Beta-Alanine: The Jittery Feeling

Bodybuilding.com Supplement Store: Protein, Creatine & More! http://ca.bodybuilding.com/store/?_requestid=648359 (accessed Nov 7, 2016).

Beta-alanine is a very popular ingredient in almost all pre-workout and energy supplement products.  But what is it about beta-alanine that makes it a very popular ingredient among these products?  Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid that is naturally produced in your body^1,5.  Alanine is one of the 20 amino acids, making it a constituent of protein^1,5.  Although beta-alanine has been around for whoever knows how long, it was only discovered over 100 years ago, crazy right⁶?  What’s even crazier is that beta-alanine wasn’t considered to be used in supplementation until recently⁶.  Beta-alanine occurs in two natural dipeptides, carnosine and anserine³.  These two peptides are found naturally in the muscle fibers of mammals³.  Interestingly enough, these two dipeptides can be found in most protein rich foods such as chicken, beef, pork and fish⁶.  Although we can get these two dipeptides from food, our body can also produce them.  This can happen through synthesis in the liver, or when L-alanine is converted, yielded beta-alanine as a by-product of this reaction⁶.  

Beta-alanine is used widely in supplements to enhance athletic and physical performance, and although there are no alternatives to beta-alanine, there are other supplements or compounds that can be taken in addition with beta-alanine to enhance effects².  Because beta-alanine is such a widely used supplement, that should raise questions about its safety and side effects right?  Well in fact, there are no known health risks that are dangerous to the human body.  The only side effect is a tingly sensation or itch that you feel under your skin shortly following ingestion, which is known as paresthesia⁴.  This feeling usually subsides 30 minutes’ post ingestion.  For someone who takes beta-alanine daily, I think it’s important in pre-workout supplements.  I also do not believe that beta-alanine supplementation is going away anytime soon, as long as the supplement industry is still kicking.  

References:

(1) BETA-ALANINE: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions and Warnings - WebMD http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1222-beta-alanine.aspx?activeingredientid=1222 (accessed Nov 1, 2016).

(2) Alanine Information | Evidenced-Based Supplement Guide on MedicineNet.com http://www.medicinenet.com/alanine/supplements-vitamins.htm (accessed Nov 1, 2016).

(3) alanine | chemical compound https://www.britannica.com/science/alanine#ref63308 (accessed Nov 2, 2016).

(4) Lockwood, C. Your Expert Guide To Beta-Alanine http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/your-expert-guide-to-beta-alanine.html (accessed Nov 2, 2016).

(5) alanine - definition of alanine in English | Oxford Dictionaries https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/alanine (accessed Nov 6, 2016).

(6) Balcombe, S., Batheja, A., Manninen, A. Beta-Alanine: Science Meets Real World Results. http://www.beta-alanine.net/ (accessed November 6, 2016).