What is Beta-alanine, and why is it an essential workout component? There are several benefits you can experience as a result of having beta-alanine in your pre-workout. First, let’s take a look at what beta-alanine is.
Beta-alanine is an amino acid that is naturally produced by your body. It is commonly found in meat and fish. It also has an uncanny ability to improve strength and performance. Next, how does it work?
Here is a simple understanding of what role beta-alanine plays in your workout.
Step 1. During your work out, your muscles break down glucose for energy; this results in lactic acid being released and an increase in muscle acidity.
Step 2. As the ph level in your muscles decreases, they also have a decreased ability to utilize glucose and to contract.
Step 3. Your muscles need an acid buffer; thus carnosine is produced. Carnosine reduces the resulting acid build-up and allows your muscles to work longer and harder. Carnosine is a combination of naturally occurring beta-alanine and histidine. Studies have found beta-alanine is an excellent supplemental as its effectiveness is increased when taken orally.
Here are the reasons beta-alanine is an essential workout component.
1 – Increase your total reps
A study conducted by the International Journal of Sports Medicine showed a 22% increase in total reps over 30 days. The study also showed an overall rise in delta mean power.
2 – Increase in row time
Another study conducted on rowers showed they improved their row time by 4.3 sec in the 2000 meter row. The results were seen after taking 5g/day over seven weeks.
3 – Delay exhaustion
After taking 6.4g daily – which I the higher end of dosage – cyclists in a study found an increase in time to exhaustion
4 – Lose weight, gain muscle
A study conducted on a test group of wrestlers found that those supplementing with beta-alanine over an eight week period gained more lean muscle while losing overall body weight.
5 – Increase oxygen use
A 46 male subject study was conducted on HIIT athletes in their 20s. Each was given 1.5g of g beta-alanine four times daily for three weeks, followed by two times daily for three more weeks. The surprising results showed significant improvements in V)|O2 max and an increase in lean body mass.
In short, beta-alanine works to increase the endurance and efficiency of your muscles during workouts. It’s not a miracle supplement that shows immediate results upon consumption, but over time, which regular use, the results are impressive. With prolonged, regular use, beta-alanine has shown the ability to increases strength, endurance, power output, and can even play a role in weight loss.
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