Can You Take Pre-Workout Twice A Day?

December 16, 2021

For the hardcore fitness enthusiasts among us, twice daily training sessions may be the norm. That could mean taking pre-workout before both workouts. But can you take pre-workout twice a day?

It is not good to take pre-workout twice a day as many pre-workouts are dosed where two servings can potentially cause health problems.

Pre-workouts causing health problems are heavily influenced by the actual doses of each ingredient within the pre-workout. Not every ingredient is dangerous if double scooping or taking it twice a day. So, I’m going to let you know which ingredients to look out for.

Can You Take Pre-Workout Twice A Day?

Can You Take Pre-Workout Twice A Day

Taking pre-workout twice a day is generally not advised. But it also depends on the pre-workout supplement and the dosages of ingredients. Most pre-workouts, at least good ones, are dosed adequately to provide performance benefits from the ingredients. This is great for one-off use before working out.

However, taking a second serving can potentially lead to large doses of ingredients that could cause complications. For example, it is widely believed that habitual caffeine use of greater than 500-600 mg per day may lead to significant health risks [1], especially in women.

Further, many pre-workouts contain high levels of niacin (also known as vitamin B3). The average dose in the top 100 pre-workouts is 25.8 mg [2]. Since the upper daily limit of 35 mg has been linked to health complications such as liver damage, taking pre-workouts twice daily may not be a good idea.

Lastly, pre-workout lasts up to 6 hours. So taking it too close together may cause you to feel jittery.

Can You Take Creatine Twice A Day?

You can take creatine twice a day, but it won’t be of any use. You only need between 2-5 g of creatine per day to saturate the muscles maximally. By creatine twice a day, you double your serving, essentially wasting your creatine.

If you have creatine in your pre-workout, then you don’t need to take creatine again. Just on your days that you don’t take pre-workout.

How Many Times A Day Can You Take Pre-Workout?

How Many Times A Day Can You Take Pre-Workout

You should only take pre-workout once a day. Unless the pre-workout is severely underdosed, then you can potentially take it twice a day. However, you’d want to do this with “stim-free” pre-workouts, as loads of caffeine isn’t ideal.

Is It OK To Take Pre-Workout And Not Workout?

You can take pre-workout and not work out. It’d be similar to drinking coffee then not doing exercise. This would be ideal if you needed caffeine and other nootropics to increase alertness and concentration for important tasks.

I’ve done this myself if I needed a quick pick me up. However, I wouldn’t make this a habit as you don’t want to become habituated.

How Many Times A Week Can You Take Pre-Workout?

You can take pre-workout every day of the week if you’re training every day. To not become habituated to pre-workout, it would be beneficial not to take it when you are not working out.

Summary

Where possible, avoid taking pre-workout twice a day unless you have a pre-workout that is limited in ingredients and stimulants. I rated Paleo Pro’s Power Coffee as the best organic pre-workout, which would be an excellent option for twice-daily use as the active ingredient is ground coffee beans and only contains 150 mg per serving.

References

1. Nawrot, P., Jordan, S., Eastwood, J., Rotstein, J., Hugenholtz, A., & Feeley, M. (2003). Effects of caffeine on human health. Food Additives & Contaminants20(1), 1-30.

2. Jagim, A. R., Harty, P. S., & Camic, C. L. (2019). Common ingredient profiles of multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements. Nutrients11(2), 254.

About the Author

I am a professional strength & conditioning coach that works with professional and international teams and athletes. I am a published scientific researcher and have completed my Masters in Sport & Exercise Science. I've combined my knowledge of research and experience to bring you the most practical bites to be applied to your training.

Want More Great Content?

Check Out These Articles