Beta-Alanine! Endurance Athletes New Friend

β-alanine

In recent years research has begun investigating the effects of β-alanine supplementation on performance. β-alanine has ergogenic potential based on its relationship with carnosine. Carnosine is a dipeptide comprised of the amino acids, histidine and β-alanine naturally occurring in large amounts in skeletal muscles. Carnosine is believed to be one of the primary muscle-buffering substances available in skeletal muscle. Studies have demonstrated that taking β-alanine orally over a 28-day period was effective in increasing carnosine levels [420,421]. This proposed benefit would increase work capacity and decrease time to fatigue. Researchers have found that β-alanine supplementation decreases rate of fatigue [422]. This could translate into definite strength gains and improved performance. A recent study [423] supplemented men with β-alanine for 10 weeks and showed that muscle carnosine levels were significantly increased after 4 and 10 weeks of β-alanine supplementation.

Stout et al. [422] conducted a study that examined the effects of β-alanine supplementation on physical working capacity at fatigue threshold. The results showed decreased fatigue in the subjects tested. Other studies have shown that β-alanine supplementation can increase the number of repetitions one can do [424], increased lean body mass [425], increase knee extension torque [426] and training volume [427]. In fact, one study also showed that adding β-alanine supplementation with creatine improves performance over creatine alone [428]. While it appears that β-alanine supplementation can decrease fatigue rate, raise carnosine levels, and improve performance all of the research is not as favorable. There are other studies that show no performance benefits [425,429]

Richard B Kreider1 , Colin D Wilborn2 , Lem Taylor2 , Bill Campbell3 , Anthony L Almada4 , Rick Collins5 , Mathew Cooke6 , Conrad P Earnest7 , Mike Greenwood8 , Douglas S Kalman9 , Chad M Kerksick10 , Susan M Kleiner11 , Brian Leutholtz8 , Hector Lopez12 , Lonnie M Lowery13 , Ron Mendel14 , Abbie Smith10 , Marie Spano15 , Robert Wildman16 , Darryn S Willoughby8 , Tim N Ziegenfuss17 and Jose Antonio18,
"ISSN exercise & sport nutrition review: research & recommendations" Feb 2010