Beta Alanine is a supplement that has become very popular with athletes and fitness enthusiasts. This is no accident, and can be explained with a simple reason: its positive effects on muscle performance and general health are proven and relatively easy to understand.
As a non-essential amino acid, beta alanine works in a slightly different way than most amino acids. Its job is not to synthesize protein, but to complement itself with another amino acid called histidine to produce carnosine .
Carnosine accumulates in the bones and reduces lactic acid in them, which results in better athletic performance. A process that sounds simple and useful, at least at first glance.
Learn in a simple way everything about beta alanine, from how to consume it to extract its benefits, to the possible side effects that you should know.
How does beta alanine work in the body?
Much of what we have in our muscles is potential histidine, but histidine itself is unable to develop the desired carnosine. Beta alanine supplements , on the other hand, help histidine to form 80% more carnosine, which has effects on the body in terms of the following factors:
- Increased glycolysis: oxidizes glucose and provides energy in physical exhaustion.
- Lactate production: Lactate is a metabolite (produced during metabolic activity) that dissolves lactic acid by forming hydrogen ions.
- Improve the acids in the muscles by eliminating the pH in them.
- Fatigue reduction: Carnosine helps balance acids in muscles, reducing fatigue during exercise.
What are the benefits of beta alanine?
Beta alanine contains mixed effects, which we could group into specific benefits for athletes and more general benefits, useful for the health of people who do not train at high performance.
1. Benefits of beta alanine for athletes
The way beta alanine acts on the body makes it an ideal supplement for high performance athletes. Here are some proven effects that certify this claim:
- Prolongs the onset of exhaustion: Some studies have shown that beta alanine helps athletes maintain their performance for longer . Cyclists who took beta alanine supplements demonstrated up to 13% higher performance when completing their training.
- It especially helps with short duration exercises: beta alamine reduces acidosis of the muscles that limits their performance in high intensity routines. A 6-week study showed that a group of athletes increased their endurance from 1,168 to 1,387 seconds in routines of this type, after remaining supplemented with beta alanine.
- Increases body ventilation by 13%.
- In older people, it even helps build muscle.
2. Health benefits of beta alanine
Increasing carnosine, through beta alanine supplements, can bring multiple benefits to general health. Here are some of them:
- Test tube and animal studies agree that beta alanine contains antioxidant properties, which support the immune system. However, studies have yet to be done to confirm these same effects in humans.
- Its antioxidant effects would prevent the negative proliferation of free radicals, which accelerate aging.
- Increases nitric oxide , which can help improve the immune system and, again, reduce aging.
- Improves the general performance of the muscles, even in old age.
What Foods Are Natural Sources of Beta Alanine?
There are certain foods that are natural sources of beta alanine . Among them are meats such as beef, poultry. Fish is also a good source of this amino acid.
Although these animal products contain beta alanine in relatively large amounts, they are not enough to produce all the carnosine that the body requires .
For vegetarians, of course, this presents a challenge. A vegan athlete contains an average of 50% less carnosine in their body than does an omnivorous athlete. Therefore, supplementation with beta alanine in the case of vegetarians becomes more important.
How much beta alanine should we take?
In general, beta alanine should be ingested on a scale of between 2 and 5 grams per day. After about four weeks combining this dose of the supplement with a good exercise routine, you can see results of up to 40% or 60% muscle gain.
On the other hand, mixing its consumption with food increases carnosine concentrations even more.
Does beta alanine have side effects?
The most common side effect of beta alanine supplements is having episodes of paresthesia . Paresthesia is a temporary condition characterized by a temporary alteration of the senses, mainly in the skin of the face, neck and hands, generating tingling, numbness and tingling.
Beta alanine supplements can cause this effect, usually when taken in daily doses greater than 800 mg. However, this ailment is temporary, and usually does not leave long-term consequences.
Another side effect is the decrease in taurine in the body. This is because taurine and beta alanine “bump” into each other in some way trying to be absorbed by the muscles. For example, an animal study showed that beta alanine can reduce taurine in the body by up to 50%. which can degenerate into side effects such as fatigue, dizziness or heart problems, in the most serious cases.
Reference
- Arlene Semeco. Beta-Alanine – A Beginner’s Guide. For Authority Nutrition. [Revised July 2016]
