Should I Cycle My Pre-Workout?

You always hear or read about cycling off pre-workout supplements after 4-6 weeks of using for about 2-4 weeks.  But, do you really have to?  If you find that you have been increasing your pre-workout dosage and after a few weeks, been running on max dose (as recommended on the label) and find that the effectiveness of the supplement has dwindled to "where the hell is the energy at!?", then it is definitely a good idea to cycle off the product.  Why does this happen?  Caffeine.  Caffeine is the primary ingredient in all pre-workout supplements to provide that energy boost that we all love to really maximize your performance.  There's a plethora of other ingredients too and depending on the pre-workout product you use, the difference can be major or minute--beta-alanine, citrulline malate, l-arginine, taurine, etc.  However, it is caffeine that your body can most easily get desensitized to, especially if you are a coffee drinker like myself.  One dose of your pre-workout can have anywhere from the same amount of caffeine as half a cup of coffee to upwards of up to 3 or more cups!

Now what if every experience with your pre-workout has been phenomenal and you are satisfied with the results?  The dosage does not need to be increased to be effective and you've been taking it for many weeks?  Well, I think that this is an instance where you don't need to cycle off your pre-workout.  The only real reason why cycling on and off pre-workouts is so your body can normalize and become sensitive to caffeine again so the product continues to be effective.