Beta-Alanine is a non-essential amino acid obtained through protein foods and it naturally occurs in the body. Beta Alanine (BA) is found naturally in both the body and in foods such as chicken. Beta-Alanine’s performance enhancing effects are due to its ability to raise intra-muscular levels of carnosine. Research has shown that there is a strong relationship between carnosine concentrations in muscle and high intensity exercise performance.
Good natural dietary sources of beta-alanine are believed to be obtained through ingesting the beta-alanine containing dipeptides: carnosine, anserine and balenine, rather than directly ingesting beta-alanine. These dipeptides are found in protein rich foods such as chicken, beef, pork and fish. It is predominantly through ingesting the dipeptide carnosine that we ingest most of our beta-alanine, as the two other dipeptides are not found nearly as plentiful in our typical coniferous diet .
However, obtaining beta-alanine through these dipeptides is not the only way, as our bodies can synthesize it in the liver from the catabolism of pyrimidine nucleotides which are broken down into uracil and thymine and then metabolized into beta-alanine and B-aminoisobutyrate. Of course, it can also be ingested through a Beta Alanine Supplement which is the focus of this article.
Scientists have demonstrated that high intensity/high volume training significantly increases muscle carnosine concentrations in untrained subjects. However this rise in carnosine levels soon plateaus, after which, the only way to increase levels further is to supplement with BA (carnosine itself is poorly absorbed in humans). BA has been shown to raise muscle carnosine levels by 64% in as little as 4 weeks, and by 80% after 10 weeks.
