BETA-ALANINE - PUSH THAT BIT HARDER!

 

Beta-alanine is a naturally occurring beta-amino acid, and a component of the B vitamin, pantothenic acid. 

 

Beta-alanine can help you reach your ideal body composition goals or fitness goals faster!

 

 

Beta-alanine is used by your muscles cells to synthesise carnosine, which is a dipeptide made up of beta-alanine and histidine.

 

 

Muscle carnosine levels have been found to significantly increase in response to four weeks of 6.4g per day of beta-alanine (1).

 

Carnosine is important because it keeps your muscle in an optimal PH range, to ensure longer time to fatigue. When you fail during a set, it's because your muscle PH levels have DROPPED, thanks to increase in hydrogen-ions (acid).

 

The hydrogen-ions come about by the breakdown of ATP - the bodies high powered energy molecule responsible for energy. 

 

 

So essentially, Beta-alanine works to keep your muscle PH levels in a optimal range by fighting hydrogen-ions that cause fatigue, which researchers suggest likely improves power output (2).

 

 

Unlike creatine, that has been labelled as having a "ceiling effect" - there's no data that has yet found the upper limit of muscle carnosine concentrations in both UNTRAINED and TRAINED subjects.

 

 

Aim for 3-6g of beta-alanine a day, spreading it out evenly, but making sure you have some around 30 minutes to an hour before training.

 

Skin tingling is a common side effect of beta-alanine supplementation. Some people enjoy this sensation before the gym, but if you don't, then spread out your beta-alanine intake EVEN MORE throughout the day, to ensure this doesn't happen.