Why does pre-workout make you torturously itchy?

[Violent Rainbow]

I tried the skittles flavour C4 this morning and I literally felt like I had ants biting me all over my body for hours, and people are telling me that's normal?!

[Acetyl]

Some kind of soap you're using. Dries out your skin and then stretching or sweating causes that prickling. Histmaine reactions can do this as well.

[Grim Reaper]

Don't do this unless you will be in the gym in the next 5 minutes. Never take pre-workout if you aren't going to exercise or are going to do cardio.

The itchy feeling will go away the moment you start benching, so be on your way. I know exactly what you are talking about and am not a stranger to it.

[ImSoCool599]

Placebo

[aka]

Try 2 or 3 cans, see of symptoms increase or decrease.

You're welcome my friend

[ナルゴ]

Blood vessels that weren't used much, suddenly are. New blood vessels form, old ones expand.
In other words, you're restructuring your vascular system.

Completely normal and will disappear once you exercise regularly. Happens to people when starting an exercise routine or if they're exercising again after a long pause from doing it.

Can't believe it took 3 pages for someone (me) to tell this.

[Abaddon the Despoiler]

Messaggio originale di Nargo:

Blood vessels that weren't used much, suddenly are. New blood vessels form, old ones expand.
In other words, you're restructuring your vascular system.

Completely normal and will disappear once you exercise regularly. Happens to people when starting an exercise routine or if they're exercising again after a long pause from doing it.

Can't believe it took 3 pages for someone (me) to tell this.

That is not what's happening. As someone said a few replies in it's a side effect of beta alanine. It sounds like this guy didn't even do a workout, just thought it would be a good idea to take pre workout anyway.

[AerSilver ♞]

Messaggio originale di Abaddon the Despoiler:

Messaggio originale di Nargo:

Blood vessels that weren't used much, suddenly are. New blood vessels form, old ones expand.
In other words, you're restructuring your vascular system.

Completely normal and will disappear once you exercise regularly. Happens to people when starting an exercise routine or if they're exercising again after a long pause from doing it.

Can't believe it took 3 pages for someone (me) to tell this.

That is not what's happening. As someone said a few replies in it's a side effect of beta alanine. It sounds like this guy didn't even do a workout, just thought it would be a good idea to take pre workout anyway.

Thank you.
Obviously the people here never used it before so they thought the itching and tingling is just an "allergic reaction" or something.

[Azza ☠]

Beta-alanine in certain pre-workouts, such as C4, will bind to certain proteins in the skin which can cause it to feel tingling (paresthesia).

That is normal for those products and most people actually tend to like the feeling while pumping iron (working out with weights).

The amount of dosage vs your body weight will be a factor, but the feeling should only last about a hour.

If you want less of an effect upon up, split and take smaller doses throughout the day.

Small amounts of beta-alanine are in foods, such as:
- chicken
- turkey
- beef
- pork
- white fish
- salmon
- tuna

Vegans or those that don't eat foods with natural beta-alanine might have a bigger feeling of the tingles with it.

If you really hate it, stop using a Beta-alanine supplement and rather go for Creatine instead, which is a great option anyways and I would highly recommend (in terms of supplements which actually work), but requires building up over time (loading phase) and drinking a lot more water. If doing Creatine - DO NOT FORGET TO DRINK WATER REGULARLY. It absorbs water into your muscles, so you need more than normal to still filter the body.

[Eskimofo]

beta alanine makes the blood raise to under the skin

[Azami]

And this is why I prefer to avoid any supplement or anything with high caffeine that could spike my heart rate. I heard about a guy that got a heart attack because of his pre workout and in conjunction with going hard on the weights.

If you need a pre workout, drink coffee.

[AerSilver ♞]

Messaggio originale di Azami:

I prefer to avoid any supplement or anything with high caffeine

Messaggio originale di Azami:

If you need a pre workout, drink coffee.

Bruh...
Anyway, if you don't have any underlying medical issues such as high blood pressure, arrhythmia, etc. then you're fine. I used to sniff ammonia inhalants and smelling salts during my competitive days (which are way worse), and I'm still fine.

[aqua star]

Are you actually drinking it before a workout? If so, you're supposed to drink it if you are going to workout. TBH you're better off drinking coffee, and nothing else.

[Fosty]

Yeah C4 will do that. Gets you going.

[Jeff]

None of these comments are correct. It's called "runner's itch" and it's a histamine release that occurs at the onset of rigorous exercise.

Source: I ran track and field and played soccer at the national/Olympic level.

[AerSilver ♞]

Messaggio originale di LilBlkCloud:

None of these comments are correct. It's called "runner's itch" and it's a histamine release that occurs at the onset of rigorous exercise.

Source: I ran track and field and played soccer at the national/Olympic level.

The one who isn't correct is you. Beta-alanine tingling will kick in way before you even start working out. Also, doing some cardio is very, very different from heavy weightlifting.