Supplement Research - Beta-Alanine Improves Exercise Performance

By Anssi Manninen, MHS & Sebastian Balcombe, BSE, NSCA-PT

Beta-Alanine Improves Exercise Performance

A placebo controlled, beta-alanine study on trained track sprinters has just been completed.¹ The study lasted four weeks using a daily dose of 4.8 grams of beta-alanine. This was the second beta-alanine performance study that used NMR spectroscopy to measure muscular carnosine concentrations. Performance tests used in this study were five sets of repeated knee extensions, isometric endurance (holding a knee contraction at 45 percent as long as possible) and 400-meter race times. The results revealed that beta-alanine increased carnosine concentrations by 37 percent to 47  percent, significantly improved peak torque on the repeated leg extensions, but did not improve 400-meter race times or the isometric knee extension.

From the repeated performance beta-alanine studies, we know that increased muscular carnosine concentrations increase anaerobic muscular performance and this study showed beta-alanine increased carnosine by 37 percent to 47 percent in just four weeks. Additional studies have shown an 80 percent increase in carnosine concentrations when continuously supplementing with beta-alanine for 12 weeks. Out of the three performance tests measured in this study, the most relevant to gym rats is the 5 repeated sets of knee extensions the subjects performed. And when compared to the placebo group, beta-alanine significantly increased muscular performance, in particular from set three and onward.

The other two tests did not show any improvements in performance but also have much less relevance to average gym rats for a variety of reasons. Isometric knee extensions, which had subjects holding a contraction at a fixed angle, is not how typical gym rats train. In regard to the 400-meter sprint, aside from the warm-up the subjects did prior to the sprint, it appears that they just did one sprint (the full-text paper of this study has not been published yet). Had they done repeated sprints, the outcome may have been different and would have related much closer to the multiple-set exercise protocols most gym rats follow.

Finally, the duration of the study was only four weeks and increased carnosine concentrations were only in the 37 percent to 47 percent range, depending on if they were looking at the soleus or gastroc (calf muscles). Had the study gone for 8 to 12 weeks, the additional 20 percent to 40 percent increased carnosine concentrations we see with beta-alanine supplementation could have made a significant difference. In contrast, a recent study completed on collegiate wrestlers— using the beta-alanine supplement IntraXCell from Athletic Edge Nutrition and lasting eight weeks— did in fact show a significant improvement in 400-meter sprint times. The different outcomes of these studies on the 400-meter sprint improvements could be attributed to the IntraXCell study lasting four weeks longer and increasing carnosine concentrations to a greater extent, further increasing muscular performance. This study also showed increases in anaerobic strength and power, the two most relevant performance increases to gym rats looking to get bigger and stronger.

References:

1. National Strength and Conditioning Association Conference Abstract, 2007.

2. National Strength and Conditioning Association Conference Abstract, 2007.

3. Demling R. The use of anabolic agents in catabolic states. J Burns Wounds, 2007 Feb 12;6:e2.

4. Wilson GJ et al. Effects of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) on exercise performance and body composition across varying levels of age, sex, and training experience: A review. Nutr Metab (in press).

5. National Strength and Conditioning Association Conference Abstract, 2007.

6. Jager R et al. Comparison of new forms of creatine in raising plasma creatine levels. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2007 Nov 12;4(1):17 [Epub ahead of print].

7. Gotshalk LA et al. Creatine supplementation improves muscular performance in older women. Eur J Appl Physiol, 2007 Oct 18; [Epub ahead of print].

8. Gotshalk LA et al. Creatine supplementation improves muscular performance in older men. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2002 Mar;34(3):537-43.