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Supplementing the diet with the correct beta-alanine dosage can help to prevent and reverse intramuscular acidosis. Beta-alanine is a natural dietary supplement that is used to enhance muscle stamina and improve athletic performance.
When you work out at a high level of intensity, lactic acid begins to build in muscle tissue. This causes a “burning” effect, resulting in pain and fatigue which can hamper an athlete’s endurance and strength training.
Beta-alanine is a direct precursor to carnosine. Carnosine is a dipeptide used by the body to buffer away positively charged hydrogen ions (H+). By decreasing acidity in the muscles, beta-alanine can help to normalize intramuscular pH levels and boost performance.
To better understand the effects of beta-alanine on endurance and strength, it is necessary to understand the basics of how the body produces energy. This article will explain how this amino acid works as well as the correct way to take it and the recommended beta-alanine dosage for bodybuilding, running and more.
Body- building
Pre- Workout
Stamina- Supports muscle growth & workout performance
- Improves athletic stamina & power output
- Increases muscle carnosine levels
Top Beta Alanine Products* ❯Beta Alanine Dosage for Runners and Cyclists
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Runners and cyclists are particularly concerned with athletic performance markers like time-to-exhaustion (TTE), VO2max and oxygen uptake. These factors are known to be affected by the body’s capacity at any given time to buffer H+ ions.
Oral beta alanine dosages between 4 and 6 grams daily are recommended for improving VO2max, TTE and total work markers. Many users divide these doses up into equal amounts to be taken every three hours instead of all at once.
Research shows that beta alanine dosages reach peak serum levels about 35 minutes after ingestion. They remain elevated and then return to baseline levels about 3 hours subsequent to ingestion.
Other athletes recommend a pyramidal approach to reaching recommended beta alanine dosages.
For instance, if the desired dosage is 6 grams daily, then you might start out at 2 grams daily for the first week, increase to 4 grams daily for the second week and then go to 6 gram daily doses for the remainder of the supplementation period.
Beta Alanine Dosage Research
Multiple clinical trials have shown increases in serum carnosine levels resulting from oral beta alanine administration. In one 2011 trial involving avid male cyclists, 6.4 grams was orally ingested daily. This beta alanine supplement dosage was divided into 4 daily doses of 1600 mg (two 800 mg capsules).
In another study involving male cyclists, carnosine levels were increased significantly with a pyramid dosing schedule. For the first week, 2 grams daily was used.
The dosage increased to 3 grams daily in the second week. For the remainder of the 4-week trial, 4-gram daily doses were administered. 500 mg beta alanine capsules were used in this study.
In another 4-week study, trained runners increased carnosine concentrations with daily doses of 4.8 grams. A 2010 study involving elite rowers used 5 divided grams daily. 1-gram beta alanine powder dosages were taken every two hours five times daily. This study lasted for 7 weeks.
In a 2009 study involving physically active male subjects, 6.4 grams of beta alanine increased carnosine levels over 4 weeks. Two 800 mg capsules were given four times daily. Recreationally active females also showed increased carnosine with 1.5-gram doses, taken 4 times daily over 21 days.
How Beta Alanine Affects Muscle Fatigue
Beta-alanine increases carnosine levels in the muscles, which serves as an acid buffer. This can improve performance during intense, anaerobic exercise. How exactly do beta-alanine and carnosine work?
Aerobic respiration is the process of creating energy with oxygen. This multi-step process is utilized by the body to derive energy from glucose.
It is used to synthesize the fuel needed for all bodily purposes. Walking, talking, eating, digesting, sleeping and even thinking requires energy. The processes of energy synthesis are constant throughout life.
During short, intense bouts of activity, the body’s demand for oxygen to use in aerobic respiration may exceed its supply. In these cases, the body must synthesize energy anaerobically (without oxygen).
There are three primary systems the body utilizes to synthesize the energy it needs for metabolism. For the first tens seconds or so, explosive bursts of power are accommodated by the ATP-PC system. ATP-PC denotes adenosine triphosphate phosphocreatine.
This energy system is anaerobic. It does not involve oxygen. The ATP-PC system is most beneficial for athletic movements like a single bench press, or a fifty-yard dash. No tested dosages of beta alanine have been effective at improving athletic performance during this time frame.
Beta Alanine and Lactic Acid
After the ATP-PC energy system is used, the body turns to the lactic acid energy system for its fuel requirements. As cellular mitochondria anaerobically metabolize carbohydrates for energy, lactic acid is released. Lactic acid can be used to fuel performance, without O2, after the ATP-PC system is temporarily depleted.
Many believe that lactic acid itself builds up in muscle tissue, causing fatigue and decreasing endurance. This is untrue. It is actually positively charged hydrogen ions that are released as byproducts during the conversion of lactic acid to carnosine.
Accumulations of H+ ions are what actually causes the type 2 (fast twitch) muscle fibers to decrease their capacities for effective contractions. Appropriate beta-alanine dosages elevate carnosine levels. Subsequently, carnosine is used largely as a physiological acid buffer. It transports the H+ out of the cells.
Research shows that certain beta-alanine oral dosages are effective at improving performance in the 1 to 4-minute range of exertion. By helping the body to transport H+ out of the muscles, fatigue is decreased and performance is elongated.
Beta Alanine Dosage Side Effects
Temporary paresthesia is the most common side effect associated with beta alanine supplementation. It is a tingling, burning, itching, numbness or crawling of the skin. Paresthesia normally occurs in those who take too much beta alanine at once.
Temporary paresthesia is a harmless condition which should go away on its own with an hour or so. This uncommon side effect can be avoided in most cases by dividing beta alanine dosage levels into equal doses throughout the day.
Certain beta alanine dosage may also cause irritation of the skin, digestive tract, respiratory tract and/or eyes. Again, these side effects are not common.
Appropriate oral beta alanine doses are rated as possibly safe for short term usage in healthy adults. 6.4-gram daily doses over 10 weeks have been used without side effects.
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Article last updated on: March 13th, 2018 by Nootriment