as I read the first line of the review. “The best pre-workout supplement isn’t a supplement at all. There’s no powder or tablet that beats a sustained commitment to living right and not indulging…”. Ok, I’m in total agreement so far, so I kept reading. They went on to promote a food-first approach, but noted that supplements can give that extra boost to hard-charging athletes, which I know some of you reading this are!

So then I got to how they rated the supplements. They start off by reminding us all that the supplement industry is not regulated, so you have to be VERY careful about what ingredients are put into supplements. They started with 309 different supplements advertised as “pre-workout”. It’s hard to believe that there are that many options out there!

By just looking for any that had banned substances or chemicals that are linked to health issues, they were able to cut out 141 of the 309 they started with! Next they looked at supplements that contained “proprietary blends”. I always raise an eyebrow when I see this on products as well. What are you trying to hide? If your product was made with stuff that you were proud of, you would be more than happy to share it on the label! Removing supplements with proprietary blends eliminated another 120.

They then looked at artificial colors, sweeteners and those with too much caffeine…and came up with a winner. To see the overall best pre-workout supplement, the best caffeine free supplement and the best for low-intensity workouts, click on the link below.

http://www.reviews.com/pre-workout-supplements/

If you are a triathlete that struggles to balance family, work and a social life with the desire to compete, check out my guide to completing a full-distance triathlon while training just seven hours a week! The Balanced Approach

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