How Does Beta Alanine Work? Research Study Results

Does beta alanine (BA) work for bodybuilders, runners and others? Human research shows that routine administration of beta alanine (3-aminopropanoic acid) can reduce muscular fatigue, increase training volume and improve certain other markers of athletic performance.

It is also used to improve physical activity capacities in elderly individuals. By improving workout energy and allowing bodybuilders to train harder before becoming fatigued, it may also support increased muscle mass gains.

BA is required to form a dipeptide called carnosine. Carnosine is a proton buffer which is effective at removing hydrogen ions from muscle tissue. This reduces muscle fatigue, increases time to exhaustion (TTE), improves endurance and more.

How does Beta-Alanine work in the body and how long does it take before results become noticeable?

Beta Alanine

Bodybuilding Supplement

Body- building

Pre- Workout

Stamina

How It Works:

• Supports muscle growth & workout performance
• Improves athletic stamina & power output
• Increases muscle carnosine levels

Dosage:

Between 2 - 6 grams per day

Safety:

Rated Possibly Safe

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Does Beta Alanine Work for Bodybuilding?

Beta alanine does work for improving some success markers for bodybuilders and other strength-training athletes. Improvements have been noted concerning fat mass, lean mass, muscular endurance and physical fatigue.

One double-blind study, involving 20 college football players, reported increases in training volume and decreased subjective feelings of fatigue. In this study, 4.5-gram doses of beta alanine were administered daily for one month.

Results included significant increases in training volume on the bench press. Participants reported significantly less feelings of fatigue as well. When fatigue markers were quantified with a Wingate test however, findings only trended toward a decrease. This study yielded no beta alanine effects on line drill performance.

Does Beta Alanine Work for Runners?

Distance runners sometimes used Beta Alanine to improve stamina and endurance and to reduce muscle fatigue on short or long-distance runs.

In a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study from 2010, beta alanine effects were studied in seventeen physically active men. All were between ages 20 and 29 years. Control and treatment group subjects participated in treadmill tests before and after a 28-day treatment period.

Results showed increased endurance in submaximal physical activity. This effect is believed to be secondary to reduced serum accumulations of lactate. Interestingly, treatment group VO2max levels were significantly reduced during the study.

VO2max is a measurement of the maximum amount of oxygen consumed during a bout of incremental exercise. Other beta alanine studies have reported significant increases in VO2max. More research is needed in this area.

Does Beta Alanine Work Immediately?

No, beta alanine does not produce results immediately and may take up to two weeks before effects are noticeable.

In the ISSN beta alanine review mentioned above, it was also concluded that daily usage of BA for a minimum of 2 weeks has been proven to improve certain markers of exercise performance.

This is based on daily intake between 4 and 6 grams. The most pronounced effects were observed in timed exercise bouts lasting between 1 and 4 minutes.

How Does Beta Alanine Work?

Dipeptides are compounds formed by the joining of two amino acids. Carnosine is a dipeptide that is comprised of beta alanine and L-histidine. Beta alanine effects inside the body are linked to increased carnosine synthesis.

In order for muscles to contract effectively, proper pH balance is necessary. pH is a logarithmic measurement of the inverse of activity of hydrogen ions (aH+) in solutions. It determines the acidity or alkalinity of a given solution.

When muscle tissues are too acidic, they lose their capacities to function efficiently, and they become fatigued. The “muscle burn” felt when exercising intensely for long periods of time is caused by this build-up of acidity in muscles.

When muscles break down energy sources (like glucose) to fuel work, positively charged hydrogen ions are released as byproducts. When they build up passed a certain point, muscular “burning” and subsequent muscular failure result. This is a clear sign that pH has dropped too much and needs to be optimized.

Beta alanine works to increase intramuscular carnosine levels, especially in type 2 (fast twitch) fibers. Carnosine acts to reduce accumulations of hydrogen protons inside the muscles and buffers against the effects of acid build-up.

This helps to maintain optimal pH levels, which subsequently reduces fatigue, diminishes strength, increases TTE, improves contractile capacities and enhances overall training success.

Is Beta Alanine Safe for Everyone?

A 2015 review of beta alanine effects from the ISSN (International Society of Sports Nutrition) concluded that proper oral usage of BA seems safe for healthy populations. There is only one common side effect associated with using BA. It is called paresthesia. This condition is marked by feelings of tingling or other similar sensations in the skin.

While chronic paresthesia can cause serious complications, the paresthesia associated with beta alanine supplementation is temporary. It goes away naturally after about an hour for most users.

Many users divide their daily doses into equal amounts to be taken every three hours. Taking less, more often, increases intracellular availability and helps to avoid paresthesia symptoms.

When used appropriately in oral doses, Beta Alanine is rated as possibly safe for short term use. 6.4 grams daily has been used for up to 10 weeks without adverse effects. In people 55 and older, 2.4-gram doses have been used safely for 90 days.

No negative interactions have been noted between beta alanine and diseases, drugs, herbal supplements or foods. There is not enough reliable information available to rate beta alanine’s safety in pregnant or nursing women. Speak with your doctor about how beta alanine works and possible side effects before beginning to use this supplement.

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