1. What Is It?
Beta-Alanine is a non-essential beta amino acid, which means that the amino group is at the beta position from the carboxylate group.
The greatest natural sources of Beta-Alanine are carnosine rich foods such as chicken, beef and fish.
Beta-Alanine is also produced as a free-form supplement and is found in many pre-workout and intra-workout supplements.
2. What Does It Do?
Beta-Alanine increases the concentration of carnosine in muscles. Carnosine scavenges reactive oxygen species, acting as a potent buffer against fatigue toxin production in working muscles.
Reduced fatigue toxin production allows muscles to perform more reps, more sets and do more work before fatiguing.
Combined with a sensible diet and workout regime, Beta-Alanine therefore allows you to train harder, for longer, and stimulate more muscle growth. Beta-Alanine can also help increase performance for high intensity cardiovascular events such as sprinting and cycling.
3. When Do I Take It?
To take advantage of the fatigue toxin buffering effects of Beta-Alanine, it is best taken 20-30 minutes before working out. Beta-Alanine can be mixed with water, or with any other type of supplement, and consumed. The clinically validated dose of Beta-Alanine is between 3-5 grams per day, taken in either singular or multiple dosages throughout the day.
4. How Long Does It Take To Work?
Beta-Alanine starts working as soon as it enters the bloodstream, which is typically 20-30 minutes after consumption. Consistent use in conjunction with a sensible diet and workout regime will see the greatest performance benefits within the first 2 weeks of use.
When using dosages over 2 grams, many individuals will experience an immediate tingling sensation known as parasthesia a harmless side effect that can be avoided by using smaller dosages.
5. How Much Does It Cost?
Beta-Alanine, when sold in pure form, ranges anywhere from $20 per 100g, right up to $50 per 100g, depending on the size and quality of the product. Typically, the more Beta-Alanine you buy, or the larger the product size, the better value for money it will become.
Based on an average price of $40 per 100g, and based on one 2g serve per day, supplementing with Beta-Alanine will typically cost around $25 per month.