Although some have experimented with using them on an ongoing basis, it would be best to be careful and prevent the body from adapting to their use by taking a four-week break after each eight-week cycle. There is no single recommended schedule for using and leaving supplements before training, but there are a few factors you can consider in your plan. Always check with a doctor before starting a new dietary supplement, especially if you are taking any medications. Creatine and caffeine are the two ingredients in pre-workout supplements that should be taken regularly.
If you don't recycle creatine, your body's receptors will be downregulated and make it difficult to transport the compound to your muscles. Likewise, the constant use of caffeine causes the body's sensitivity to the stimulant to decrease over time. To maintain sensitivity to the ingredients before training, most products can be taken for six to eight weeks, followed by a break of two to three weeks. According to nutrition expert Scott Welch, there is no research to support the cycle between products; however, it's a good idea to take a periodic break from some supplements before training.
From there, switch between months of taking and stopping taking thermogenics, as you would with other caffeine-containing supplements. As you can see in the last part, cycling can give you better results, keep you in good shape, and also save you some money. People who take bodybuilding cycle supplements intermittently, or who change their mix, during different phases for cycle-specific results. Since it's something that you normally eat and build up in your muscles over time, you really don't need to leave it on a cycle.
Consult a doctor before you start, so they can help you determine which pre-workout supplements are safe and plan your doses and cycles from there. Cycling supplements will help you get the most out of them (and yourself) in the long term, and you can also save a few dollars along the way. However, as with any other supplement, it's important to carefully research what a pre-workout supplement is before adding it to your diet and talk to your doctor before taking and leaving any specific supplement. While research on cycling is limited, taking a break from supplements that contain caffeine and creatine may be beneficial.
If your pre-workout supplement seems less effective than it was at first, it might be time to stop the cycle and give your body a rest. Whether or not you decide to stop taking supplements before training will depend on the ingredients in the mix you choose. It's generally safe to consume 400 milligrams of caffeine a day (that's about four cups of coffee), but White recommends using the stimulant with alternating one-month periods on and off. Since long-term HMB supplementation hasn't been thoroughly studied, she suggests taking three grams of HMB a day (divided into one-gram doses) for eight weeks followed by four weeks of taking nothing.
