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Dietary supplements containing beta-alaninea
provide a potential method of increasing the muscle buffering capacity
through enhancement of muscle carnosine levels. High intensity exercise
results in production of a lot of acid that is a major contributor to
fatigue. Most athletes are very familiar with the muscle burn that
occurs with performing strenuous exercise. Carnosine
is a buffer within muscle that helps to prevent accumulation of acid.
Carnosine synthesis in muscle is limited by the availability of
beta alanine,
and prior research has shown that supplementing with this precursor
does in fact increase muscle levels of carnsoine. Although a lot of the
preliminary work with beta alanine has been positive, the effects of
supplementation during training remain unclear. Researchers at the
University of Oklahoma have now shed some light on that issue. They
studied normally active men who all trained with high intensity
exercise for 3 weeks. One group supplemented with beta alanine (6
g/day) for 1 week followed by a lower dose (3 g/day) for the next 2
weeks. The other group consumed a placebo. The training program
involved cycling sprints performed intermittently 3 times per week.
After just 3 weeks, the beta alanine group showed a significant
increase in lean body mass (1.8 pounds) compared to placebo (0.7
pounds). Beta alanine also increased peak oxygen consumption and the
total amount of work during a cycling test to exhaustion. The most
likely mechanism to explain the improved performance with beta alanine
supplementation is enhanced buffering capacity in muscle. These
findings indicate that beta alanine supplementation may augment
adaptations to high intensity training including gains in lead body
mass and performance. 