Beta-alanine

Question 1

What is beta-alanine? (A beta amino acid precursor, dipeptide, location of Carnosine, Where is Carnosine found in food?)

Answer 1

• A beta amino acid precursor of Carnosine
• Carnosine is a dipeptide made up of two amino acids beta-alanine and histidine
• Carnosine is found in human skeletal muscle, which has an important role as intracellular PH buffer
• Carnosine is found in red meat, chicken and fish and seafood

Question 2

Beta-alanine in the diet and supplementation? (Carnosine, supplementation length, tablet/capsules)

Answer 2

• Not enough Carnosine found in red meat for the levels required for a performance benefit
• Beta-alanine supplementation is required for at least 4 weeks
• Available in powder or tablet/capsule forms. Slow-release capsules can help to improve retention

Question 3

From supplementing Beta-alanine how much did muscle Carnosine increase?

Answer 3

• Muscle Carnosine content increased 60% after 4 week and 80% after 10 weeks

Question 4

Mechanisms of action of beta-alanine? (Higher Levels of Muscle Carnosine, greater muscle buffering capacity)

Answer 4

• Higher levels of muscle Carnosine enhance intracellular buffering of H+ ions produced during anaerobic glycolysis
• Greater muscle buffering capacity can limit/delay fatigue and improve exercise performance when exercise is limited by muscle acidosis

Question 5

Supplementation regime for beta-alanine? (Loading dose, maintenance dose, consumption)

Answer 5

• Loading dose, 3.2g beta-alanine/day for > 8 weeks
  Or
  6.4g beta-alanine/day for > 4 weeks
• Maintenance dose, 1.2g beta-alanine/day
• Consume in split doses with meals, enhanced uptake and better management of side effects

Question 6

When to consider using beta-alanine?

Answer 6

• Short (30 sec to 10 min), sustained high-intensity sports
• In the weeks preceding a period of training where training intensity is prioritised
• Sports that involve repeated high-intensity efforts e.g., resistance training

Question 7

Individual variability of beta-alanine? (Plant-based diet, highly-trained)

Answer 7

• Athletes who follow a plant-based diet may have lower levels of muscle Carnosine, and therefore further room for improvement
• Highly-trained individuals may experience smaller benefits from beta-alanine

Question 8

Important considerations when taking beta-alanine? (Side effects, economic cost, inaccurate claims)

Answer 8

Side effects:
Acute doses of instant release beta-alanine exceeding 800-1000mg can result in paraesthesia (tingling sensation, like pins and needles) on the skin that can last up to an hour

Economic cost:
It requires a substantial investment given the long period of supplementation

Inaccurate claims:
Inclusion of beta-alanine in common pre-workout supplements may give you a ‘buzz’, but the amount is generally too small to have any effects on performance