Updated: 1/3/24
Are you tired of hitting a plateau in your workouts and not seeing the results you want? Well, look no further because we have discovered the secret ingredient that can take your fitness game to the next level – beta-alanine. This non-essential amino acid has been gaining popularity among health enthusiasts for its ability to enhance endurance, improve strength gains and even reduce muscle fatigue. Whether you’re an athlete looking to push past your limits or someone just trying to improve their gym performance, beta-alanine may be the missing piece to help you achieve your fitness goals. Let’s dive into what makes this supplement so effective and how it can benefit your overall health and wellness.
What is Beta-Alanine?
Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid that our bodies naturally produce. However, we don’t get enough of it from our daily diets to experience its benefits fully. Beta-alanine helps our bodies produce carnosine, which is a molecule found in muscle tissue. Carnosine acts as a buffer and helps prevent lactic acid build-up, which is the primary cause of muscle fatigue during high-intensity exercises. By supplementing with beta-alanine, you can significantly increase carnosine levels, which can result in reduced fatigue and better workout performance.
Besides its performance-enhancing benefits, beta-alanine has been shown to have several other health benefits. Studies have found that beta-alanine can help improve heart health, decrease oxidative stress, and improve brain function. Also, research has suggested that beta-alanine can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and improve sleep patterns.
Beta-alanine has an interesting history and cultural significance. It was first discovered in the early 1900s by scientists studying the composition of carnosine. However, it wasn’t until the 1990s that researchers discovered the link between carnosine levels and athletic performance. Since then, beta-alanine has become a popular supplement in the fitness world, with many athletes using it to improve their performance. Moreover, beta-alanine has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine for its anti-aging properties.
What is Histidine?
Histidine is an essential amino acid, which means that your body can’t make it on its own. You have to get histidine from the foods you eat or from supplements. Histidine is important for a variety of functions in your body, including building proteins, producing histamine, and regulating pH levels.
Histidine has a variety of important functions in your body. For example, histidine is necessary for the growth and repair of tissues, including your muscles, skin, and hair. It’s also involved in the production of a neurotransmitter called histamine, which plays a role in the immune system and in inflammation. Histidine is also important for regulating the pH levels in your body, which affects everything from your digestion to your energy levels.
Studies have shown that taking a combination of histidine and beta-alanine can increase carnosine levels in the muscles more effectively than taking either supplement alone. This means that combining histidine and beta-alanine can be a powerful way to increase endurance, delay fatigue, and improve performance.
But it’s not just athletes who can benefit from histidine and beta-alanine. These two amino acids have also show to improve cognitive function and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Histidine is involved in the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that’s important for mood regulation. Beta-alanine shows to improve cognitive function and reduce symptoms of anxiety in both young and older adults.
What is Carnosine?
Carnosine is a dipeptide, which means it’s made up of two amino acids: beta-alanine and histidine. It’s in high concentrations in our muscles, heart, brain, and several other organs. It acts as a powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and chelator (removes heavy metals), making it a potent anti-aging supplement.
Apart from its anti-aging properties, carnosine has several other benefits. Studies have shown that carnosine can improve exercise performance, reduce muscle damage and soreness, decrease inflammation, and even improve cognitive function. It’s no wonder why it’s becoming a staple supplement for athletes and health enthusiasts.
Carnosine works by neutralizing free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can damage your body’s cells and contribute to aging. It also binds with heavy metals, such as copper and zinc, preventing them from causing oxidative stress. Furthermore, carnosine has been shown to protect against glycation, which is the process of sugar molecules bonding to proteins, leading to the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) that contribute to aging.
Benefits of Beta-Alanine
May Boost Endurance
One of the primary benefits is that it can help increase your endurance during high-intensity exercises. When you engage in activities that require quick bursts of energy, your muscles produce lactic acid, which can cause fatigue and muscle soreness. However, beta-alanine can help reduce the buildup of lactic acid, allowing you to perform better for longer periods.
May Boost Athletic Performance
It proves to improve athletic performance in high-intensity workouts like bodybuilding, cycling, sprinting and weightlifting. Studies show that it increases the production of carnosine, a substance that helps the body’s muscles produce energy by reducing the buildup of lactic acid. The buildup of lactic acid is one of the primary contributors to fatigue during high-intensity workouts. By reducing lactic acid build-up, it can help you train harder and longer, resulting in improved performance.
May Enhance Muscle Growth
It shows to improve muscle growth by promoting protein synthesis, which is essential for building and maintaining lean muscle mass. By increasing your muscle mass, you can help boost your metabolism, leading to faster fat loss and increased strength.
May Improve Recovery
In addition to its performance-enhancing benefits, it can also help improve recovery time between workouts. By reducing fatigue and supporting muscle endurance, it can help reduce muscle damage and inflammation, allowing you to recover faster and get back to your workouts more quickly.
May Enhance Brain Function
It shows to have cognitive benefits by enhancing brain function. It can help improve mental clarity, increase focus, and reduce mental fatigue, allowing you to perform better mentally and physically. This can be particularly beneficial during intense workouts or challenging tasks.
May Alleviate Fatigue
It can help reduce fatigue by increasing the levels of carnosine in your muscles. Carnosine is a natural compound that helps buffer the acid buildup in your muscles, delaying fatigue and allowing you to perform longer and harder.
May Promote Fat Loss
Supplementation of beta-alanine may promote fat loss and aid in body composition. A study examining the effects of supplements shows that participants lost a considerable amount of body fat while experiencing a significant increase in lean body mass.
Promotes Overall Health
In addition to these fitness benefits, beta-alanine can provide numerous health benefits as well. It can help improve cardiovascular health, regulate blood sugar levels, support immune system function, and reduce inflammation.
Why Take Beta-Alanine?
It is an important component in raising muscle capacity and power during exercise. It’s present in the body naturally but it’s also in some foods including:
- Poultry
- Meat
- Soy beans
- Asparagus
- Watercress
- Turnip greens
But why would anyone need to take any more of it than what’s already in the body, especially if the body makes it itself?
Well for one, beta-alanine supplements are quick and don’t require you to prepare meals before a strenuous workout. And two, beta-alanine supplements aim to help promote the body’s natural processes that produce the substance on its own. That being said, the supplement is a way to support and enhance the body’s natural ability.
But the benefits are not just available for athletes or bodybuilders. Beta-alanine may provide the advantages you’re looking for in your everyday workout regime. Even if you’re not athletic. Beta-alanine may help improve muscle function and make you feel less fatigued.
How to Take Beta-Alanine
Beta-alanine is sometimes combined with other sports supplements like creatine and sodium bicarbonate. It is best combination with carnosine because these two substances work together naturally. Beta-alanine supplements come in capsule or powder form and can be taken orally. The optimal dosage for beta-alanine is around 4-6 grams per day, spread out over multiple doses. It’s essential to note that beta-alanine is not an instant solution to improving your workout intensity. It takes several weeks for carnosine levels to increase in muscles, so consistent supplementation is key.
How Much Beta-Alanine to Take
The recommended dosage for beta-alanine powder you should take depends on several factors, such as body weight and exercise intensity. A common dosage is between 2 and 5 grams per day, with the higher end of the range being more appropriate for larger individuals or those who engage in high-intensity exercise. It’s important to note that beta-alanine can cause a harmless but uncomfortable tingling sensation in the skin, known as paresthesia. To minimize this side effect, it’s a recommendation to split your dosage into two smaller doses throughout the day, or to take a slow-release version of the supplement.
When to Take Beta-Alanine
The timing of when you take beta-alanine is also important. To maximize its benefits, it’s s recommendation to take beta-alanine on a regular basis for at least 4-6 weeks, as it takes time for carnosine levels to build up in muscles. Taking beta-alanine before a workout can also help to enhance performance, as it will increase carnosine levels in muscles and improve muscle buffering capacity.
Side Effects of Beta-Alanine
With the many benefits that come with dietary supplements come side effects as well. Those who are looking to adopt beta-alanine into an everyday routine should first consult a doctor to see if the supplement is the best for them. Experts report that beta-alanine is safe overall but like any other supplement, it may cause some side effects.
Itching and Flushing
One of the most common negative side effects of beta-alanine is itching and flushing of the skin. This skin reaction happens because the supplement increases blood flow and histamine production, triggering a tingling or prickling sensation. Although this reaction is usually not dangerous, it can be uncomfortable and distracting. If you experience itching or flushing, try reducing your dosage or taking it with food to alleviate the symptoms.
Nausea and Stomach Upset
Another potential negative side effect of beta-alanine supplementation is stomach upset, nausea, and diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and may subside over time as your body adjusts to taking the supplement. Nevertheless, if you have a sensitive stomach, you may want to start with a lower dose of beta-alanine or avoid taking it on an empty stomach.
Parasthesia
Parasthesia is a tingling sensation in the extremities, such as the hands, fingers, feet, and toes, which is a common side effect of beta-alanine. This sensation happens due to the stimulation of nerve cells as a result of increased beta-alanine levels. Parasthesia can be mild or severe, and some people may even experience temporary numbness in their fingers and toes. If you experience any numbness, ensure you stop the supplement immediately and follow up with a consult with a healthcare professional.
Heart Palpitations
Although rare, some people may experience heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat after taking beta-alanine supplements. The severity of these symptoms varies greatly, but they can be uncomfortable and concerning. If you have a history of heart or cardiovascular problems, you should consult a healthcare professional to ensure that taking beta-alanine is safe before beginning supplementation.
Headaches
Beta-alanine supplementation has been associated with headaches, particularly with higher doses. These headaches can range from mild to severe and may last from several hours to several days. As with other negative side effects, minimizing your dosage or ceasing supplementation may alleviate the symptoms.
Digestive Issues
It can cause digestive issues such as bloating, gas, and diarrhea, especially if taken on an empty stomach or in high doses. To avoid these issues, take beta-alanine with food or split the dose into several smaller doses throughout the day.
Reduced Taurine Absorption
It can also reduce the absorption of taurine, a crucial amino acid that is involved in many physiological processes, including muscle contraction and nerve function. This can lead to taurine deficiency, which can cause muscle weakness and fatigue. To avoid this, make sure to consume enough taurine through your diet or take a taurine supplement.
Interference with Creatine Absorption
It can also interfere with the absorption of creatine, another popular supplement that is used to improve muscle strength and power. This can reduce the effectiveness of creatine and lead to poor results. To avoid this, take beta-alanine and creatine at different times of the day or consider using a supplement that combines both ingredients.
Allergic Reactions
While rare, some people may experience allergic reactions to beta-alanine, especially if they have a history of sensitive skin or allergies. Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include rash, itching, and difficulty breathing. If you experience any of these symptoms, stop taking beta-alanine immediately and seek medical attention.
Where to Buy Beta-Alanine
You can purchase beta-alanine in both powder and capsule form at BulkSupplements.com. The company is an industry-leading manufacturer and distributor for pure dietary supplements. BulkSupplements.com is not just a consumer brand. It also supplies pure ingredients to other food and supplement brands to make their products. All products at BulkSupplements.com are manufactured and tested according to current and proper manufacturing practices.
Are you interested in trying beta-alanine as a dietary supplement? Contact BulkSupplements.com to place an order today.
BUY BETA-ALANINE CAPSULES HERE
Bottom Line
Beta-alanine is a non-essential, natural occurring amino acid in the body synthesized by the liver, converted into protein. Amino acids overall are an essential part of daily nutrition. Beta-alanine produces naturally, but sometimes you may need or want an extra boost. Many weightlifters and bodybuilders use the supplement before workouts to be able to train more efficiently. Research states that the supplement may help significantly reduce fatigue and limit lactic acid buildup in the muscles, possibly allowing you to work out harder and longer.
Beta-alanine is a common pre-workout supplement and it is generally safe in appropriate doses. However, any supplement product has the potential to cause unwanted side effects, even if it is safe. Beta-alanine specifically may cause side effects, such as tingling in the skin as it reacts to a protein in the nerves.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products and statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
