Pre-workouts are one of the most common supplements and they’re a popular way of getting a boost during a workout.
Pre-workouts come in different forms including powders, tablets, and drinks. One of the most common types of pre-workout that you’ll see is a powder that’s often stored in a tub or pouch.
Considering the cost of pre-workout products people often bulk buy large tubs to save on cost. However, pre-workouts can go off pretty quickly, especially once you’ve opened them.
Here, I’ve explained the different things you can do to give your pre-workout a longer shelf life and make sure it lasts for as long as it can. I’ll mainly be showing you the best place to store pre-workout so you don’t waste any (like you’ll see I did in this article).
If you’re interested in getting the most out of your pre-workout then check out this video on pre-workout supplements:
Table of Contents
What Is the Shelf Life of Pre-workout?
The shelf life of pre-workout varies depending on what ingredients it contains as well as what form it is in, for example, if it’s a powder or tablet. The product should say the expiration date on the packaging. Usually, the expiration date will be a couple of months or years after the purchase date.
The shelf life of a product basically refers to how long the product can be safely used or sold.
Like most products, when you buy your pre-workout you’ll see that it has an expiration date on the packaging. This tells you how long you can use the pre-workout.
However, people often notice signs that their pre-workout has gone off before this date. Signs the pre-workout has gone off include a bad smell, mold, or clumping.
So if you want to extend the shelf life of your pre-workout and stop it from going off, then check out the best places to store it in the next section.
Best Place to Store Pre-workout
The best place to store your pre-workout is in a cool, dry place that is away from direct sunlight. Keeping your pre-workout away from moisture and heat is essential, as this can cause the product to go bad before its expiration date.
When it comes to the shelf life of your pre-workout you should follow the expiration date on the product, but if you’re finding that your pre-workout has gone off before the expiration date then there are different things you can do to avoid this happening.
The best place to keep pre-workout is in a cool area away from direct sunlight.
This is because when pre-workout gets warm the product can start to break down and change, causing it to go bad even before the expiration date.
So, I’d recommend storing your pre-workout in a cupboard that is cool. Cupboards close to any heat-producing product like an oven or toaster should be avoided.
Once you’ve used your pre-workout you should return it to the cupboard as soon as you can. Don’t leave it on the countertop after you’ve used it as this is going to be warmer and leaving it there for an extended time is going to negatively affect the product.
Should I Refrigerate My Pre-workout?
Another storage option is the fridge.
As fridges are both cool and dark they can be a great place to store your pre-workout, especially during warmer months when you might struggle to find somewhere cool and out of direct sunlight.
However, because pre-workout tubs can be big you might struggle to fit them in a fridge alongside everything else you need to put in there, so whilst it’s a good option it might not be the right one for everyone.
How to Store Pre-workout
Beyond the location, there are other things you can do to extend the shelf life of your pre-workout and stop it from going off.
Don’t unseal the tub unless you’re ready to use the product. Once your product has been opened it allows air and moisture in the air into the product, which can start causing changes to the product.
Once you’ve opened the product and used it make sure the lid is on and it’s sealed up properly. This is because leaving the lid open, even slightly, will allow air and moisture to continue to get in which as I mentioned can cause the product to start changing and breaking down.
Leaving the lid open can also allow bacteria to get in, which could make you ill. So ensuring the lid is properly reattached is important. You can see that I’ve had moisture get into my tub of pre-workout and even when I turn the tub on its side, everything is stuck in place and completely solid.
If your pre-workout product has a screw top lid then ensure it’s lined up properly. If you’re using a pre-workout from a bag then try to get any air out of it, then seal it.
It’s also important to keep liquids from getting into your pre-workout. To keep any liquids out, if you’re using a liquid to mix your pre-workout then do this separately.
Get out the scoops of pre-workout and then add the liquids away from the tub. This way you don’t risk accidentally spilling liquid into the whole tub.
Also, don’t buy more than you’re going to use.
A lot of people think they’re saving money by buying the larger tubs of pre-workout. However, if you end up throwing away half the tub because it’s expired or gone off before you use it then it isn’t a saving, it’s a waste of money.
So I’d recommend only buying an amount you know you will use in the next couple of months and before the expiration date. That way, your tub hasn’t been open for a long-time which would cause it to go off.
Does Pre-workout Expire if Unopened?
Pre-workout can expire even if it’s unopened. This is because they contain ingredients that age and can go off, even if the product is sealed. So if the product has passed its expiration date, or shows signs that it has gone off, you shouldn’t use it.
Often pre-workout products expire when they’re opened as this allows moisture and air to get into the product which causes the product to change. Signs it has expired or gone bad include a bad smell, mold, and the product going hard or clumpy.
If you see any of these signs then you shouldn’t use the product.
However, pre-workout can expire even if the product isn’t open. This happens because the ingredients within pre-workout age and lose their potency.
So even if you haven’t opened your pre-workout you shouldn’t use them after they’ve expired as they probably won’t have the same effect and can make you ill.
Related – Does pre-workout go bad
Summary
One of the worst things when supplementing is going to use a powder and finding that you can’t scoop it out because it’s gone hard.
Hardness and clumping are common in powdered supplements like creatine and pre-workout which ultimately makes them difficult to measure and scoop for use.
Therefore, correct storage is a very boring topic but one that will save you money in the long run.
I’ve shown you how badly my supplements clump when left out in the environment so if you want to preserve your pre-workout make sure you store it in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight.
