What is beta alanine

Surely you have ever heard of beta alanine , either as a supplement by itself, as a pre-workout component, or because of the itching sensation that it can generate.

beta alanine is one of the 20 amino acids that exist It is non-essential, which means that our body can produce a certain level of this amino acid by itself.

In general terms, what characterizes this amino acid from others is that it does not it is usually found as part of the tissues. It binds with other amino acids to form vitamin B5 and anserine. It is directly involved in the synthesis of carnosine.

It is recommended for people who do strength or resistance training and want to improve explosiveness or who want to enhance their muscular performance, and use Beta Alanine in combination with other supplements.

Your relationship with carnosine.

The Carnosine is a molecule that is formed from two amino acids, as we have already mentioned, beta alanine and the second, histidine.

Without beta alanine, its formation would be impossible. Carnosine carries out and is involved in a large number of functions within the body.

• It contributes to the regulation of ph: in a way that combats the regulation of lactate and therefore physical and muscular performance.
• Increases muscle sensitivity to certain minerals such as calcium. Calcium contributes to the reduction of fatigue.
• It contributes to maintaining ATP reserves.
• It acts as an antioxidant fighting free radicals produced during activity physics.

why not consume carnosine instead of beta alanine?

It has been shown in several studies that supplementation with carnosine is not effective. It is not able to enter the muscle from the blood. It will be divided again into beta alanine and histidine in order to access the muscle. Histidine is very abundant within the body, so it is not necessary to provide it through supplementation.

Supplementation with beta alanine will be more effective.

Its properties.

• Beta Alanine reduces oxidative stress . By intervening in the synthesis of carnosine , it intervenes at the time of avoiding muscular fatigue, that our muscles present a greater resistance in the face of effort and physical activity.
• The consumption of beta alanine post-training stimulates receptors for the neurotransmitter called GABA , which has the effect of slowing down the nervous system, enabling the recovery phase to be activated.
• It has a powerful antioxidant effect: it fights against free radicals present in the body.
• Beta Alanine is involved in a large number of functions related to the nervous system.

Increases mineral sensitivity, especially calcium , in muscle fibers.

• Helps to reduce the appearance and postpone fatigue caused by of exercise and physical activity.
• Positive effects have been shown when increase muscle strength and growth.

Foods rich in beta alanine.

We can find beta alanine in foods of animal origin. These contain carnosine and anserine, which are degraded as we have mentioned, to obtain beta alanine.

• Chicken
• Turkey
• Fish
• Red meat
• Lean meat

Also, although in less quantity, in foods of plant origin:

Beta alanine in sports.

Beta alanine is mainly used to improve and enhance performance and reduce fatigue.

The effectiveness of this supplement depends on the person who consumes it. Those best responders can increase between 40 and 55% of carnosine at the muscle level.

Those non-responders will increase concentrations between 10 and 15% .

Vasodilator effect: the increase in carnosine can cause a dilation effect in the veins and arteries, increasing the pump or pumping sensation that we obtain when training.

When we ingest Beta Alanine , it is very common to experience the temporary tingling sensation in our body, especially when taken as a supplement before training due to the effect it exerts on the central nervous system.

This tingling is called paresthesia. It usually occurs when the dose usually exceeds 2 grams, although the amount will depend on the person.

Combination with other supplements.

The most common combinations of this supplement, apart from the pre-training sessions with stimulants or without stimulants, are:

With creatine : one of the supplements with the most proven evidence which it acts by saturation. A synergistic action can be achieved.

With taurine. Taurine is another amino acid that our body can produce by itself. It performs functions and contributes to the use of blood glucose, as an antioxidant or at the neuromuscular level.