Find out why bodybuilding pros use this essential amino acid on a consistent basis during weight gain and competition preparation. Beta-alanine is an essential amine that is also considered non-proitagenic. Simply put, alanine does not take part in the production of protein compounds and cannot be contained in proteins as a separate substance. Most often, alanine is part of protein compounds as a dipeptide and is called carnosine. As you might have already figured out, carnosine is composed of two amines - alanine and histidine.
Thus, scientists consider alanine as one of the participants in the process of carnosine synthesis. This suggests that beta-alanine and its use in bodybuilding are at the potential and rate of carnosine production. This is due to the fact that histidine can be synthesized from other amines, in contrast to alanine. As you may know, the role of carnosine in builders should not be underestimated.
This substance acts as an acidification buffer, neutralizing the negative effects on muscle tissue of lactic acid. Also carnosine has a strong antioxidant effect and this should also be kept in mind. Carnosine is being actively researched today and we can say with complete confidence that this substance is found in large quantities in muscle tissues.
Since alanine cannot be synthesized in the body, its main supplier is food and especially meat. When processing food, carnosine is broken down into its constituent amines (histidine and alanine) under the influence of the enzyme carnosinase. According to the available information, 50-300 milligrams of carnosine are consumed during the day.
Benefits of Beta-Alanine in Bodybuilding
Alanine today is under the scrutiny of scientists studying its properties. After several large-scale studies, it became clear that this substance can significantly increase the energy storage of a person. With the additional use of alanine as a supplement, the amine concentration is significantly increased in all types of muscle fibers.
Scientists have studied the energetic function of beta-alanine in bodybuilding quite well and have proven the effectiveness of sports supplements containing this amine. Through the use of alanine, athletes can significantly increase their performance by performing movements for one to four minutes. You can find a large number of supplements containing this substance in sports food stores today.
How to properly use beta-alanine in bodybuilding?
To begin with, alanine goes well with various types of sports nutrition. Most often, athletes use this amine in conjunction with creatine. Scientists have shown that this combination increases the effectiveness of both substances. Besides, alanine can be effectively used together with citrulline, caffeine and carnitine.
Optimal dosages of alanine are in the range of four to six grams daily. During the studies, the concentration of amine in the muscle tissues for two and a half months reached 80 percent of the initial level and continued to increase. It is difficult to talk about the most effective time to take the supplement now, since there has been no research on this topic. Most often, bodybuilders take alanine before class. Also note that after the end of the use of beta-alanine in bodybuilding, the concentration of the substance decreases, not as quickly as one might expect. In all experiments, the initial level of the substance after the cancellation of its use was observed only after three months.
Note that sometimes some athletes experience tingling sensations when using alanine, and their blood vessels dilate. Scientists call these symptoms of parasthesia. Most often, this phenomenon is observed twenty minutes after taking the supplement and can last a couple of hours. The most common sites for parasthesia are the scalp, arms, abdomen, legs, and face.
Although this phenomenon is not harmful to health, some people experience severe irritation at such times. To minimize the risk of parasthesia, scientists advise dividing the daily dosage of alanine into several doses of 0.4-0.8 grams.
In addition, in exceptional cases, nausea may occur. While scientists are not able to explain the reasons for this phenomenon, there is a theory that the substance can irritate the digestive tract. Both negative aspects (parasthesia and nausea) are the consequences of using high dosages of the supplement. You may also experience nausea after taking alanine on an empty stomach. Insomnia is even less common, but this is due to the individual characteristics of the organism.
For more on beta-alanine, see this video:
