What is Beta Alanine? How Beta-Alanine Benefits Your Performance

What is beta-alanine?

Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning it is naturally occurring within the human body. Unlike most amino acids beta-alanine is not involved in protein synthesis, it is used to help produce carnosine that is stored in the muscles and has a role in reducing lactic acid build-up during high intensity exercise (Harris et al. 2006), meaning beta alanine benefits shorter duration or repeated sprint efforts the most, where the body typically produces the most lactic acid.

There is a bit of a misconception that beta alanine pre workout improves performance directly, but it is not the timing of that supplementation that is important. To fully enjoy beta alanine benefits an athlete must load with a daily beta alanine supplement for around 4 to 6 weeks, taking 2-5g daily in order to saturate muscle carnosine levels.

Does beta-alanine make you run or cycle faster?

As a result of its involvement in producing carnosine to buffer lactic acid, consuming beta-alanine can lead to enhanced sports performance (Saunders et al., 2017). Levels of beta-alanine in your muscles are usually relatively low and therefore the typical production of lactic acid buffering carnosine is limited.

Taking on beta-alanine benefits levels of the amino acid in the muscles and therefore increases the production of carnosine (Harris et al. 2006) to buffer more lactic acid.

Whilst beta alanine is considered an intracellular buffer, working inside the muscle cells, particularly of type II muscles, other supplements such as sodium bicarb work as extra cellular buffers in the interstitial fluid. This means muscle acidosis can be countered by both supplements in comparison.

How beta alanine benefits sports performance

During high intensity exercise glucose is rapidly broken down, via the process of glycolysis, to quickly produce energy, however the downside of this anaerobic glycolysis is the production of the by-product lactic acid. The body breaks lactic acid down to lactate, producing hydrogen ions in the process.

Hydrogen ions increase the acidity of the muscles and reduces their pH level. Increased muscle acidity starts to hinder further metabolism of glucose, decreasing the energy production capacity of the muscles and resulting in fatigue (Powers & Jackson 2008).

Carnosine, a molecule made of beta alanine bound to another amino acid, histodine, can buffer the acidic build-up associated with high-intensity exercise. Supplementation with beta-alanine benefits muscle carnosine levels, increasing the body’s ability to buffer hydrogen ions that accumulate during high intensity efforts, meaning beta alanine can help to avoid or reduce fatigue (Harris et al. 2006).

Muscle acidosis typically limits performance during high-intensity exercise and for that reason beta-alanine specifically helps reduce fatigue during short-duration exercise lasting one to several minutes (eg Hill et al. 2007; Sale et al. 2010). This makes the use of beta-alanine ideal for sprinting or track and field, pool-based swimming events, team sports and other high intensity disciplines.

There is further evidence that beta-alanine helps to increase the time to exhaustion during endurance events (Santana et al., 2018). A pre race energy bar before running, cycling or other high intensity efforts could contain beta alanine in order to reduce lactate build up.

Beta-alanine and cycling performance

Beta-alanine has also been shown to improve sprint performance at the end of an endurance cycling race (Van Thienen et al. 2009). This means if you take a Beta Blast Pocket Rocket towards the end of your event, you’re likely to see improvement in your sprint finish therefore with beta-alanine cycling endurance will be improved.

Other short duration cycling events such as BMS racing, hill climbs and many track events such as individual time trials or team pursuit are all good candidates for beta alanine supplementation.

When to use beta alanine?

Beta-alanine is a popular pre-workout nutrition supplement. Taking beta alanine pre-workout can increase the intensity at which you can train or compete, or increase the duration at which you can maintain a given high intensity. Consuming a Beta Blast Pocket Rocket energy bar directly pre-race or before training or will give you the perfect lactic acid buffering boost you need to power through your workout or event.

That being said, beta alanine pre workout may not be fully optimal as taking it with food can maximise absorption of the amino acid (and therefore beta alanine benefits) and most athletes don’t typically eat directly before training or working out.

How much beta-alanine do I need?

With each Beta Blast Pocket Rocket containing 2g of beta-alanine, two bars will satisfy the widely accepted beta-alanine daily dose of 2–5 grams. A pre race energy bar containing beta alanine can be a natural way to fit the supplement into your race day to top up beta alanine and muscle carnosine levels.

If you’re doing a longer duration endurance event a Pocket Rocket Beta Blast energy bar prior to a certain high-intensity section (usually the finish) will also be beneficial.

The beta-alanine tingling sensation

Be aware of the ‘beta-alanine tingling sensation’… Don’t be alarmed but beta alanine can cause a slight tingle when eating which is completely normal. Beta-alanine is considered to be a safe and effective supplement to boost exercise performance.