What is a Pre Workout and why do people take them?
Have you heard the phrase ‘Energize before exercise’? We’ll explain why it’s so crucial.
Consider your workout prep, do you eat fresh fruits or reach for a protein drink? If you’ve skipped gym days because your energy waned and you haven’t tasted our Clean Energy power-up, you may be overlooking one of the healthiest ways to increase performance: organic pre-workout.
Pre-workout, known in the fitness industry as “pre”, is a vitalizing supplement – in capsule, liquid, and powder form – meant to enhance power and focus before a workout (1).
Vitamins, aminos, and caffeine in pre-workout formulas will have you surging with mental sharpness, rapid reaction, and expedited muscle recovery afterwards (2). Fatigue can come from stress, lack of sleep, or an off-balanced diet. Since life happens to all of us, at Ethan’s we’ve mastered the art of delectably organic supplements for your everyday routine.
Top Mainstream Brands are Missing the Mark
Developing plant-based, vegan supplements is our priority. Why? Plants have phytochemicals that, when harnessed properly, benefit our health in multiple ways. Recognizable brands like 5-Hour Energy are known for promising sustainable strength; yet have mysterious ingredients. Are those “boosts” verifiably natural? Let’s find out.
5-Hour Energy Shot is on shelves around the country. However, their website confirms none of their ingredients come from plants (3). What source could they be from?
The Gold Standard Pre-Workout has as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. Yet a glance at the ingredient list reveals artificial flavors, a synthetic anti-caking agent (silicon dioxide), and Red Dye #40. Despite the lengthy list of minerals, none of these compounds are organic (4).
Nutritionally, natural and organic ingredients are different. Dean Blumberg and Lena Rothstein, pediatricians at the University of California, confirm that eating (and drinking) non-organic products meet daily requirements. More importantly, they pointed out how opting for organic may “...lead to less pesticide and antibiotic exposure” (5).
What makes avoiding pesticides vital for our health? In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) asserted that pesticide residue on foods can cause cancer as well as nervous system impairment, immunity troubles, and reproductive damage (6).
All of our ingredients are certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Without compromising.
Why Organic Ingredients are Essential
The Certified USDA label is not just a seal, it’s a promise. According to USDA Regulations, only “most raw, unprocessed or minimally processed crops…” can be labeled organic (7). That familiar stamp is a green light to get your products from farmers who don’t treat their crops with chemicals (8). At Ethan’s, we hold our shots and drink mixes to the highest standards. From planting to harvest, we’re bringing you the purest energy possible.
Ethan’s, Feel the Difference
Since 2017, making supplements healthful and delicious has been paramount. Our Proprietary Blend is the most functional fuel for your body. Your workout will never be the same.
Carb and protein-heavy meals take time to digest before converting into energy. Ethan’s Clean Energy Shot or Drink Mix is your option to skip the heavy gut and sip your way to a great performance.
Here’s how we did it.
Since the FDA doesn’t regulate workout supplements, we decided to. In our organic Clean Energy, you’ll get the market’s top vegan-friendly, plant-based ingredients – that aren’t hard to pronounce.
Green Tea
Green Tea is popular in Asian medicine as a healing agent. Recent studies have shown that dried leaves and extracts of Green Tea contain caffeine and antioxidants that lower cholesterol, enhance alertness, protect your brain, and improve reaction time (9,10).
Why include GT in pre-workout? Green Tea is additionally proven to assist with weight management. Studies conducted on people who ingested GT had an overall lower body weight and smaller waist size with continued use (11). Moreover, the Journal of American College of Nutrition affirms Green Tea positively affects your heart and metabolic health (12).
Say it with us. Goo-eye-YOO-sah. The Amazonian powerhouse Ilex guayusa is brimming with plant-based nutrients that intrinsically suppress drowsiness and promote mobility (13). Antioxidants found in guayusa extract also improve mood and regulate blood sugar.
B Vitamins
If you’re fighting fatigue, your body could be begging for vitamin B. This branch of the vitamin family is responsible for helping pull nutrients from our food (14). About 75% of ingested B vitamins are bioavailable to expedite RBC production, which influences multiple primary body functions (15).
Our Clean Energy pre-workout Shot and Drink Mix ignites you with 150% of vitamin B12 and B6 to conquer your workout and the rest of your day.
Adaptogens
Medicinal mushrooms (aka adaptogens) are renowned in Eastern curative treatments. The popular fungi Cordyceps is celebrated for stimulating physical performance and aiding stress recovery (16). The compounds in these mushrooms distribute strength to every limb at the cellular level.
Another miracle-working mushroom, Lion’s Mane, in its purest form, keeps the brain and nervous system healthy. Furthermore, the National Library of Medicine referenced studies that noted Lion’s Mane’s ability to strengthen immunity while balancing blood cholesterol (17).
Our potent Proprietary Blend was formulated by our in-house Dietician to achieve this.
We crossed all the nutritional t’s and dotted the organic i’s. You may be left wondering what we’re missing in the Clean Energy Shot and Drink Mix. Just one thing: synthetics.
Simply put, synthetic ingredients are unnatural. According to PubMed, chemically engineered adaptogens induce side effects (associated with inorganic supplements and energy drinks) such as dry mouth, anxiety, drowsiness, and vertigo (18). Canadian Dietician Andy De Santis, RD, MPH verified that plant-based, organic ingredients have numerous benefits. On his website, he wrote, “It does happen that natural sources of caffeine… also contain a number of other beneficial compounds that certain synthetic sources do not.” (19).
Which brands use imitation ingredients? We’ll show you.
GNC Creatine Monohydrate contains silicon dioxide, or silica (20). Silica is synthetic however, although it can be toxic to humans, the FDA considers minimal amounts of silica to be “safe” (21). We don’t.
We also passed on artificial flavors and added sugars. One serving of Ladder Pre Workout contains 12% of the daily suggested sugar intake (22). “Natural flavors” according to the FDA, are extracts which add zero nutritional value (23). These additives make supplements taste appealing but subtract from their health benefits. Dr. Frank Hu from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health warns, "The effects of added sugar intake — higher blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes, and fatty liver disease — are all linked to an increased risk for heart attack and stroke," (24).
Lastly, for those of us who’ve tried energy drinks before hitting the weights (no judgment here); this is what Starbucks Vanilla DoubleShot Energy offers: non-organic vitamins with 30% suggested daily calcium and 10 grams of (alleged) protein. What’s striking is a 15-ounce can is flavored using four separate sweeteners — amounting to 29 grams of sugar (25).
The purpose of supplements is to add to your health regimen, not counteract it. While unnatural, oversweetened formulas abound, we’ve innovated with simplicity. Ethan’s creates supplements you can trust to be pure. Completely organic. And hands-down your new favorite drink.
Make your next pre-workout vegan, with Ethan’s Clean Energy Shot or Drink Mix.
