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ß-Alanine Supplementation does not Improve Performance of Body Composition After 10-weeks of Supplementation and Resistance Training.

Carnosine is a di-peptide which is synthesized in muscle and central nervous system tissue from histidine and ß-alanine. ß-alanine supplementation and/or resistance training has recently been linked to increases in muscle carnosine concentrations. It has been postulated that increases in carnosine improved buffering capacity which corresponds to improvements in anaerobic and aerobic exercise performance. Very few studies have examined the effects of ß-alanine supplementation coupled with resistance training on muscle carnosine concentration and performance. Therefore the aim of the present study was to examine a 10-week resistance training program coupled with the consumption of 6.4 g/day of ß-alanine. Twenty six physical education students were randomly divided into a ß-alanine and a placebo supplementation group. All subjects resistance trained four days per week for 10 weeks and took 6.4 g ß-alanine or placebo per day. Biopsies, performance, and body composition were assessed prior to and after the 10 week intervention. There were no significant increases in whole body strength between the ß-alanine(+19.67%) and the placebo treatments (+17.46). Additionally, no differences in isokinetic strength were noted between the ß-alanine (+12.1%) and the placebo (+12.6%). When body composition and body mass were examined there were no differences between the two treatments. The ß-alanine supplemented group did express higher muscle carnosine concentrations after the 10 weeks of supplementation when compared to the placebo treatment. Based upon these results it was concluded that supplementing the diet and training with Beta Alanine doesn't result in an ergogenic effect as indicated by muscle markers of muscle strength and changes in body composition.

Kendrick, IP, Harris, RC, Kim, HJ, Kim, CK, Dang, VH, Lam, TQ, Bui, TT, Smith, M, and Wise, JA. Amino Acids 34:547 – 554. 2008.