This Is The Biggest Pre-Workout Supplement Mistake That’s Preventing Gains

Those looking for serious gym gains often include supplements in their routine. Approximately 78% of gym-goers report using pre-workout supplements to boost energy, endurance, and performance. But according to new research, the effectiveness of pre-workout may depend on more than just the ingredients listed on the label — it may come down to how you take it.

According to  Dr. Jordan Glenn, PhD in Kinesiology and Exercise Science, a common yet overlooked supplement mistake is underdosing.

“Many pre-workouts are label theater, he said. “You’ll see long ingredient lists, but when you actually look at the grams, they’re often far below clinically effective levels.”

If you want real performance impact, you need roughly:

“Beta-alanine and creatine especially are saturation ingredients,” said Dr. Glenn. “They work through accumulation in muscle over time, not acutely. Taking them only on workout days is one of the most common errors I see.”

As the Head of Science at SuppCo, a health tech startup transforming how people discover, manage, and optimize their supplement routines, Dr. Glenn conducted independent research examining how ingredient distribution affects supplement efficacy.

His findings suggest that something as simple as shaking or stirring the container before scooping can help ensure a more accurate and consistent dose to prevent ingredient settling.

“Powders can separate in transit, especially heavier compounds like creatine,” he said. “If you’re not shaking the tub periodically or remixing the powder, you can get ‘hot spots,’ meaning one scoop might be underdosed and another overloaded. A quick shake of the container every so often helps keep servings consistent.”

For athletes and fitness enthusiasts investing in performance, that small habit could make a measurable difference to make sure ingredients are more evenly distributed.

Always make sure to check the ingredients of other supplements to prevent double-dosing. His research found that 67% of top-rated creatine gummies failed to meet their labeled amounts, meaning you may be underdosing this performance booster.

Dr. Glenn revealed that another big pre-workout supplement mistake is when gym goers confuse “feeling it” with “it’s working.”

“The tingling from beta-alanine is not performance,” he said. “The caffeine rush is not muscle endurance. A good pre-workout should improve output, reps, power, volume, not just sensation.”

To use pre-workout supplements properly, Dr. Glenn emphasized getting the dose correct. As mentioned, pre-workout powders can settle, so without proper preparation, athletes may have uneven dosing.

“If you’re not hitting clinical ranges, you’re unlikely to see meaningful improvements. You can use SuppCo to track your dosing routine for the optimal stack,” he said.

He also recommends taking saturated ingredients daily. “Creatine and beta-alanine are long-game compounds. Treat them like part of your baseline stack, not your ‘gym-only’ stack.”

Gym goers should then time the supplements properly. “Citrulline malate doesn’t work instantly. Plasma arginine levels typically peak around 45–60 minutes after ingestion,” Dr. Glenn said. “If you drink your pre-workout and immediately start lifting, you’re likely missing its peak effect. Caffeine timing matters too; typically, 30-60 minutes pre-session is ideal.”

Finally, simplify supplements to see gains. “Performance comes from physiology, not label complexity,” he said. “A properly dosed, transparent formula with 5-7 well-supported ingredients will outperform a 25-ingredient proprietary blend almost every time.”

For most healthy adults, when used appropriately, pre-workout supplements have low risks. However, health issues can arise when athletes or gym goers stack stimulants without realizing it.

“Coffee plus pre-workout plus an electrolyte mix that also contains caffeine can quietly push someone well past 300–400 mg (or more) per day,” said Dr. Glenn.

This can result in anxiety, elevated heart rate, jitters, or sleep disruption (which ironically hurts performance more than the pre-workout helps). Other supplement risks include GI distress, high blood pressure, and beta-alanine tingling, which is harmless but uncomfortable for some.

“The bigger systemic issue isn’t the concept of pre-workout, it’s quality control,” Dr. Glenn said. “This category has historically been more prone to label inaccuracies and stimulant surprises than many others. That’s why third-party testing matters.”

Always make sure the supplement is tested and verified for raw materials. Failing supplements are 38% cheaper than quality, correctly dosed products, so check out that price point and invest in your supplements to yield real results.