Beta alanine supplements are sought after by most athletes. They play a vital role in carnosine production in the body and help improve athletic performance in myriad ways.
Carnosine also helps buffer muscle acidity during intensive exercises.
Carnosine Can help delay muscle fatigue, leading to better athletic performance. The effectiveness of beta alanine supplementation is more pronounced in short activities lasting between 1 to 4 minutes. The benefits of beta alanine supplementation may be minimal for endurance athletes, such as cyclists and long-distance runners.
Better still, individual responses to beta alanine supplementation may vary. Some athletes may experience a noticeable performance improvement, while others may not notice major changes.
Before using beta alanine supplements, you should consult your doctor or an accredited sports nutritionist. The professional will assess your needs to determine whether Beta Alanine supplementation would be appropriate.
Benefits of Beta alanine Supplements to Athletes
Beta alanine is a popular dietary supplement athletes use to enhance their sporting performance. It is known to increase the body’s carnosine levels, a dipeptide found in the muscles, and helps avoid muscle fatigue due to workouts.
Here are the benefits of beta alanine supplements for athletes:
1.Improved muscular endurance
By increasing carnosine levels in muscles, beta alanine helps delay the accumulation of lactic acid, a major aspect contributing to muscle fatigue during intense exercises. This way, athletes can perform at a higher level for a more extended period.
2. Enhanced high-intensity exercise performance
Athletes who engage in sprinting, weightlifting, and interval training may need more energy and power to ensure endurance. The use of beta alanine helps experience performance improvements due to increased carnosine levels. And this allows them to push harder and maintain peak power output.
3. Reduced muscle fatigue and soreness
Beta alanine may help reduce the perception of fatigue and post-exercise muscle soreness, allowing athletes to recover faster and train more frequently. Moreover, beta alanine enhances your body’s ability to buffer acidity. This helps delay muscle fatigue allowing you to work out for longer.
4. Increased time to exhaustion
Beta alanine supplementation is associated with increased time to exhaustion. This is common during endurance exercises, which helps endurance athletes like long-distance runners and cyclists.
5. Improved anaerobic capacity
Beta alanine supplementation can enhance the body’s ability to perform anaerobic activities, such as short bursts of intense exercise. This is achieved by supporting the maintenance of muscle pH levels during high-intensity efforts.
6. Effective in combination with other supplements
Beta alanine can complement other performance-enhancing supplements. These are, for example, creatine, to further enhance exercise performance and muscle strength. Nonetheless, individual responses to beta alanine supplementation may vary. The gains may be more pronounced in activities that rely heavily on the anaerobic energy system.
Additionally, taking large doses of beta alanine may cause a tingling effect on your skin. This is harmless and will disappear once you build tolerance to the supplements. Some athletes split their daily dose into smaller servings throughout the day.
Conclusion
Beta alanine supplementation can benefit most athletes engaged in high-intensity, short-duration activities. But not everyone will benefit from the supplement. Therefore, individual assessment is crucial before use. If it’s your first time using beta alanine to improve your athletic performance, consult your healthcare provider to know the right dosage and the expected side effects.