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Dietary supplements · Beta-alanine
Beta-alanine is taken as a powder: no food concentrates enough of it

Beta-alanine is taken as a powder: no food concentrates enough of it

Alex Saks · Unsplash

Limited evidence15 studies
How we rate

“Strong” = several concordant meta-analyses or systematic reviews. “Moderate” = one synthesis, or several controlled trials. “Limited” = early trials only. The rating is about the quality of the studies, not about how useful the supplement is.

Beta-alanine

An amino acid that delays the feeling of muscular fatigue during intense efforts.

EnduranceMuscle

Benefits

  • Improves performance on intense efforts lasting 1 to 4 minutes and delays neuromuscular fatigue (ISSN position stand)
  • In 60-80 year olds, 3.2 g per day for 12 weeks prolonged exercise time to exhaustion
  • In women, 28 days of supplementation delayed fatigue and prolonged cycling exercise time to exhaustion

Precautions

Can cause benign tingling (paresthesia) at high doses; divide doses to limit them.

Recommended dosage

3.2 to 6.4 g per day, divided into several doses

How to take it

  • Dose: 3.2 to 6.4 g per day. This is the range from trials; the position stand of the International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends 4 to 6 g per day.
  • In several small doses: the tingling (paresthesia) comes from the blood spike after a single large dose. Smaller doses or sustained-release capsules avoid them.
  • How long: at least 4 weeks. It works by increasing muscle carnosine, not at the time of ingestion; trials last from 4 to 12 weeks.
  • For what types of efforts: intense efforts lasting 1 to 4 minutes. On pure strength in weight training, a 10-week trial at 6.4 g per day changed nothing.
  • Upon stopping: muscle carnosine slowly decreases, by 2 to 4% per week. The effect does not disappear overnight.

Did you know?

The only reported side effect is paraesthesia (tingling), which can be alleviated by using lower, divided doses or an extended-release formulation.

What the studies say

  • According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, beta-alanine supplementation (4-6 g per day for 4 weeks) significantly increases muscle carnosine, acting as an intracellular pH buffer. It is considered safe for healthy individuals at recommended doses, with paresthesia as the only reported side effect, which can be mitigated. Beta-alanine improves performance during exercises lasting 1 to 4 minutes and can attenuate neuromuscular fatigue.

    Trexler ET, Smith-Ryan AE, Stout JR, Hoffman JR, Wilborn CD, Sale C, Kreider RB, Jäger R, Earnest CP, Bannock L, Campbell B, Kalman D, Ziegenfuss TN, Antonio J. — Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (2015) — View the source study

Pairs well with

  • Creatine monohydrateSupplementation with creatine plus beta-alanine has been shown to have the greatest effect on increasing lean body mass and improving body composition, as well as producing significant improvements in strength during resistance training.

For information only: not a substitute for medical advice. Dietary supplements are not a replacement for a varied, balanced diet. Learn more