Bad night’s sleep but an early gym session planned? Pre-workout.
Aiming to hit a PB? Pre-workout.
Head not in it today? Pre-workout.
Pre-workout is the answer to many motivation and energy-based issues. So if it’s a bit clumpy, is it still safe to use?
What is pre-workout?
The tried and tested way to take pre-workout is to mix it as a drink before working out. It aids energy and concentration for your gym session. It’s often packed full of highly researched ingredients that when used together can help take your workout to the next level.
What are the benefits of pre-workout?
- Increased endurance performance and capacity
- Increased concentration and alertness
- Reduced tiredness and fatigue
Why is my pre-workout clumpy?
Your pre-workout might arrive and seem to be pretty clumpy. But fear not. You don’t need to hit up the customer services department. It’s actually totally normal.
Common pre-workout ingredients including L-Citrulline and glycerol are what are known as hydroscopic ingredients. In easy to understand terms this basically means these ingredients draw moisture out of the air and can make the pre-workout powder stick together in clumps.
The extent to which you find your pre-workout clumps together can also be affected by the humidity in the factory is was produced in, or the humidity in the area where you live. The more moisture in the air, the more clumps your pre-workout is likely to have.
Is it safe to use clumpy pre workout?
Although it might feel strange, clumpy pre-workout can be expected — especially if you leave your pre-workout in a humid environment — yes, we’re talking about your sweaty gym bag. But if the product is in date then it should be safe to use.
Follow the instructions on the pre-workout packet of how to take your pre-workout and you’ll be fine.
And remember, dry-scooping pre-workouts specifically designed to be mixed with water is not the one.
Can I still use clumpy pre-workout?
While it’s still safe to use pre-workout that has gone clumpy in the tub, there are some preventative measures you can take if you’d rather avoid clumping altogether.
Firstly, avoid leaving your pre-workout in your car for long periods. The moisture in the air of a car that gets cold and then gets hot and vice versa can cause the pre-workout to clump.
Secondly, avoid leaving your pre-workout in a moist area like your gym bag or on the side in your kitchen. To avoid clumping it’s best to store your pre-workout in a cool, dry place.
While you can take these measures to avoid clumping, if you live in a humid area then it’s going to be hard to avoid clumping. Equally, if the factory your pre-workout is manufactured in is humid then it’s also likely to be clumpy.
How do you fix clumpy pre-workout powder?
As mentioned before, there are some preventative measures you can take to avoid the clumping of your pre-workout. But these aren’t 100% going to work. So, if nothing is stopping the clumping of your pre-workout, then you can just solve the problem as you go to drink it.
A lot of people opt to make their pre-workout in a blender to ensure it’s nice and smooth — and that’s a good way to knock the clumps straight out of it.
Alternatively, if you like it the old fashioned way, you can get a great bicep warm-up by shaking your pre-workout vigorously until all the lumps are gone.
If your pre-workout is too clumpy for you to use a scoop then remove the scoop and chuck the powder into a blender (without water) to remove any clumps and then add it back into the tub until you need to use it.
If you don’t have a blender then squashing any of the clumps you can go analog, a fork works pretty well too.
If that’s all too much hassle we have another solution. Pre-workout gummies don’t get clumpy.
Can you keep pre-workout in the freezer to stop clumps?
TikTok is full of people providing their own solutions to what helps them to avoid clumps in their pre-workout. And one of the most common solutions is to keep your pre-workout in the freezer. This makes sense, the cold environment helps to avoid any moisture building up in the powder.
However, the freezer can cause many of the ingredients of pre-workout to breakdown much faster than they would at room temperature – meaning you won’t get the same benefits of your pre-workout if you keep it in the freezer.
Take Home Message
Now we’ve cleared up that clumpy pre-workout is not uncommon and can be solved, it's time to throw back a nice smooth pre-workout shake, hit the gym and beat some PBs.
*Article reviewed by Jamie Wright, Head Nutritionist at Balance.Our articles should be used for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be taken as medical advice. If you're concerned, consult a health professional before taking dietary supplements or introducing any major changes to your diet.
