Beta-alanine supplements have recently grown in popularity due to their immense benefits in improving athletic performance. Many fitness enthusiasts use them to reduce their muscle fatigue during workouts and increase endurance resulting in better performance. A good thing about beta-alanine is that it is scientifically proven to increase performance through a series of studies by different researchers.
For you to get maximum benefits out of beta-alanine supplements, it is wise to understand more about them, how they work, the dosage, and other facts about them. Learn more about beta-alanine supplementation below.
Why beta-alanine?
Beta-alanine is an amino acid that occurs in the body but at low levels. The body utilizes it together with histidine to produce carnosine. Carnosine in your body muscles works by limiting lactic acid production when working out, which is the primary source of fatigue.
By inhibiting lactic acid production in your muscles, that slows down your time to fatigue, allowing you to perform for more extended periods at a greater capacity. Taking beta-alanine supplements increases your carnosine levels, and the more carnosine, the greater you can perform.
Is beta-alanine a pre-workout supplement?
There are many misconceptions about beta-alanine supplements, one of them being that it is a pre-workout supplement. You will see many people take the supplement right before the workout, believing that it will boost their performance—however, beta-alanine works through accumulation in your muscle tissues.
You can take it any time, and you will still receive the benefit, but the critical thing here is increasing your intramuscular carnosine levels over time. One of the ways to boost your beta-alanine absorption is to take it with food at has proved to significantly improve its efficacy.
How long does it take to experience the results?
While some supplements have an acute effect meaning that they take effect almost immediately, beta-alanine doesn’t. It takes some weeks to months for the beta-alanine to accumulate in your muscle tissues for your body to present noticeable effects in your workouts. Therefore it is advisable to be consistent with the supplementation to get better results.
Several doses are better than one.
When supplementing beta-alanine, several similar doses are better than taking one huge dose. This is because taking a higher dose of beta-alanine is associated with paresthesia, which many people say is a tingling sensation on the back of the hands, neck, or face. To avoid that side effect, you can try breaking down your daily dose into smaller doses.
Should you cycle beta-alanine?
No, you should not cycle beta-alanine since you are looking for consistency. Apart from the tingling sensation, which you can avoid by breaking down your daily dose into smaller doses, there are no adverse side effects of beta-alanine supplements. Keep in mind that the result of beta-alanine supplementation peaks at around 12weeks.
In conclusion
Although the varying effects appear to vary from one study to another, there is enough evidence supporting its use. Taking it with food is the best way to maximize its efficacy.