Beta-Alinine, The New Creatine?

[ScrillaKeith]

It's in a new Biotest product Beta-7. http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1196017
Sounds like it has some potential. The first studies show how beta-alinine supplementation impacts carnosine in the muscles and the last one is a study on carnosine's importance to us.

Influence of beta-alanine supplementation on skeletal muscle carnosine concentrations and high intensity cycling capacity.
C A Hill, R C Harris, H J Kim, B D Harris, C Sale, L H Boobis, C K Kim, J A Wise
Muscle carnosine synthesis is limited by the availability of beta-alanine. Thirteen male subjects were supplemented with beta-alanine (CarnoSyntrade mark) for 4 wks, 8 of these for 10 wks. A biopsy of the vastus lateralis was obtained from 6 of the 8 at 0, 4 and 10 wks. Subjects undertook a cycle capacity test to determine total work done (TWD) at 110% (CCT(110%)) of their maximum power (W(max)). Twelve matched subjects received a placebo. Eleven of these completed the CCT(110%) at 0 and 4 wks, and 8, 10 wks. Muscle biopsies were obtained from 5 of the 8 and one additional subject. Muscle carnosine was significantly increased by +58.8% and +80.1% after 4 and 10 wks beta-alanine supplementation. Carnosine, initially 1.71 times higher in type IIa fibres, increased equally in both type I and IIa fibres. No increase was seen in control subjects. Taurine was unchanged by 10 wks of supplementation. 4 wks beta-alanine supplementation resulted in a significant increase in TWD (+13.0%); with a further +3.2% increase at 10 wks. TWD was unchanged at 4 and 10 wks in the control subjects. The increase in TWD with supplementation followed the increase in muscle carnosine.
Amino Acids. 2006 Jul 28;:

The absorption of orally supplied beta-alanine and its effect on muscle carnosine synthesis in human vastus lateralis.
R C Harris, M J Tallon, M Dunnett, L Boobis, J Coakley, H J Kim, J L Fallowfield, C A Hill, C Sale, J A Wise
beta-Alanine in blood-plasma when administered as A) histidine dipeptides (equivalent to 40 mg . kg(-1) bwt of beta-alanine) in chicken broth, or B) 10, C) 20 and D) 40 mg . kg(-1) bwt beta-alanine (CarnoSyntrade mark, NAI, USA), peaked at 428 +/- SE 66, 47 +/- 13, 374 +/- 68 and 833 +/- 43 microM. Concentrations regained baseline at 2 h. Carnosine was not detected in plasma with A) although traces of this and anserine were found in urine. Loss of beta-alanine in urine with B) to D) was <5%. Plasma taurine was increased by beta-alanine ingestion but this did not result in any increased loss via urine. Pharmacodynamics were further investigated with 3 x B) per day given for 15 d. Dietary supplementation with I) 3.2 and II) 6.4 g . d(-1) beta-alanine (as multiple doses of 400 or 800 mg) or III) L-carnosine (isomolar to II) for 4 w resulted in significant increases in muscle carnosine estimated at 42.1, 64.2 and 65.8%.
Amino Acids. 2006 Mar 24;:

Physiological role of carnosine in contracting muscle.
Gulshanara Begum, Adam Cunliffe, Michael Leveritt
High-intensity exercise leads to reductions in muscle substrates (ATP, PCr6, and glycogen) and a subsequent accumulation of metabolites (ADP, P, H(+), and Mg(+)) with a possible increase in free radical production. These factors independently and collectively have deleterious effects on muscle, with significant repercussions on high-intensity performance or training sessions. The effect of carnosine on overcoming muscle fatigue appears to be related to its ability to buffer the increased H(+) concentration following high-intensity work. Carnosine, however, has other roles such as an antioxidant, a metal chelator, a Ca(2+) and enzyme regulator, an inhibitor of protein glycosylation and protein-protein cross-linking. To date, only 1 study has investigated the effects of carnosine supplementation (not in pure form) on exercise performance in human subjects and found no improvement in repetitive high-intensity work. Much data has come from in vitro work on animal skeletal muscle fibers or other components of muscle contractile mechanisms. Thus further research needs to be carried out on humans to provide additional understanding on the effects of carnosine in vivo.
Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2005 Oct ;15:366-85

[Elliptical Envy]

Beta-Alanine is an interesting product I just bought MAN Clout and Body Octane so I'll be logging that to gauge its effects. Coming soon to a Supplement logs section near you. I believe Hal (I can't spell his name right but he is the Omega Sports rep) created a thread about Beta-Alanine supplementation there is a lot of good info in there.

[hotasice2003]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=556710

[NATHAN518]

IMO, beta alanine is THE most promising supplement at this time...obviously the effects on intramuscular carnosine concentrations are dose-dependent, but there are no studies that have exceeded that 6.4g threshold...it would be interesting to know how much larger doses would increase carnosine and what the max. effective dose is...i suppose we shall see...

[Elliptical Envy]

IMO, beta alanine is THE most promising supplement at this time...obviously the effects on intramuscular carnosine concentrations are dose-dependent, but there are no studies that have exceeded that 6.4g threshold...it would be interesting to know how much larger doses would increase carnosine and what the max. effective dose is...i suppose we shall see...

I'll be taking in 6.4g of BA per day once I start my stack, so I won't be able to "megadose" BA. I think BA as well as citrulline malate are the most promising supplements of this time aside from creatine.

[ScrillaKeith]

TC: Tell us about the study that's going to appear in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition?

JS: Dr. Hoffman and his colleagues assembled a highly trained group of 33 college football players and split them into three groups: a creatine group who took five grams twice daily; a creatine and beta-alanine group who took the same amount of creatine plus a total of 3.2 g of beta-alanine daily; and a placebo group, who took nothing.

Prior to and following the 10-week study, the researchers measured the athletes' body composition, body weight, one-rep maxes in the bench press and squat, and had them keep a log of their training. All were placed on a weight training program that included all the usual suspects: bench presses, squats, deadlifts, power cleans, incline presses and flyes, rows, etc.

Here's what they found: when you combine creatine and beta-alanine, your training volume goes up and you get stronger. The athletes were able to knock out more reps with the same weights, and although this was the case with the other groups, it happened to a greater and more significant extent in the creatine plus beta-alanine group. The one-rep bench and squat max was significantly higher than that seen in the placebo group.

The most impressive results of beta-alanine, at least in this study, were its effects on lean mass gains and fat loss, effects not seen in either of the two other groups.

Only in the creatine plus beta-alanine group did the investigators record a significant increase in lean mass, with percentage of fat dropping roughly 1.2%.

Oh, by the way, they were not on a restricted caloric diet. They ate whatever they wanted and still lost fat!

This adds promise to a supplement that, until this study, could only be viewed as a performance enhancer. Fat loss is also a benefit you just don't get from creatine alone.

That should be an interesting study to check out. He didn't say when it will be published, though. I'm not too sure about his remarks on fat loss, though. He didn't really elaborate enough to decide whether or not it was a drop in BF% due to an increase in muscle mass with no fat gain or actual fat loss. I'm either way would be okay with most of us, though.

[ScrillaKeith]

However, another very recent study that I'm aware of examined the effect of training versus training plus beta-alanine supplementation on strength and muscle hypertrophy. It was just completed.

The preliminary results were amazing! Relative to body weight, the muscle hypertrophy (muscle cross sectional area) and strength looked more impressive than similar studies using creatine.

Also, in a research study that I just got accepted for publication in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research demonstrated that beta-alanine was 70% more effective than creatine in delaying fatigue and increasing physical working capacity in young men!

Also, in another study, we demonstrated a 7% increase in anaerobic threshold in men after supplementing only 3.2 g of beta-alanine for 28 days. However, while significant, that doesn't come close to the women's study we just completed! In that study we also found a 13% increase in Physical Working Capacity and 16% increase in Anaerobic Threshold.

I'll be anxious to see all of these studies he's referring to.

[Elliptical Envy]

Bumping the thread since I am supplementing with Beta-Alanine now. I'll report back with some results next week.

[ScrillaKeith]

Bumping the thread since I am supplementing with Beta-Alanine now. I'll report back with some results next week.

Cool man! Let us know how it goes!

[Elliptical Envy]

Cool man! Let us know how it goes!

I have a link to my log in my signature check it out.

[hotasice2003]

SAme here...... just started BA supp'ing........ log in my sig......

[Outside backer]

h blocker has it as well