Carnosyn Beta-alanine is for the athlete that wants more. More reps, more speed, more muscle, better recovery, and faster times. As one of the most heavily researched sports supplements in the world with over 55 clinical studies, Beta-Alanine helps athletes of all calibers push past plateaus and maximize performance. Studies show, that beta-alanine is extremely effective at buffering lactic acid and increasing muscle carnosine levels. More muscle carnosine results in delayed muscle fatigue helping improve muscular endurance and increase in workout volume. In this ultimate guide to beta-alanine, we’re going to discuss how beta-alanine can help you crush your training and maximize your peak performance.
In this ultimate guide to beta-alanine, we will cover the following topics
- What Is Beta-Alanine?
- How Does Beta-Alanine Work?
- What Are The Benefits Of Beta-Alanine?
- Who Can Benefit From Beta-Alanine?
- What Are The Differences Between Generic Beta-Alanine Vs. Carnosyn?
- What Are The Different Forms Of Beta-Alanine?
- Why Does Beta-Alanine Make You Itchy/Tingly?
- When Should You Take Beta-Alanine?
- What’s The Right Dosage Of Beta-Alanine?
What Is Beta-Alanine?
Beta-alanine is a naturally occurring or non-essential amino-acid, specifically classified as a beta-amino acid. It’s produced naturally in the liver and can be obtained through dietary sources such as chicken, meat, and fish. Beta-alanine facilitates the synthesis of muscle carnosine concentration in the body, which acts as a lactic acid buffer and delays the onset of muscle fatigue, loss of power, and time to failure.
Carnosine is a di-peptide/beta-amino acid composed of the amino acids, beta-alanine, and l-histidine. Unlike the 20 standard amino acids, beta-amino acids have their amino group bonded to the β carbon rather than the α carbon. Studies have shown elevated muscle carnosine levels can fuel endurance, optimize recovery, build muscle strength, and enhance peak performance [R].
How Does Beta-Alanine Work?
When you work out, your body relies on glucose for energy, which results in the production of lactic acid increasing muscle acidity. Lactic acid is created from the buildup of hydrogen ions (H+), which causes your muscles pH to drop, therefore when lactic acid rises, it linearly increases the acidity in your muscle tissue. When acidity increases your muscles lose the ability to contract and results in a loss of endurance and power. Beta-alanine, specifically the patented ingredient CarnoSyn® buffers hydrogen through an increase in carnosine content, which will help your muscles contract for a longer period of time and delay the onset of fatigue.
Numerous studies have shown that supplementing with CarnoSyn Beta-Alanine improves muscle carnosine concentrations to help delay muscle fatigue and counteract the build-up of lactic acid. A study published in the Journal of Medical & Science In Sports & Exercise examined the effects of muscle carnosine content and endurance cycling capacity after 24 weeks of supplementation in cyclists. The study showed that supplementing with CarnoSyn Beta-Alanine increased muscle carnosine content and improved high-intensity cycling capacity at every time-interval [R, R].
RELATED ARTICLE The Best Supplement For Increasing Endurance
What Are The Benefits Of Beta-Alanine?
Beta-Alanine Benefits: Delays Muscle Fatigue
Hydrogen ion build-up is what causes lactic acid burn during strength training. And one of the most potent buffers against that lactic acid buildup is carnosine – a dipeptide that is in part composed from beta-alanine. The more carnosine that your body contains, the better the defense it has against fighting muscle fatigue. A study published in the Journal Nutrients found that supplementing beta-alanine at a clinical dose of 5g per day, has been shown to increase muscle carnosine concentrations by up to 58 percent in just four weeks, and 80 percent in 10 weeks. Higher carnosine levels mean a delay in muscle fatigue resulting in more training and harder workouts. [R, R]
Beta-Alanine Benefits: Fuels Endurance
If carnosine helps delay muscle fatigue, then that also means you have more time to exhaustion. In fact, a research study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology conducted in Ghent, Belgium investigated beta-alanine supplementation on the performance of highly trained elite rowers. The study showed that after 7 weeks of beta-alanine supplementation at 5g per day, beta-alanine improved rowing performance and speed. [R] Beta-Alanine has also been shown to improve high-intensity anaerobic performance, such as cycling, sprinting, and lifting and helps improve exercise capacity [R]
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A study found in the journal Exercise Physiology also investigated the effects of beta-alanine supplementation on a 10km running time trial. Sixteen subjects were randomized into a double-blind placebo-controlled trial. For 23 days, the subjects ingested 5g of beta-alanine or a placebo. The running protocol was performed three times per week. The results showed that time to completion of the 10km running time trial decreased significantly with those that supp’ed up with beta-alanine. If you want to improve your running times, beta-alanine at 5g per day, can definitely help. [R]
Beta-Alanine Benefits: Boosts VO2 Max
Endurance is the key to your overall performance. If you can sprint faster, row harder, or lift heavier, you can gain a competitive advantage and improve your results. Research indicates that beta-Alanine supplementation improves VO2 Max. VO2 max is defined as the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use, during exercise. This is especially important for endurance athletes and for sports such as CrossFit. Researchers from the University of Oklahoma conducted a double-blind controlled trial that evaluated the effects of combining beta-alanine supplementation with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on endurance performance and aerobic metabolism in recreationally active college-aged men. The results showed that after three weeks, VO2 MAX thresholds improved by 110% and after six weeks to 115% [R].
Through an improvement in oxygen consumption, you’ll allow your body more time to exhaustion, therefore improving exercise and training capacity.
Beta-Alanine Benefits: Greater Gains In Strength
It’s a simple fact, that if beta-alanine reduces muscle fatigue and time to exhaustion, then naturally you’re workout volume will increase, resulting in improved strength gains and lean muscle mass [R].
A study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine administered 5g of beta-alanine to 12 fit male individuals over the course of 4 weeks. A strict strength training protocol consisting of 6 sets, with 12 reps at 70% max squat with 90-second rest, was performed before and after each supplemental period. Those that supp’ed up experienced a 22% increase in total repetitions of squats compared to the placebo group [R, R].
Beta-Alanine Benefits Optimizes The Power Of Creatine
Creatine is yet another powerful supplement that has been extensively researched and proven to help increase explosive power and strength. But research shows that creatine combined with beta-alanine improves strength, body composition, and significantly improves greater gains in strength than compared to supplementing creatine alone. [R]
In a 10-week randomized double-blind controlled trial, conducted at the department of health and exercise science at the College of New Jersey, 33 collegiate male football players, were randomly assigned to one of three groups and administered beta-alanine + creatine monohydrate, creatine monohydrate alone, or placebo to investigate the effects of creatine and creatine plus beta-alanine on strength, power, and body composition.
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To maximize your performance, even more, pair Kre-Alkalyn [ph corrected creatine] instead of Creatine Monohydrate with Beta-Alanine.
RELATED ARTICLE Kre-Alkalyn Vs Creatine: Which One Is Better?
Beta-Alanine Benefits: Reduces Mental Fatigue & Enhances Mental Focus
What’s even more impressive, is beta-alanine’s ability to enhance mental focus. Studies have shown that CarnoSyn® improves executive functioning and mental clarity and enhances the cognitive process and reduces mental fatigue in studies that supplemented highly trained military personnel [R].
In summary, Beta-alanine is a game-changer when it comes to optimizing performance
Who Can Benefit From Beta-Alanine?
CarnoSyn® beta-alanine has demonstrated statistically significant delays in muscle fatigue and increases in exercise endurance and peak capacity across a wide span of training modalities and performance measures, for any caliber of athlete.
Overall Athletic Performance
By increasing muscle carnosine through beta-alanine supplementation, CarnoSyn® supplementation led to a muscle carnosine increase of 80% after 10 weeks of supplementation [R].
Total Work Capacity
A 28-day study demonstrated an increase of 16.9% in physical working capacity for men and a 12% increase in the working capacity of women [R]
Endurance Cyclists
Cyclists saw an average increase of 11.4% in increased peak power output after 8 weeks [R]
Professional Rowers
Highly trained rowers improved their speed by 4.3 seconds over 2000m in a 7-week study [R]
HIIT Athletes
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) athletes showed a delay in their fatigue threshold during a 6-week trial [R]
Competitive Sprinters
Sprinters trained to compete in the 400-meter race saw increased levels of muscle carnosine after a 4-week supplementation trial [R]
Collegiate Football Players
The combination of beta-alanine supplementation with creatine resulted in statistically significant strength increases for collegiate football players [R].
RELATED ARTICLE 10 Studies That Prove Why Elite Athletes Should Use Beta-Alanine
What Are The Different Forms Of Beta-Alanine?
Beta-Alanine is available in three different forms. Generic form, Carnosyn® Instant Release, and Carnosyn Sustained Release. Sustained-release CarnoSyn® offers the same benefits as instant release CarnoSyn®, but in an advanced delivery system that allows for increased dosing over time. When used in tandem, the combination of instant release and sustained release gives athletes the ability to stack their dosing for higher quantities of beta-alanine and even more performance gains [R].
What’s The Difference Between Generic Beta-Alanine Vs. Carnosyn®?
CarnoSyn® beta-alanine is a patented ingredient and the only beta-alanine that has successfully obtained New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) and self-affirmed GRAS [generally recognized as safe] status with the FDA. Unlike generic Beta-alanine, CarnoSyn® beta-alanine is one of the most rigorously studied dietary supplements, backed by over 55 clinical studies, with over 20 published in peer-reviewed journals. . CarnoSyn®’s growing list of awards and certifications have helped to establish CarnoSyn® as a trusted brand and the only choice for tested, patented, and pure beta-alanine. That’s why it’s imperative that when you purchase a beta-alanine supplement, it contains the patented ingredient CarnoSyn®. Make sure you read the back of the label before you purchase beta-alanine.
Much like creatine, in terms of scientific evidence proving its performance benefits, CarnoSyn Beta-Alanine is on the same path in receiving higher accreditation with more published peer-reviewed journals proving its efficacy.
When comparing CarnoSyn® ® with generic beta-alanine products, CarnoSyn® is the only beta-alanine with more than 20 published scientific studies, supported claims, proven performance, and patent protection around the world. It's the most trusted brand when it comes to quality, purity, and effectiveness.
Tested on a wide range of athletic performance measures, including sprinting, cycling, rowing, and weightlifting, CarnoSyn® beta-alanine is clinically proven to:
- Increase muscle carnosine for prolonged periods of time
- Increase muscle buffering capacity
- Decreasing acidosis
- Improving endurance
- Delaying muscle fatigue
- Increasing strength
- Optimizing recovery from intense exercise
RELATED ARTICLE Carnosyn Vs Beta-Alanine: What’s The Difference?
Why Does Beta-Alanine Make You Itchy/Tingly?
It’s all about the tingles. Some people love them other people hate them. Personally, I couldn’t lift without them. Beta-alanine is notorious for its quote-unquote side effect otherwise known as paresthesia. characterized by an itchy, prickly or tingly sensation. Tingles aside, paresthesia has no adverse effects, and will not interrupt your training [R].
When Should You Take Beta-Alanine?
To see maximum performance benefits, athletes should dose 5-6.4g of beta-alanine per day and employ a loading phase, with higher dosages, before reducing the dose to a "maintenance phase" for the first 28 days of supplementation. You should take beta-alanine 15-20 minutes pre-workout and 3.2g post workout on training days, and two 3.2g on non-training days.
What's The Recommended Dose Of Beta-Alanine?
Beta-Alanine is a bit different than most other supplements. Beta-alanine requires a loading phase. Studies show that athletes with a larger saturation or accumulation of muscle carnosine content who loaded at least 90 grams of beta-alanine over 28 days saw marked improvement in performance. Those with a greater intake of 179 grams over the same period significantly amplified their results. The research shows, that you need at least 5g per day for up to four weeks before you start seeing an improvement in exercise performance. Beta-alanine, however, does not need to be cycled.
According to CarnoSyn®, you're starting dose should be at least 3.2g per day for a minimum of four weeks to improve muscle carnosine content. If you want to maximize athletic performance and endurance, it's recommended to supplement with 6.4g. Carnosyn has a loading period of 28 days and should be taken every day on training and non-training days to maintain optimal levels of carnosine in the body.
It should be notated that the higher the dose, the more performance benefits you will receive overtime. Remembering to take your beta-alanine consistently is key, to improving peak performance and fueling endurance.
What's The Best Beta-Alanine Supplement?
When choosing a Beta-Alanine supplement, it's extremely important that you choose a product that uses CarnoSyn®.
When comparing CarnoSyn with other beta-alanine products, CarnoSyn is the only beta-alanine with more than 20 published scientific studies, supported claims, proven performance, and patent protection around the world. It's the most trusted brand when it comes to quality, purity, and effectiveness. So before you buy Beta-Alanine look at the supplement facts, and make sure the key ingredient is CarnoSyn®
Swolverine's Beta-Alanine is made with 100% pharmaceutical grade CarnoSyn®, with 5g per serving for a total 100 unflavored servings, and 500g per bottle.
Looking for the best CarnoSyn Beta-Alanine to increase your endurance?
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We believe that everyone can optimize not only their athletic performance but their human potential. The way we believe we can optimize performance is through transparency, clinically effective doses, and clinically proven ingredients with evidence-based outcomes. We provide the nutrients you need to power your active lifestyle.
References
Culbertson, Julie Y et al. “Effects of beta-alanine on muscle carnosine and exercise performance: a review of the current literature” Nutrients 2,1 (2010): 75-98.
Baguet A, Bourgois J, Vanhee L, Achten E, Derave W. Important role of muscle carnosine in rowing performance. J Appl Physiol. 2010;109(4):1096-101.
Smith AE, Walter AA, Graef JL, et al. Effects of beta-alanine supplementation and high-intensity interval training on endurance performance and body composition in men; a double-blind trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2009;6:5.
Hobson RM, Saunders B, Ball G, Harris RC, Sale C. Effects of β-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis. Amino Acids. 2012;43(1):25-37.
Smith AE, Walter AA, Graef JL, et al. Effects of beta-alanine supplementation and high-intensity interval training on endurance performance and body composition in men; a double-blind trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2009;6:5.
Hoffman J, Ratamess N, Kang J, Mangine G, Faigenbaum A, Stout J. Effect of creatine and beta-alanine supplementation on performance and endocrine responses in strength/power athletes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2006;16(4):430-46.
Hoffman, J., Ratamess, N., Ross, R., Kang, J., Magrelli, J., Neese, K., Faigenbaum, A. and Wise, J. (2018). β-Alanine and the Hormonal Response to Exercise.
Abady H., Sharifi G., Faramarzi M. (2014) The effect of eight weeks of β-alanine supplementation and pyramid resistance training on carnosine and IL-8 in non-athlete men. European Journal Of Experimental Biology. 4(1):404-409
Maté-Muñoz, José Luis et al. “Effects of β-alanine supplementation during a 5-week strength training program: a randomized, controlled study” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 15 19. 25 Apr. 2018, doi:10.1186/s12970-018-0224-0
Santana, Jeferson O et al. “Beta-Alanine Supplementation Improved 10-km Running Time Trial in Physically Active Adults” Frontiers in physiology 9 1105. 8 Aug. 2018, doi:10.3389/fphys.2018.01105
Maughan R, Burke L, Dvorak J, et al. IOC consensus statement: dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete. Br J Sports Med 2018;52(7):439-455.
