Beta-alanine is basically a non-essential amino acid. However, it has become popular in bodybuilding and performance nutrition.
Commonly known by its trademark name, CarnoSyn, it is a shining star because it raises the levels of carnosine in muscles and increases the work amount you may perform at a high intensity.
Food Sources to Get Beta-Alanine
One of the top sources of food you can acquire beta-alanine, includes fish, poultry, and meat. It is part of bigger compounds, including anserine and carnosine, but often breaks free if they are digested.
Vegans and vegetarians have around 50% less carnosine in the muscles. While many individuals get enough amount of beta-alanine from a diet, supplements increase its level even more.
Why People Take Beta-Alanine Supplements
Do you have questions about beta-alanine and how it may build your muscles? Well, there are several ways muscles may fatigue as you work out.
An increased level of acidity is high, and you may improve performance by decreasing it. As aforementioned, beta-alanine is a very popular supplement. This is because it is converted in the body into carnosine, which eventually reduces acidity level.
Muscle Building with Beta-Alanine
The main source of energy is basically anaerobic glycolysis. This refers to the conversion of lactate from oxygen in an anaerobic situation.
Normally, at the 5-minute mark of exercising continuously, H+ (hydrogen ions) produced from the lactic acid overpowers buffering capacity.
In turn, the level of pH in the muscles decreases, and the process of metabolic becomes limited. This leads to muscle fatigue and reduced force. Other impacts of increased production of hydrogen ions include the following:
- Inhibited glycolysis
- Lessened contraction of muscles
- Disruption of phosphocreatine resynthesis
Muscle Fatigue and Beta-Alanine
Among the potent buffers against the muscles is carnosine. This di-peptide helps to minimize the buildup of fatiguing acid when taking part in strength training.
And because carnosine is composed of beta-alanine, the more amount of this amino acid, the more your body will be able to deal with muscle fatigue.
As a matter of fact, a certain study shows that taking around 800mg of beta-alanine can elevate the level of carnosine in the muscles by 66%.
Plus, your body won’t appear to build tolerance. And in the same research, male fitness enthusiasts who took more doses of beta-alanine saw a boost after a couple of weeks.
Muscle Mass and Beta-Alanine
Supplements, such as beta-alanine, can maximize the loss of fat by maintaining intensity in exercises, such as sprints and HIIT.
Some studies show that supplements with beta-alanine may improve the body’s composition by boosting fat loss and maintaining lean mass. Other studies also show the same results with increased muscle mass after following a 7-week HIIT protocol with beta-alanine supplements.
The Bottom Line!
For maximum benefits of beta-alanine, consider taking your supplement before you exercise. Beta-alanine often works by increasing carnosine content in the skeletal muscles. This, in turn, can reduce the level of lactic acid in the muscles, allowing you to get the most out of your workouts.
