In this article we will discuss another fairly common and well-known supplement, such as beta-alanine. What is it? Is it an effective supplement? What exercise is it intended for? What does science say about it?

Let's get started.

Relationship between beta alanine and carnosine

Beta alanine is a non-essential amino acid synthesized in the liver that can be ingested through the diet, especially from sources of animal origin, particularly white and red meat, or through supplements, its study having received great interest due to its direct relationship with the synthesis of carnosine.

Carnosine is a dipeptide, made up of the amino acids beta alanine and histidine, and the body is not capable of directly absorbing carnosine from the bloodstream. Since beta alanine concentrations in muscle are relatively small compared to histidine, and endogenous beta alanine synthesis is limited to small production in a group of liver cells, it has been proposed that carnosine synthesis in skeletal muscle is limited by the availability of beta alanine from the diet.

Functions of carnosine

The most important function of carnosine in the body is related to the regulation of pH, with carnosine acting, together with phosphocreatine, as an important buffer at the intracellular level.

At the muscular level, in addition to this function, it has been attributed another important function related to the activation of myosin ATPase, which plays a fundamental role in maintaining ATP reserves.

Reminder: Adenosine triphosphate, better known by its acronym ATP, is a molecule used by all living organisms to provide energy in chemical reactions, being the main source of energy for most cellular functions.

In turn, muscle carnosine has been attributed a positive effect in increasing the sensitivity of calcium in muscle fibers, increasing strength while reducing the rate of fatigue during muscle activity, as a result of improvements in the excitation-contraction processes. 

These are its most important functions related to the muscle and that influence exercise, although it should be noted that carnosine also has other functions that we will not go into in this article (for example, as a neurotransmitter and neuroprotective, among others).

Therefore, the supposed effects of carnosine have aroused interest in this dipeptide in recent years due to its potential ergogenic and therapeutic benefits. In summary, due to its abundance in skeletal muscle, it has been suggested that carnosine plays an important role during exercise, with a key physiological role, as we have discussed, in intracellular acid-base regulation, in addition to protection against oxidative damage and regulation of calcium sensitivity, among others.

Beta Alanine and Improved Exercise Capacity and Performance

The limiting factor for the speed of muscle carnosine synthesis is the availability of beta alanine from the diet, and supplements with this amino acid have been shown to increase skeletal muscle carnosine concentrations in both upper and lower limbs. This has led to research on the effects of beta alanine supplementation, and therefore increased muscle carnosine concentration, on capacity and performance within a variety of exercises (especially high intensity exercise) and populations.

And here I want to give three key points before continuing so that everything is clear and we do not get lost:

- Carnosine is abundant in skeletal muscle, suggesting that it plays an important role during exercise, with a key physiological role seen as intracellular regulation of pH (buffering of muscle acidosis) and responsible for reducing fatigue.

- Beta alanine supplementation can increase muscle carnosine concentration and (in conjunction with training) improve exercise capacity and performance.

- There can be a number of confounders, including exercise type, duration, mode, and population, that can influence the effects of beta alanine supplementation.

Therefore, yes, scientific evidence indicates that beta alanine supplements are effective with the protocol and the appropriate situation or exercise, this protocol and appropriate exercise being those discussed in previous points.