Supplementing beta-alanine can increase carnosine levels and may help to improve exercise performance during high-intensity exercise.

• Increases muscle carnosine.
• Prevents the build-up of lactic acid.
• Improves vasodilatation (muscular supply of oxygen and nutrients)

Beta-alanine is a non-essential beta-amino acid that is naturally produced in the body(by the liver). It’s is one of the few supplements, along with creatine and caffeine, that have gained a good reputation for consistently delivering positive results, more specifically at the level of endurance. It is an absolutely safe and inexpensive supplement, particularly suitable for the older athlete.

Beta-alanine combines with another amino acid, L-histidine, to produce carnosine, a naturally occurring di-peptide stored within skeletal muscles. The main source of histidine is protein-rich products and is thus sufficiently present in the body. A histidine supplement is therefore completely unnecessary.

During high-intensity exercise, glucose is broken down to produce ATP to fuel activity. During this process lactate and hydrogen ions acidify the muscles. As muscle acidity starts to increase, it interferes with contractibility, resulting in loss of function and decrements in overall performance.

Carnosine supports in maintaining a proper muscle pH 1 while protecting the muscles against the harmful effects of free radicals produced during high-intensity exercise. Beta-alanine is most useful when you train to near maximum capacity. Especially then, pH buffering becomes a decisive factor.

Take 6 gram Beta-Aniline daily, preferably in several doses and with meals. Consider adding creatine too, this will further enhance the effect on performance.

You don’t have to take your beta-alanine supplement at any particular time of the day. Beta-alanine does not have an acute effect like caffeine, where you perform better in the hours after taking it. With beta-alanine, it’s all about building up your carnosine levels. Remember that your muscle carnosine is the performance booster, not the beta-alanine supplement itself.

Consider that if you want to reach maximum muscle saturation, you need to be supplementing for longer-term. Muscle carnosine concentration increases systematically, reaching an 80% increase over the starting value around the 10th week.

When a dose higher than 1 gram is taken, (harmless) mild tingling and prickling sometimes occurs and usually disappears within 60 to 90 minutes of supplementation.

Taking several smaller doses will reduce or prevent these side effects. Muscle carnosine increases by 80% within 10 weeks of supplementation. When supplementation is stopped, muscle carnosine will return to baseline values after 6~15 weeks.

Use beta alanine ahead of a contest. Starting 12 weeks out, take 1 gram with each meal, for a total of 6 grams a day.

Given the specific build-up period and the carnosine process, adding beta-alanine to a pre-workout has absolutely no added value.