Home > Articles > The Best Beta-Alanine Supplements and Their Benefits

The Best Beta-Alanine Supplements and Their Benefits

UK Fitness Pro
UK Fitness Pro
· 7 min read
Men running in a race

Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid found in foods like chicken and peas. 

Increasing beta-alanine levels with a dietary supplement can contribute to the production of carnosine, which comprises beta-alanine and L-histidine (Cesak et al., 2023). Increasing muscle carnosine levels may help minimise the buildup of lactic acid during intense exercise, enabling you to train at a higher intensity for longer periods (Culbertson et al., 2010). 

Below, we look at the best beta-alanine supplements as rated by consumers on Amazon and at research studies on the benefits of beta-alanine, which include enhanced athletic performance during aerobic and anaerobic exercises. 

Beta-Alanine Powders

Here are some of the top-rated beta-alanine powders on Amazon:

Beta-Alanine Capsules

These are some of Amazon's top-rated beta-alanine capsules:

Pre-Workout Supplements With Beta-Alanine 

Top-rated pre-workout supplements containing beta-alanine include:

  • Bulk Store Dope Pre-Workout (4.6/5) – Powder with beta-alanine, creatine, caffeine, arginine, citrulline, taurine, and vitamin B6. Comes in a range of flavours (e.g., blue raspberry, fruit punch)
  • SCI_MX X-Plode Pre-Workout (4.4/5) – Powder with beta-alanine, caffeine, citrulline, and vitamins, available in tropical and sour watermelon flavours.
  • DY Nutrition Pre-Workout (4.3/5) – The pre-workout powder of legendary bodybuilder Dorian Yates. Comes in a variety of flavours (e.g., bubblegum, cola) and contains beta-alanine, caffeine, citrulline malate, green tea leaf extract, and B vitamins
  • Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout (4.4/5) – Powder with beta-alanine, caffeine, B vitamins, and creatine. Available in a variety of flavours (e.g., blue raspberry, watermelon)

As you can see, according to consumer ratings on Amazon, the Bulk Store's Dope powder may be the best pre-workout available at the moment. You'll also see that, as well as beta-alanine, these pre-workout formulas all contain caffeine, citrulline, and B vitamins. 

Beta-Alanine and Muscular Endurance

Research published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (j int soc sports nutr) found that a daily dose of 6.4 grams of beta-alanine for four weeks led to a significant increase in isometric endurance and impulse of knee extensors during muscle contractions at 45% maximal voluntary isometric contraction, likely due to beta-alanine minimising pH decline in muscle cells (Sale et al., 2012). 

If you're interested in muscle endurance, you might like our articles on the best pre-run supplements for runners and the best supplements for marathon runners, which consider a range of supplements besides beta-alanine, such as sodium bicarbonate and essential amino acids. 

Beta-Alanine and Training Volume

A 30-day study published in Nutrition Research found that daily beta-alanine supplementation significantly increased training volume and reduced subjective feelings of fatigue in collegiate American football players, suggesting an improvement in exercise capacity over time (Hoffman et al., 2008). 

To gain insights into how other supplements can increase energy levels and boost sports performance, check out our articles on the benefits of BCAAs for athletes and the benefits of creatine for athletes. 

Beta-Alanine and Muscular Strength

Another study found that a 6.4-gram dose of beta-alanine per day for five weeks significantly increased power output and strength gains during resistance training, leading to greater improvements in maximal strength (1RM) and power performance compared to a placebo group (Maté-Muñoz et al., 2018). Similarly, in a 28-day study, beta-alanine supplementation significantly increased lower-body isokinetic strength, leading to better performance on tests of peak torque in female masters athletes (Glenn et al., 2016).

If you want to increase your strength, you might also be interested in our articles on beta-alanine and creatine and whey whey protein and creatine supplementation. 

Beta-Alanine and Recovery Time

A 2012 investigation found that twelve weeks of beta-alanine supplementation significantly improved recovery during high-intensity intermittent exercise, as measured by YoYo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 2, likely due to enhanced muscle buffering capacity and attenuation of intracellular pH reduction (Saunders et al., 2012).

To learn more about how to promote faster recovery, check out our article on the best supplements for recovery. 

Beta-Alanine and Cognitive Function

A double-blind, randomised controlled trial (RCT) found that ten weeks of 2.4 grams per day of beta-alanine significantly improved cognitive function in older adults with below-normal baseline cognitive scores and reduced depression scores (Ostfeld et al., 2023). This may relate to the role of beta-alanine as a neurotransmitter in the nervous system (Tiedje et al., 2010). 

As discussed in our article on creatine pills and powders, scientific research also indicates that creatine supplements can improve cognitive function. 

Beta-Alanine and Other Potential Health Benefits

Beta-alanine supplementation may benefit those with anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and could offer antiaging and antidiabetic properties by lowering insulin resistance and protecting against cellular damage (Varanoske et al., 2019). 

Common Questions About Beta-Alanine

How does beta-alanine improve exercise performance?

Beta-alanine improves physical performance by increasing skeletal muscle carnosine synthesis and, therefore, carnosine levels. This enhances the muscle's buffering capacity against hydrogen ions and delays the onset of muscle fatigue during exercise. This is particularly important for older individuals as ageing leads to a reduction in muscle carnosine concentrations, contributing to faster fatigue during physical activity (Stout et al., 2018). Additionally, increasing levels of carnosine can contribute to nitric oxide production (Takahashi et al., 2009), which could increase blood flow to muscles (Tschakovsky & Joyner, 2008)

What are the top food sources of beta-alanine?

Beta-alanine is found in white mushrooms, green peas, asparagus, chicken, fish and shrimp (Cesak et al., 2023). 

How much beta-alanine should you take?

In a couple of the above studies, improvements in strength and endurance were seen with 6.4 grams per day (Glenn et al., 2016; Sale et al., 2012). However, the participants in the study on cognition consumed a lower dose (2.4 grams per day; Ostfeld et al., 2023). Regarding the amount of time required to see results, the studies discussed here had participants take beta-alanine for periods between 28 days (Glenn et al., 2016) and 12 weeks (Saunders et al., 2012). 

Does beta-alanine contribute to muscle growth?

Beta-alanine supplementation does not appear to have a significant effect on muscle mass or other body composition indices, such as body mass, fat mass, or fat-free mass, regardless of dosage or exercise type according to one meta-analysis of recent research (Ashtary-Larky et al., 2022). 

Does beta-alanine reduce oxidative stress?

Oxidative stress is an imbalance that can occur during high-intensity exercise when free radicals overwhelm the body’s antioxidant defences. An RCT published in Nutrients found that daily supplementation with beta-alanine had no significant effect on markers of oxidative stress or antioxidant capacity in women during exercise (Smith et al., 2012).

What are the side effects of beta-alanine?

The primary side effect of beta-alanine supplementation is a temporary tingling sensation known as paresthesia, which typically occurs after ingestion and is dose-dependent (Dolan et al., 2019).

About the Author

Dave Robinson is a co-founder of ukfitness.pro and has a background in psychology (BSc) and neuroscience (MSc, PhD). As well as strength training, he enjoys endurance challenges and has run marathons and ultramarathons, cycled across several countries, and completed the Three Peaks Challenge. When writing, he draws on scientific evidence to understand the pros and cons of different diets, supplements, and training regimes. 

As an Amazon Associate, the site earns from qualifying purchases. 

References

  • Ashtary-Larky, D., Bagheri, R., Ghanavati, M., Asbaghi, O., Wong, A., Stout, J. R., & Suzuki, K. (2022). Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on body composition: a GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 19(1), 196–218. https://doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2022.2079384
  • Cesak, O., Vostalova, J., Vidlar, A., Bastlova, P., & Student, V., Jr (2023). Carnosine and Beta-Alanine Supplementation in Human Medicine: Narrative Review and Critical Assessment. Nutrients, 15(7), 1770. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15071770
  • Culbertson, J. Y., Kreider, R. B., Greenwood, M., & Cooke, M. (2010). Effects of beta-alanine on muscle carnosine and exercise performance: a review of the current literature. Nutrients, 2(1), 75–98. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu2010075
  • Dolan, E., Swinton, P. A., Painelli, V. S., Stephens Hemingway, B., Mazzolani, B., Infante Smaira, F., Saunders, B., Artioli, G. G., & Gualano, B. (2019). A Systematic Risk Assessment and Meta-Analysis on the Use of Oral β-Alanine Supplementation. Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 10(3), 452–463. https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmy115
  • Glenn, J. M., Gray, M., Stewart, R. W., Jr, Moyen, N. E., Kavouras, S. A., DiBrezzo, R., Turner, R., Baum, J. I., & Stone, M. S. (2016). Effects of 28-Day Beta-Alanine Supplementation on Isokinetic Exercise Performance and Body Composition in Female Masters Athletes. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 30(1), 200–207. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001077
  • Hoffman, J. R., Ratamess, N. A., Faigenbaum, A. D., Ross, R., Kang, J., Stout, J. R., & Wise, J. A. (2008). Short-duration beta-alanine supplementation increases training volume and reduces subjective feelings of fatigue in college football players. Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.), 28(1), 31–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2007.11.004
  • Maté-Muñoz, J. L., Lougedo, J. H., Garnacho-Castaño, M. V., Veiga-Herreros, P., Lozano-Estevan, M. D. C., García-Fernández, P., de Jesús, F., Guodemar-Pérez, J., San Juan, A. F., & Domínguez, R. (2018). Effects of β-alanine supplementation during a 5-week strength training program: a randomized, controlled study. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 15, 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-018-0224-0
  • Ostfeld, I., Ben-Zeev, T., Zamir, A., Levi, C., Gepner, Y., Springer, S., & Hoffman, J. R. (2023). Role of β-Alanine Supplementation on Cognitive Function, Mood, and Physical Function in Older Adults; Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Study. Nutrients, 15(4), 923. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15040923
  • Sale, C., Hill, C. A., Ponte, J., & Harris, R. C. (2012). β-alanine supplementation improves isometric endurance of the knee extensor muscles. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 9(1), 26. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-9-26
  • Saunders, B., Sunderland, C., Harris, R. C., & Sale, C. (2012). β-alanine supplementation improves YoYo intermittent recovery test performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 9(1), 39. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-9-39
  • Smith, A. E., Stout, J. R., Kendall, K. L., Fukuda, D. H., & Cramer, J. T. (2012). Exercise-induced oxidative stress: the effects of β-alanine supplementation in women. Amino acids, 43(1), 77–90. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-011-1158-x
  • Stout, J. R., Graves, B. S., Smith, A. E., Hartman, M. J., Cramer, J. T., Beck, T. W., & Harris, R. C. (2008). The effect of beta-alanine supplementation on neuromuscular fatigue in elderly (55-92 Years): a double-blind randomized study. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 5, 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-5-21
  • Takahashi, S., Nakashima, Y., & Toda, K. (2009). Carnosine facilitates nitric oxide production in endothelial f-2 cells. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin, 32(11), 1836–1839. https://doi.org/10.1248/bpb.32.1836
  • Tiedje, K. E., Stevens, K., Barnes, S., & Weaver, D. F. (2010). Beta-alanine as a small molecule neurotransmitter. Neurochemistry international, 57(3), 177–188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuint.2010.06.001
  • Tschakovsky, M. E., & Joyner, M. J. (2008). Nitric oxide and muscle blood flow in exercise. Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism = Physiologie appliquee, nutrition et metabolisme, 33(1), 151–161. https://doi.org/10.1139/H07-148
  • Varanoske, A. N., Stout, J. R., & Hoffman, J. R. (2019). Effects of β-alanine supplementation and intramuscular carnosine content on exercise performance and health. In Nutrition and enhanced sports performance: Muscle building, endurance, and strength (2nd ed., pp. 327–344). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-813922-6.00028-X