What Is Intra-Workout? All You Need to Know

Are you wondering, “What is intra-workout?” These are supplements meant to be taken during your workout, but are they really necessary?

While most people don’t need intra-workouts, endurance athletes may benefit greatly from these supplements. If you’re interested in a high-quality intra-workout supplement, our recommendation is Transparent Labs Intra-Workout.

What Is An Intra-Workout?

So, what does intra-workout mean? Intra means “within”. So, intra-workout mainly refers to a supplement to drink during workouts.

For the majority of athletes, an intra-workout supplement will not make a major difference in performance. This is especially true for strength athletes. For workouts lasting less than 1-2 hours, you’re better off with a high-quality pre-workout supplement instead. Intra-workouts are primarily carb, amino acid and electrolyte-based, while pre-workouts will have higher stimulation and more active ingredients/performance enhancers. This makes pre-workouts more useful for short, intense workouts, like those performed by strength athletes.

Intra-workout supplements will have a combo of:

• BCAAs
• EAAs
• Caffeine
• Electrolytes
• Carbohydrates

You could also consider a carbohydrate beverage an intra-workout supplement. Something like this would be especially useful to have in between workouts if you’re exercising twice a day or during ultra-endurance workout. Adding in some protein to this mixture would be beneficial as well.

Intra-workouts are more necessary for endurance athletes. Because when they work out for hours on end, depleted electrolytes and elevated protein breakdown are more of a concern. Intra-workout benefits in this case may include improved performance and energy, reduced fatigue during exercise, as well as improved recovery. So, unless you’re exercising for more than 2 hours at a time, you won’t experience many benefits from an intra-workout supplement.

How Intra-Workout It Different From Pre-Workout?

If you’re familiar with pre-workout formulas, you may have noticed the products on our list are fairly similar to most pre-workouts. However, the two supplements differ in a few key areas. Here they are covered in more detail.

First, as the name implies, intra-workout supplements are meant to be taken during a workout, instead of before. They are primarily meant to give you a boost of hydration and energy to carry you through your workout. 

While pre-workouts have a similar purpose, more emphasis is put on the energy/stimulation they give you instead of their hydrating properties. This means pre-workouts tend to be heavier on caffeine than intra-workout supplements. 

However, some intra-workout supplements will contain some caffeine, although usually in much milder doses than pre-workout.

Through a combination of electrolytes, amino acids, and active ingredients (betaine, beta-alanine, l-citrulline, etc.) intra-workout supplements can help you maintain more energy and achieve a higher level of performance in the gym.

The main electrolytes the body needs are potassium, sodium, and magnesium. Pre-workouts typically will not put an emphasis on electrolytes, although there are some that contain a decent hydration blend. 

If you want to focus on hydration with your intra-workout supplement, we recommend choosing a supplement with all 3 main electrolytes.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and although there are 20 in total, there are 9 the body can’t produce on its own. These need to be found through your diet, and are called essential amino acids (EAAs). Out of these 9, 3 are called Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs).

Vegans and vegetarians especially may struggle to get enough amino acids in their diet, so an intra-workout supplement can be a convenient way to get more in. 

Being deficient in amino acids can seriously affect workout performance, so an amino acid rich intra-workout supplement may greatly benefit deficient athletes. While some pre-workouts are rich in BCAAs and EAAs, they are not as common as they are in intra-workout drinks.

Finally, additional active ingredients are things like beta-alanine, l-citrulline, and betaine, which are all scientifically proven to improve exercise performance in one way or another. These are all some of the most common ingredients found in pre-workouts as well as intra-workout supplements.

Ultimately, pre-workouts and intra-workouts are very similar supplements. The main differences are when they are taken, their level of stimulation, and the core purpose of their formulas.

In What Cases Can The Use Of An Intra-Workout Be Justified?

While intra-workouts may not be beneficial to everybody, there are certain situations where they can be especially useful. Here they are covered in more detail.

1. If You Are An Endurance Athlete

Intra-workout supplements are most useful for endurance athletes. Carbohydrates are the most immediate source of energy for exercise. Glycogen stores will be depleted much faster during exercise if someone hasn’t eaten many carbs in the past few hours. This will make completing endurance exercise more difficult, and is where intra-workout beverages come in handy.

BCAAs play a supplementary role in providing energy during prolonged exercise, making them more valuable to someone with depleted glycogen stores. Caffeine can provide a quick boost of energy. Electrolytes will be beneficial to help prevent dehydration if anyone exercising for more than 90 min or in a hot environment.

2. Long Workouts

Intra-workout supplements are likely best suited to especially long workouts. If someone’s in the gym or on the trail for more than 1 or 2 hours, an intra-workout supplement will likely make a huge difference. In these cases, it’s especially important to keep the body hydrated with plenty of electrolytes.

While intra-workout supplements can help with such a workout, it may not be the best idea. Rest and recovery are important for improvement. Combining endurance training with strength training immediately after may lead to symptoms of overtraining. Our bodies are not able to adapt to multiple stressors like prolonged endurance training and strength training in such close proximity.

Consider spacing out your workouts for at least a few hours. This will give your body some time to recover, allow you to refuel with a proper meal, and give your body the ability to respond to the imposed demands (stressor).

Also, during longer workouts, the body will have more time to maximize the use of ingredients like caffeine, l-citrulline, and betaine, which all take 15 minutes to an hour to have noticeable effects. Essentially, the longer a workout is, the more useful an intra-workout supplement will be.

3. Vegans/Vegetarians

The reason intra-workout supplements may especially benefit vegans and vegetarians is because of all the amino acids they contain. It is much easier to get BCAAs and other EAAs in through a diet with animal products than plant-based foods. This means vegans and vegetarians are significantly more likely to be deficient in these nutrients.

If someone is deficient in amino acids, it can drastically affect performance in the gym. Therefore vegans and vegetarians who may be deficient in amino acids may seriously benefit from taking an intra-workout supplement rich in amino acids.

4. Fasted Workouts

Another reason somebody may be interested in taking an intra-workout supplement is if they workout fasted. Most intra-workout supplements on our list are under 10 calories, so they are suitable for most people on a fast. 

People who participate in intermittent fasting may be at risk of developing an electrolyte deficiency, so taking an intra-workout supplement is a great way to prevent this. Also, the satisfaction of having a sweet, flavored beverage may help keep you feeling fuller for longer.

5. If You Have A Pronounced DOMS Effect

Finally, intra-workout supplements may be beneficial if you find yourself experiencing severe DOMS – or delayed onset muscle soreness. This is because BCAAs have potential to alleviate muscle soreness.

Although BCAAs are beneficial in this case, you can get the same effects from either a whey protein supplement or a meal rich in complete protein. Other ways to alleviate severe DOMS include stretching, mobility work, ice packs, massage, and walking. DOMS should get better over a few days with proper rest and nutrition.

Which Intra-Workout Components Deserve The Most Attention?

1. EAA’s and BCAA’s

Some of the most common ingredients found in intra-workout supplements are essential and branched-chain amino acids. While they’re found in plenty of supplements, these may not be the most useful ingredients for aiding with performance – here’s why.

The majority of people get enough amino acids through diet alone, making further supplementation unnecessary. Although they do contribute to muscle energy, it’s at a fairly small percentage when compared to other sources like carbs and fats. Plenty of EAAs and BCAAs can be found in a whey protein supplement, which will offer more value for money for most athletes.

Vegans and vegetarians are more likely to be deficient in BCAAs and EAAs. This makes supplementation more beneficial for people who follow these diets. But, if someone is deficient in amino acids, they’re most likely protein deficient as well. This means they would be better off incorporating more sources of complete protein in their diet rather than supplementing with amino acids.

2. Caffeine

Because caffeine can provide quick energy in as little as 15 minutes, it can be beneficial intra-workout. Especially for endurance athletes spending multiple hours working out, a quick boost of caffeine can make a major difference.

While caffeine is commonly taken as part of a pre-workout supplement, it can be equally beneficial intra-workout. Consider ultra-endurance athletes who are out for a 4-hour workout. When do you think they’ll need a boost of energy? Right when they leave or in the back half of their workout? Caffeine is great for providing athletes with energy beyond the first hour or two of their workout.

3. Electrolytes

Finally, electrolytes are also beneficial for those exercising for longer than 90 min. When we sweat, our body loses electrolytes. This makes it necessary to replenish them to stay properly hydrated and maintain desired performance.

While this won’t affect performance too much if you’re only working out for an hour, the longer you work out, the more electrolytes you’ll be losing. So, if you’re an endurance athlete, having an intra-workout supplement full of electrolytes can help fuel you through especially tough workouts.

How To Take Intra-Workout?

Most intra-workout supplements will come in a powder and are very simple to use. Just add 1 scoop to 1-2 cups of water or any beverage of your choice. Consider using a shaker bottle to get a smoother texture, although this isn’t necessary. Best advice – be sure to follow the instructions on the package of whatever product you buy!

Note that if you’re buying a supplement with caffeine, be careful not to exceed the daily recommended dose of caffeine. It’s recommended that adults don’t drink more than 400mg of coffee a day. With some intra-workout supplements having 200mg+ in a single serving, be sure you’re not taking in excessive caffeine.

Side effects of high caffeine doses include restlessness, anxiety, tremors and insomnia. Too much caffeine will also have detrimental effects on your performance.

How To Choose The Best Intra-Workout Supplements?

There are several main factors you’ll want to consider before making a decision on what intra-workout supplement to buy. These include hydration/electrolytes, amino acids, and other additional ingredients. 

1. Hydration/Electrolytes

The first factor that goes into a good intra-workout supplement is how well it’s able to hydrate you during your workout. This primarily comes down to what its electrolyte content looks like. Ideally, an intra-workout supplement should contain the electrolytes sodium, magnesium, and potassium to maximize hydration.

Additional ingredients like coconut water powder contain high amounts of electrolytes, so they can be a great natural addition to maximize hydration as well.

2. Amino Acids

The second factor that goes into a great intra-workout is its amino acid content. This includes BCAAs (Branched-Chain Amino Acids) as well as the 6 other EAAs (Essential Amino Acids). While many intra-workout supplements only contain BCAAs, there are plenty that include solid doses of the other 6 EAAs as well.

While amino acids can be found in many foods, it’s common for vegans and vegetarians to be deficient, so these ingredients may especially benefit those on plant-based diets. Vegans and vegetarians considering intra-workout supplements will likely want to prioritize a high amino acid content.

3. Additional Ingredients (Betaine, Beta-Alanine, L-Citrulline, Caffeine)

Finally, the last factor that goes into making a solid intra-workout formula is its additional active ingredients. The main ingredients you’ll want to look for here are betaine, beta-alanine, and l-citrulline. These are all scientifically-backed ingredients that should genuinely help your performance in the gym.

Of course, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention caffeine here. With many of the intra-workout supplements on our list featuring mild doses of caffeine, the stimulant may provide you with the boost of energy you need to get through an especially challenging workout. 

Whether or not you want caffeine in your intra-workout is ultimately a matter of personal preference.

While intra-workouts aren’t necessary for most people, if you’re an endurance athlete and you’re interested in trying a high-quality intra-workout supplement, we recommend trying Transparent Labs Intra-workout.

We’ll be going over 3 main factors in each of our intra-workout reviews: hydration, amino acid profile, and additional active ingredients. By having a solid combination of these 3 factors, you can be confident an intra-workout supplement will be genuinely effective.

For hydration, Transparent Labs has a solid amount of each essential electrolyte (magnesium, sodium, and potassium) to help keep a balanced hydration level during your workout. It also features 1g of coconut water powder in each serving to provide an extra boost of hydration.

This is a non-stim supplement, meaning it doesn’t contain any caffeine. If this is something you’re looking for in your intra-workout, then you’ll have to look elsewhere.

There’s also a solid blend of 6.7g of EAAs and BCAAs. As mentioned above, while these aren’t necessary for the majority of athletes, they may help provide energy for vegans and vegetarians who don’t get enough protein in their diet. But, these people would be better off just eating more protein as opposed to supplementing with amino acids.

Another major benefit to this supplement is its active ingredients Citrulline Malate and Betaine. You can expect 2g of citrulline malate and 1.25g of betaine. While these aren’t especially high doses, especially for the citrulline, it’s still a potentially beneficial inclusion. Citrulline is a vasodilator that has been shown to improve exercise performance, albeit at higher doses.

Betaine has also been shown to increase force production with consistent supplementation, although also at a higher dose.

This supplement comes in 2 unique flavors: strawberry lemonade, and blue raspberry. It’s also a fairly expensive supplement at ~$1.47 per serving. It will still be a good choice for endurance athletes looking for an electrolyte-based intra-workout supplement with some extra active ingredients.

Another good thing is that it almost doesn’t contain carbs (2g) so you can make a choice and add them (ones you prefer) into your intra-workout when there will be such a need.

What To Consider Before Buying Intra-Workout?

Before buying an intra-workout, there’s several factors you’ll want to consider, especially when comparing products. These include the value for your money, the taste of the drink, and the stimulation. 

1. Value For Money

One of the main things you’ll want to consider before buying a pre-workout is the value you’ll be getting for your money. This goes beyond simply comparing the price per serving of different products, but also considering what exactly you’re getting in each serving. 

Consider how many electrolytes, amino acids, and active ingredients you’re getting for the price to determine whether or not it’s worth the cost. By doing this, you can ensure you’re making an informed decision when you do buy a product. 

2. Taste/Flavor

With every product having its own unique taste, and each supplement having a long list of flavors to choose from, it can be difficult to make a decision based on taste alone. To see which products generally taste the best, we recommend taking a look at customer reviews to see what people are saying about the flavor.

While variety in flavors can be nice, it’s not always indicative of a high-quality or delicious supplement. Because taste comes down to a matter of personal preference, it may take some trial and error before you find a supplement you really love the taste of!

3. Stimulation

Finally, one major factor you’ll want to consider is how much stimulation you want in your intra-workout supplement. Once again, this completely comes down to a matter of personal preference – some people will want a completely non-stim intra-workout, while others will want a good amount of stimulation.

Keep in mind that the caffeinated products on our list are all relatively mild, having just over 100mg of caffeine each. If you want more stimulation you may be better off opting for a pre-workout supplement instead, as they will tend to have more caffeine per serving.

FAQ

What Is The Meaning Of Intra-Workout?

Intra-workout means during your workout. It commonly refers to any supplement taken during exercise. These supplements are commonly made up of carbs, amino acids, caffeine, and electrolytes. It is most beneficial for endurance workouts that last longer than 90 min. 

Are Intra-Workouts Worth It? 

It depends largely on your training style, but intra-workouts are not worth it for most people. Intra-workouts will likely only be worth it to endurance athletes, as they are the ones most in need of replenishing their energy sources, electrolytes, or a hit of caffeine during their workout. For those who work out for less than an hour or two at a time, they’ll likely be better off with a high-quality pre-workout.

Also, consider dialing in your diet before taking any supplements, as intra-workout won’t make a major difference if you’re not eating properly!

What Is The Difference Between Intra-Workout And Pre-Workout?

While intra-workouts and pre-workouts can have similar formulas, the main difference is when they’re taken. As you can imagine from their names, intra-workouts are taken during your workout, while pre-workouts are taken before. Intra-workouts are typically based more on fuel and electrolytes, while pre-workouts focus on heavy stimulation and performance enhancers. 

What Does Intra-Workout Do? 

This depends on what ingredients are in any given intra-workout supplement. The main benefits of an intra-workout drink usually will be providing energy through some carbs, caffeine for a stimulation, and rehydration through electrolytes. Amino acids may be beneficial for energy and recovery for vegans and vegetarians, but won’t have much of an impact on most with a protein-rich diet.

Are Intra-Workout Supplements Worth It?

It depends! The people who will likely benefit most from intra-workout supplements are those who have especially long workouts, vegans/vegetarians, and those who workout fasted. With that being said, anybody may experience benefits from intra-workout use because of boosted hydration, and science-backed active ingredients.

Is BCAA An Intra-Workout?

You can absolutely use a pure BCAA supplement as an intra-workout, just keep in mind you won’t be getting the benefits of added electrolytes or other active ingredients. With every product on our list featuring at least some BCAAs, you may be better off just buying a full intra-workout supplement over BCAAs for intra-workout use.

Is Apple Juice A Good Intra-Workout?

While the sugars in apple juice will likely give you a decent boost of energy, it lacks many of the advantages that an intra-workout supplement does. If you want a hit of intra-workout carbs during your workout, you could absolutely try mixing an intra-workout powder with juice to get the best of both worlds!

Conclusion

Intra-workouts are supplements meant to be taken during your workout and are commonly made up of amino acids, caffeine, and electrolytes. While intra-workouts are mainly beneficial for endurance athletes, they are not necessary for most athletes.

If you’re interested in trying a high-quality electrolyte-based intra-workout, we recommend checking out Transparent Labs Intra-Workout.

Have you ever taken an intra-workout supplement? Were you aware that they’re mainly useful for endurance athletes? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Also read:

• Cellucor C4 Pre Workout Review
• Best Pre Workout Drink for Women

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19. Photos made by Torokhtiy Media Team.