Beta-Alanine: What is it & Should I be Taking it?
Should you be taking Beta-Alanine?
If you don’t specifically know what beta-alanine is, you've probably at least felt it before. That tingling sensation after you drink your pre-workout. Some love it, some dislike it, and some people try to avoid it completely because of that sensation it gives off - but regardless of how you feel about the “tingles” is it worth putting up with for the benefits?
Before getting into a longer-winded explanation on what beta-alanine is and the benefits, I’ll explain it super quickly in very simple terms: Beta-alanine is a special kind of amino acid that helps your muscles work harder and longer. Think of it like a helper that gives your muscles more "energy" so they don't get tired as quickly. It's like adding more wood to a fire to make it burn brighter and hotter. Some people take beta-alanine as a supplement to help them work out better. It's like taking a special drink or pill that makes your muscles stronger and helps you exercise longer.
Also in regards to the tingling sensation you DO get used to it over time with consistent consumption, but it’s one of those supplements similar to creatine monohydrate that you need to take everyday to see the full benefits. You can also split the dosage into smaller amounts multiple times a day if the full dose is found to be too uncomfortable.
Now let’s get into a little more detail.
Beta-Alanine is very popular and beneficial ingredient that you find mostly in pre-workouts. Beta-alanine helps with exercise by increasing the levels of carnosine in the muscles. Carnosine acts as a buffer for acid in muscles, helping to neutralize the buildup of hydrogen ions which can cause a decrease in muscle pH and contribute to muscle fatigue. When we exercise, especially at high intensity, our muscles produce more lactic acid which increases the acidity in the muscles, this decrease in muscle pH can cause fatigue and hinder muscle performance.
Supplementing with beta-alanine increases the levels of carnosine in the muscles, which in turn can help to delay the onset of fatigue during intense exercise by neutralizing the buildup of hydrogen ions. This allows for improved high-intensity exercise performance, increased endurance, and the ability to perform more reps at a given weight or to run faster or longer.
Additionally, research has also shown that beta-alanine supplementation might have neuroprotective properties and could help to improve cardiovascular function.
2 studies:
- A study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that supplementing with beta-alanine for 28 days resulted in a significant increase in muscle carnosine levels and an improvement in high-intensity exercise performance. Participants who took beta-alanine had a greater improvement in exercise capacity, measured by the number of times they could perform the exercise until exhaustion, compared to the placebo group.
- A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that beta-alanine supplementation significantly improved high-intensity exercise performance and decreased muscle fatigue in trained sprinters. The study participants who took beta-alanine were able to perform more high-intensity sprints and had a shorter time to fatigue compared to the placebo group. This suggests that beta-alanine supplementation can be beneficial for athletes who participate in sports that require high-intensity bursts of movement.
Both of these studies indicate that beta-alanine can help to improve high-intensity exercise performance and increase endurance by increasing the levels of carnosine in the muscles which helps to delay the onset of fatigue during intense exercise by neutralizing the buildup of hydrogen ions.
In short, beta-alanine is an amazing supplement if not one of the best. It’s something I have personally started using daily in the last few months and have seen a great deal of improvement in my performance. If you’re looking for an edge in your supplement regime to increase your performance I suggest giving it a try - and I mean supplementing it outside of just having it in your pre-workout. For maximal benefits it needs to be taken daily just like you would your creatine monohydrate.