Beta-alanine: effects and dosage

What is beta-alanine?

Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid that does not play a major role in energy metabolism on its own. Its importance lies in being a precursor to carnosine , a dipeptide formed from beta-alanine and histidine.

Carnosine accumulates in muscle fibers (especially fast-twitch ones) and acts as a buffer . This means that it binds excess hydrogen ions (H+) that are produced during intense exercise, when anaerobic glycolysis is the main source of energy.

Why is this important?

At high intensity (sprints, intervals, hills, race finish) H+ ions accumulate rapidly in the muscles → pH decreases → so-called muscle acidosis occurs. This is directly linked to the feeling of burning in the muscles and a decrease in their ability to develop force.

More carnosine = better buffering = delayed muscle fatigue .

What does science say?

• Beta-alanine supplementation for 4–10 weeks increases muscle carnosine content by 60–80% .

• This leads to increased time to exhaustion and better performance in activities lasting 1–10 minutes , where metabolic acidosis is the main cause of fatigue.

• Studies show improvements in:

  • repeated sprints,

  • interval training,

  • high-intensity simulated races.

What are the limits?

• Beta-alanine is not an acute stimulant – it doesn’t work if you take it once before a race. It works by increasing carnosine levels over the long term.

• The greatest benefit is for athletes whose performance is limited by acidosis (e.g. middle-distance runners, cyclists, crossfit, Hyrox, rowing).

• For purely endurance activities (marathon, ultratrail), the effect is less pronounced, but still noticeable.

Dosage

• 3.2–6.4 g per day , ideally divided into smaller doses throughout the day.

• After 2–4 weeks, carnosine levels begin to increase, with the maximum effect occurring after approximately 8–10 weeks.

• The most common side effect is paresthesia – a tingling and warm sensation on the skin. It is not dangerous and can be minimized by spreading the doses throughout the day.

Summary

Beta-alanine is one of the most well-researched performance-enhancing supplements. Its effects on muscle buffering help it handle high intensity, delay muscle fatigue, and allow you to push the performance threshold past where the “burn” usually comes in. So if you’re training or competing in an environment where speed, intensity, and lactate tolerance are key, beta-alanine can give you a clear advantage.