Beta Alanine (3-aminopropanoic acid) is a naturally-occurring form of the amino acid Alanine. It is considered to be one of the most significant recent advancements in muscular power output and stamina enhancement. In many ways, the effects of Beta Alanine supplementation are similar to that of creatine, although the two substances work via different pathways within the metabolism.
Your muscles acquire power from the breakdown (hydrolysis) of the energy particle adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Creatine works to replenish ATP stores in muscle tissue, but ATP levels are not the only thing that limits your muscle’s ability to perform. Hydrolysis of ATP releases hydrogen ions in the muscle tissue, which, in turn, lowers the pH of the muscle (lower pH = greater acidity). There are natural buffers which counteract the increasing acidity of the muscle, but during periods of intense exercise, the high rate of ATP hydrolysis overwhelms the buffer’s ability to mitigate acidity. The result is a buildup of lactic acid, and a sharp drop in the pH of the muscle. This condition is called acidosis, and when your muscles burn, and lose power during the last few repetitions in a set, you are experiencing the effects of acidosis.
One of the most effective buffering agents, that helps delay the onset of acidosis and muscle fatigue, is a dipeptide called Carnosine. Carnosine is naturally present in skeletal muscle tissue, and is composed of two amino acid molecules, Beta Alanine and Histidine. Studies have indicated that Beta Alanine is the rate-limiting precursor to Carnosine, which means that Carnosine formation is limited by the amount of available Beta Alanine. Studies have indicated that supplementation with Beta Alanine increased intramuscular Carnosine levels by an average of + 80%, with the result that athletes experienced a dramatic decrease in fatigue, and a dramatic increase of total muscular work done per workout.
It is no wonder that Beta Alanine is rapidly gaining popularity as a valuable tool in the hardcore bodybuilder’s arsenal. API’s Beta Alanine gives you 1500 mg per serving of the highest quality available and, trust me, it'll give you that extra edge in the gym. Many are hailing it as the greatest discovery in performance nutrition since creatine, and the scientific evidence to date appears to support such a glowing assessment.
References
Ratamess N.A., Kang J., Hoffman J., Mangine G., Faigenbaum A., Stout J., Effect of Creatine and Beta-Alanine Supplementation on Performance and Endocrine Responses in Strength/Power Athletes. IJSNEM, 16(4) 2006
Stout JR, O’Kroy JA, Torok DJ., Mielke M., Zoeller RF , Effects of 28 days of beta-alanine and creatine monohydrate supplementation on aerobic power, ventilatory and lactate thresholds, and time to exhaustion. Amino Acids, 1-6, 2006
Harris RC, Tallon MJ, Boobis L., Dunnett M, Coakley J, Kim HJ, Fallowfield JL, Hill CA, Sale C, Wise JA, The absorption of orally supplied beta-alanine and its effect on muscle carnosine synthesis in human vastus lateralis. Amino Acids, 30:279-289, 2006.
Harris RC, Tallon MJ, Boobis L., Dunnett M, Coakley J, Kim HJ, Fallowfield JL, Hill CA, Sale C, Wise JA, The absorption of orally supplied beta-alanine and its effect on muscle carnosine synthesis in human vastus lateralis. Amino Acids, 30:279-289, 2006.
Hill CA, Harris RC, Kim HJ, Harris BD, Sale C, Boobis LH, Kim CK, Wise JA, Influence of beta- alanine supplementation on skeletal muscle carnosine concentrations and high intensity cycling capacity. Amino Acids, 32 (2): 225–33 2006.
Suzuki Y, Ito O, Takahashi H, Takamatsu K, The effect of sprint training on skeletal muscle carnosine in humans. Intl Journal of Sport Health Sci 2: 105-110, 2004
Derave W, Ozdemir MS, Harris R, Pottier A, Reyngoudt H, Koppo K, Wise JA, Achten E. (August 9 2007). Beta-alanine supplementation augments muscle carnosine content and attenuates fatigue during repeated isokinetic contraction bouts in trained sprinters. Journal of Applied Physiology 103: 1736. Aug. 9, 2007
Bate-Smith EC, The buffering of muscle in rigor: protein, phosphate and carnosine. Journal of Physiology. 92:336-343, 1938.
Mannion AF, Jakeman PM, Dunnett M, Harris RC, and Willan PLT (1992) Carnosine and anserine concentrations in the quadriceps femoris muscle of healthy humans. European Journal of Appl. Physiol. 64:47-50, 1992
Encyclopedia of Life Sciences Amino Acid Neurotransmitters. Henley JM., John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. DOI: 10.1038/npg.els.0000010 Article Online Posting Date: April 19, 2001 |
