Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid that is produced naturally in the body.
Beta-alanine aids in the production of carnosine. That’s a compound that plays a role in muscle endurance in high-intensity exercise.
Why do people take beta-alanine supplements?
Beta-alanine is marketed as a way to enhance sports performance and endurance. Some scientific evidence backs such uses, but the studies have been small and the results inconclusive.
Here’s how it’s said to work. Muscles contain carnosine. Higher levels of carnosine may allow the muscles to perform for longer periods before they become fatigued. Carnosine does this by helping to regulate acid buildup in the muscles, a primary cause of muscle fatigue.
Beta-alanine is one of carnosine’s main ingredients. Beta-alanine supplements are thought to boost the production of carnosine and, in turn, boost sports performance.
However, a review of studies of the beta-alanine supplement shows that it doesn’t increase muscle strength or aerobic endurance. Instead, it appears to slightly increase the amount of time an athlete can perform high-intensity exercises, such as weight lifting and sprinting, before getting exhausted.
This does not necessarily mean that athletes will see better results. In one study, sprinters who took beta-alanine did not improve their times in a 400-meter race.
It’s not clear exactly what benefits can be gained from taking beta-alanine supplements. Some research suggests that boosting the levels of carnosine in the muscles may take weeks of using supplements.
Standard doses have not been established. Also, quality and active ingredients in supplements may vary widely from maker to maker. This makes it hard to establish a standard dose.
Can you get beta-alanine from food?
Food sources of beta-alanine and carnosine include:
- Meat
- Fish
- Poultry (especially white meat like that found in chicken breasts)
What are the risks of taking beta-alanine supplements?
Some people have reported tingling of the skin after taking large doses of beta-alanine.
Beta-alanine may interact with some heart medications and with drugs for erectile dysfunction. And its safety has not been established for children, people with particular diseases or conditions, or for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Talk to your doctor before you take beta-alanine.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does regulate dietary supplements; however, it treats them like foods rather than medications. Unlike drug manufacturers, the makers of supplements don’t have to show their products are safe or effective before selling them on the market.
Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid. Non-essential amino acids can be made by the body, so they don’t have to be provided by food. Most amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. However, some like beta-alanine are used to make other chemicals in the body.
Beta-alanine is commonly used by mouth for improving athletic performance and building lean muscle mass in younger adults, and improving physical performance in elderly adults. It is also used for symptoms of menopause, but there is limited scientific research to support this use.
How does it work?
Beta-alanine is an amino acid. In the body it is converted to other chemicals that can affect muscle.
Uses & Effectiveness
Possibly Effective for
- Athletic performance. Taking beta-alanine can modestly improve some measures of athletic performance. However, not all research shows positive effects with beta-alanine on athletic performance. Scientists are trying to determine why beta-alanine might work better for some types of exercise than others. Some scientists think that beta-alanine might help to improve the amount of exercise done but not how well it is done. The conflicting results might be due to the small numbers of participants in the studies, the different types of exercise used in the studies, or the types of athletes studied.
- Physical performance in elderly adults. Some research shows that taking beta-alanine supplements improves physical performance and delays muscle tiredness in older adults. But beta-alanine might not improve physical performance in older adults also doing strength training.
Insufficient Evidence for
- Symptoms of menopause. Taking beta-alanine is less effective than the drug veralipride at reducing hot flashes in menopausal women.
- Age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia). Early research shows that taking a nutritional supplement containing beta-alanine does not change body mass or fat mass in older adults.
- Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of beta-alanine for these uses.
Side Effects & Safety
When taken by mouth: Beta-alanine is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth appropriately for a short time. Side effects have not been reported with moderate doses of beta-alanine. High doses can cause flushing and tingling. Taking a tablet instead of drinking a solution made from beta-alanine powder might reduce these side effects.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn’t enough reliable information to know if beta-alanine is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
Dosing
The following doses have been studied in scientific research:
ADULTS
BY MOUTH:
- For athletic performance: 2.4-6.4 grams of beta-alanine daily has been used for up to 10 weeks.
- For physical performance in elderly adults: 800 mg three times daily has been used for up to 28 days. 800-1600 mg twice daily has been used for up to 12 weeks.
source: webmd.com