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Does Pre-Workout Make You Sweat More

Does Pre-Workout Make You Sweat More? (Science Explains)

March 14, 2023 / By

Pre-workout is a type of supplement that has become really popular amongst gym goers and bodybuilders in the last few decades. 

Pre-workout supplements come in different forms, including pills, powders, and drinks, and they contain different ingredients. Overall, they’re designed to give people an extra boost to help them maximize their workout.

Whilst pre-workouts can help to get the most out of a workout, they do have some downsides. If you’ve ever taken a pre-workout you may have noticed excess sweating. 

But, is this extra sweat due to your pre-workout supplement, and does it mean you’ve done a more intense workout?

Here, I’ve explained the potential connection between pre-workout and sweating, whether sweating is a sign of a more intense workout, and whether excess sweating after taking pre-workout is dangerous.

If you want to know more about pre-workout before reading on then check out this video:

Does Pre-Workout Make You Sweat More?

Pre-workout can make you sweat more. This is because ingredients commonly found in pre-workout supplements, such as caffeine, trigger increased sweat production as they raise your body temperature.

To expand on this more, pre-workout supplements can cause increased sweating. This is because of caffeine. 

Caffeine is the most popular stimulant and it’s commonly found in high doses in pre-workout supplements as it has been shown to provide a significant boost in energy, increase mental focus, and improve stamina – all things you want during a workout!

However, one of the downsides of caffeine is increased sweating. This occurs as caffeine has a thermogenic effect. Essentially, it causes your body’s temperature to increase and when you’re warmer, you sweat more. 

This happens because sweating is one way the body cools itself down. So increased sweating is a natural response to being warmer.

Increased sweating can also occur due to the impact of caffeine on stress hormones. Caffeine can cause increased production of stress hormones (such as cortisol and adrenaline). As stress levels increase your body can experience a kind of flight or fight response.

Whilst this leads to greater energy and focus, it also triggers sweat production.

This is particularly the case when consuming high levels of caffeine, like those found in pre-workout supplements. The daily recommended intake of caffeine for an adult is 400 mg, and doses of 300 to 400 mg of caffeine aren’t uncommon in pre-workout supplements.

The impact of pre-workout on sweating does vary though and this is due to individual sensitivity.

 Everyone is different and some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others. As a result, some people will find that caffeine causes them to sweat a lot, whereas other people can be unaffected.

Does More Sweating Mean A More Intense Workout?

More sweating doesn’t necessarily mean a more intense workout. This is because many factors can influence sweat production, including caffeine consumption, external temperature, and individual sweat production. So whilst being sweatier may make it look as though you’ve done a more intense workout, this isn’t necessarily the case.

To expand on this further, although sweating more may make it look as though you’ve done a really intense workout, more sweat doesn’t necessarily mean a more intense workout.

This is because lots of factors influence sweat production, including caffeine consumption, hydration levels, individual sweat production, and external temperature.

For example, if you did the exact same workout in a hot sauna and in the freezing cold, you would obviously sweat a lot more in the sauna due to the temperature of the room. 

In this scenario, you’ve still done the same workout, so it’s not the workout itself causing you to sweat more, it’s the external temperature of the room.

When it comes to pre-workout, caffeine can cause excess sweating. 

As I explained in the last section, this is a side effect of caffeine. Therefore, if you’re sweating more after taking a pre-workout that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve done a more intense workout.

With this being said though, one of the main benefits of caffeine and the reason it’s so popular in pre-workout supplements is that it can help you to work out more intensely. So, you may find that you’re able to work out more intensely which may lead to greater sweat production.

So, the bottom line is that more sweating doesn’t necessarily mean a more intense workout. 

Whilst excess sweating isn’t necessarily a sign that you’ve done a more intense workout, using pre-workout can help you maximize your workout.

Overall then, I’d recommend that you don’t use how much you sweat as a sign of workout intensity. As many factors can influence how much you sweat, it’s not reliable to use this as a determinant.

Other things you can use are the duration of your workout, how much you’ve been able to lift, or the results you’re seeing in terms of muscle gained.

Is Sweating Due To Pre-Workout Dangerous?

Excess sweating can be distracting from your workout. It can also make you feel embarrassed. Whilst excess sweating due to pre-workout isn’t pleasant, it shouldn’t be harmful. 

Just make sure you stay hydrated as excess sweating means you’re losing fluids, which could lead to dehydration.

To expand on this, excess sweating can be distracting when you’re working out. Some people also feel embarrassed if they’re sweating a lot during a workout.

Whilst it’s not pleasant, excess sweating from pre-workout shouldn’t be harmful. Sweating from pre-workout is usually a side effect of caffeine or stimulants, so it should go away on its own as the pre-workout wears off.

Related – How long does pre-workout stay in your system

However, it is important to stay hydrated. Excess sweating puts you at risk of dehydration as your body is losing more fluids. So drinking more water and keeping your hydration levels up is crucial.

Whilst sweat is natural, excess sweating can lead to skin problems such as acne and irritation. To avoid this, make sure you clean your skin and get rid of that excess sweat after your workout.

In Summary

Supplements cause all kinds of side effects and pre-workout is one of the most common culprits. Common pre-workout side effects include: 

Now, all of the above are not definite side effects but rather ones constantly linked with pre-workout consumption and another common talking point is whether pre-workout makes you sweat more. 

Typically, consuming a pre-workout can be a contributing factor to sweating more but it won’t be a direct cause. The caffeine and other stimulants in pre-workout will increase body temperature and lead to sweating but other factors like external heat and workout intensity will be the key causes of sweating. 

Therefore, it’s fair to say that pre-workout could be something that contributes to excessive sweating due to the stimulants acting as a potent ingredient, however, it is unlikely to be the root cause. 

Unless it’s truly excessive sweating, it also shouldn’t be too much of a concern. People sweat with different stimuli so it’s natural to sweat when working out, we’d only take not if it’s truly excessive and you know it’s not normal. 

In which case, you should stop taking the supplement and seek medical advice from a registered medical professional. The above is for informational purposes only and is not designed to be medical advice so always raise any health concerns with your medical provider. 

If you’re concerned that you might be experiencing some side effects from pre-workout and it could be down to you consuming too much, check out our guide on what to do if you’ve taken too much pre-workout next. You can also see what some of the other common pre-workout side effects are here.