Beta alanine is a non-essential amino acid which is naturally produced in the body. Non-essential amino acids are those that the body can produce even if we do not get them from the diet. Dietary sources of beta alanine include chicken, pork, red meat, and fish. However, unlike other amino-acids that are used to produce proteins, beta-alanine combines with the amino acid histidine, to produce a dipeptide called carnosine. Carnosine is present abundantly in the skeletal muscles and brain tissues of the body¹.
Carnosine plays a vital role in exercise as it enhances performance and endurance. However, the amount produced in the muscles is not sufficient to cater for consistent high intensity sporting activities. This is because in the muscles, the concentration of histidine is normally higher than the concentration of beta alanine, thus limiting the production of carnosine. The result of this is the emergence of beta alanine supplements, to increase the concentration of beta alanine in the muscles, and consequently boost carnosine production².
Effects for exercise
- Reduces fatigue. Carnosine reduces the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles, which kick starts fatigue. Glucose is the main fuel source of the body for various activities, thus as a person exercise, the body breaks down glucose in the muscles to lactic acid. Lactic acid dissociates to lactate, giving off hydrogen ions (H+), increasing the acidity in the muscles. This increase in acidity or acidosis prevents the breakdown of glucose and reduces muscle contraction causing fatigue. Carnosine acts as a buffer, reducing the concentration of hydrogen ions in the muscles, which reduces acidity and consequently the onset of fatigue when exercising³.
Research studies also report that the accumulation of hydrogen ions in the blood increases the perception of effort when performing a high-intensity intermediate exercise which indirectly contributes to fatigue as well⁴.
- Exerts an ergogenic effect. Beta-alanine supplements have been reported to show an ergogenic effect in several studies, improving sports performance and endurance in athletes. An ergogenic substance is one that boosts energy production, intended to increase physical performance, strength, and recovery. In one of such studies, supplementing cyclists with beta alanine for four weeks resulted in a 13% increase total workout in cycling performance⁵,⁶.
- Increases muscle strength and body composition. Since beta alanine reduces the onset of fatigue, supplementing with beta alanine therefore allows a person to train for longer, which eventually builds muscle strength. In one study, supplementing with 6.4g of beta alanine a day for 5 weeks resulted in maximal strength gain, evident in the lifting of more load compared to the control group⁷.
Why does it cause tingling skin?
The tingling of the skin also called paraesthesia, is a side effect of taking beta alanine supplements. Paraesthesia is described as a sensation of needles or pins poking under the skin, around the neck, the back of the hands and in the face. The explanation of how this happens has not been clearly illustrated, though some scientists attribute it to the triggering of certain G-protein-coupled-receptors called MrgprD, which play a principal role in transmitting signals in the entire central nervous system⁸. The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommends taking smaller doses (1.6g/day) of beta alanine as one way of dealing with this tingly, since it is widely reported with people who consume large doses at a go. In any case, paraesthesia is not harmful and goes away on its own within an hour⁹.
Beta alanine is one of the most widely used supplements in the sports and fitness industry. It enhances exercise performance and endurance by delaying the onset of fatigue. Though as a dietary supplement there are no established doses, the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommends supplementing with 4 to 6g a day for at least 2 to 4 weeks, to improve exercise performance⁹.
Find all of the supplements with Beta Alanine at www.thelabsupps.com
REFERENCES
- Bellinger, P. M. (2014). β-Alanine supplementation for athletic performance: an update: An update. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28(6), 1751–1770. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000000327
- Derave, W., Ozdemir, M. S., Harris, R. C., Pottier, A., Reyngoudt, H., Koppo, K., … Achten, E. (2007). beta-Alanine supplementation augments muscle carnosine content and attenuates fatigue during repeated isokinetic contraction bouts in trained sprinters. Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md.: 1985), 103(5), 1736–1743. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00397.2007
- Hobson, R. M., Saunders, B., Ball, G., Harris, R. C., & Sale, C. (2012). Effects of β-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis. Amino Acids, 43(1), 25–37. doi:10.1007/s00726-011-1200-z
- Price, M., & Moss, P. (2007). The effects of work:rest duration on physiological and perceptual responses during intermittent exercise and performance. Journal of Sports Sciences, 25(14), 1613–1621. doi:10.1080/02640410701287248
- Artioli, G. G., Gualano, B., Smith, A., Stout, J., & Lancha, A. H., Jr. (2010). Role of beta-alanine supplementation on muscle carnosine and exercise performance. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 42(6), 1162–1173. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181c74e38
- Hill, C. A., Harris, R. C., Kim, H. J., Harris, B. D., Sale, C., Boobis, L. H., … Wise, J. A. (2007). Influence of beta-alanine supplementation on skeletal muscle carnosine concentrations and high intensity cycling capacity. Amino Acids, 32(2), 225–233. doi:10.1007/s00726-006-0364-4
- Maté-Muñoz, J. L., Lougedo, J. H., Garnacho-Castaño, M. V., Veiga-Herreros, P., Lozano-Estevan, M. del C., García-Fernández, P., … Domínguez, R. (2018). Effects of β-alanine supplementation during a 5-week strength training program: a randomized, controlled study. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 15(1). doi:10.1186/s12970-018-0224-0
- Liu, Q., Sikand, P., Ma, C., Tang, Z., Han, L., Li, Z., … Dong, X. (2012). Mechanisms of itch evoked by β-alanine. The Journal of Neuroscience: The Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 32(42), 14532–14537. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3509-12.2012
- Trexler, E. T., Smith-Ryan, A. E., Stout, J. R., Hoffman, J. R., Wilborn, C. D., Sale, C., … Antonio, J. (2015). International society of sports nutrition position stand: Beta-Alanine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12(1), 30. doi:10.1186/s12970-015-0090-y