Many of our clients ask about beta-alanine supplementation during our coaching programs. Beta-alanine is present in numerous supplements, but mostly pre-workouts.

It’s transversely used in this type of supplement, so this question must be asked: Is it worth it?

More than that, we have to decompose beta-alanine into a little science:

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Beta-alanine is a modified version of the Alanine amino acid, and is present I many natural protein sources, especially meat. When beta-alanine is ingested, it’s transformed along with histidine (another amino acid) into Carnosine. It’s then stored in the cells and is released when a decrease in PH occurs. The enzyme responsible for carnosine’s synthesis is called ATPGD1, which manifests itself mainly in the muscles and in a smaller scale in the brain.

High carnosine concentrations can protect our body from diet induced PH drops. In a state of ketosis, it can also offer protection against exercise’s byproduct lactic-acid. It also demonstrates to have neural protection, anti-aging, and anti-oxidant functions, as well protecting us from glycation. Also, it can make contractile muscle more sensitive to calcium.

Beta-alanine is synthesized in the liver and is posteriorly transported to the cells where carnosine is synthesized and stored, primarily in type 2 muscle fibers. Even though carnosine is composed by the junction of 2 amino acids, the limiting factor in its production is beta-alanine availability.

Even though beta-alanine plays such an important role, histidine deficiencies can result in diminished carnosine and beta-alanine in plasma and muscle.

Supplementing with beta-alanine results in greater carnosine concentration levels, that if it (carnosine) were to be taken by itself.

Beta-alanine is a very peculiar case, because it has a side effect that many people have grown to love, known as paresthesia. This phenomenon makes the user experience tingles/pins and needles on his face or body extremities. This side effect is totally harmless and only happens when there’s an over-usage of this modified amino acid (doses larger than 1g per serving). Pre-workouts can contain up to 3,2g of this products, per scoop.

By supplementing with beta-alanine, you’ll have increased muscular resistance, since it helps in lactic-acid elimination. But not only! It also reduces muscular fatigue. One of the chronic fatigue indicators is a high concentration of beta-alanine in urine!

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This product isn’t only for men. Actually, beta-alanine supplementation on women can reduce the perception of fatigue and exhaustion, as you can read about in the following link: (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17136505).

So that you don’t experience paresthesia and guarantee greater efficacy of this product, the best thing to do is take it every 4 hours. 800mg of beta-alanine + 200mg o histidine. You can ingest this combo in the form of pills or in powder, adding it to your favorite drink.