Beta-Alanine is a non-essential amino acid found naturally in both foods such as chicken, beef, pork, fish and it naturally occurs in the body. When taken orally, it can cause a tingling, or "electricity through the body" feeling.

Beta alanine works by allowing the body to produce more carnosine. Carnosine helps your muscle ph remain balanced, even during activity or when you would normally feel fatigued. This in turn allows you to remain active. Beta-alanine’s quick effect on muscle and overall vasodilation makes it a popular choice for extreme fighters and athletes.

Much of Beta-Alanine's effects come through boosting the synthesis of an intramuscular dipeptide (two amino acids) called carnosine. Carnosine is made up of two amino acids, beta-alanine and histidine, and is a powerful intracellular buffer. Carnosine is found in both type 1 and type 2 muscle fibers, though significantly in higher concentrations in type 2 fibers (the fibers we primarily use in high intensity strength workouts and which are most responsive to growth). To function effectively, muscle cells rely on buffers like carnosine to avoid becoming acidic (low pH) during exercise. If you want your muscles to remain strong and maintain powerful contractions, they need to be in an optimal pH range. If they don't and the pH drops below that optimal level, you have significantly less strength and fatigue more quickly.

You know this is happening when you feel that familiar burn in your muscles or even when you’re lifting heavy and reach muscular failure. Muscle pH has dropped and it's largely a result of an increase in hydrogen ions (H+) which build up when you break down the high energy compound ATP during exercise. Wouldn’t it be nice to knock out a few more reps? If you had more carnosine in your muscles, you would. Without it, your energy and endurance decline rapidly and your strength suffers. The breakdown of ATP and the subsequent rise in H+ concentrations occurs in our all of our energy systems but is most prevalent in an energy system called glycolysis which also produces lactic acid. Lactic acid releases H+ ions, contributing further to the pool of H+ that’s filling your muscles from the breakdown of ATP. With the presence of H+ pH drops fast as does muscular performance.

Beta-Alanine efficacy is backed by major university, peer-reviewed studies performed on humans and not animals which other products typically base there claims on. The science behind Beta-Alanine is simple, it makes sense and it works.

Benefits of Beta-Alanine as supported by scientific studies:

• Boosts Muscular Anaerobic Endurance
• Increase Exercise Capacity so You Can Train Harder & Longer
• Boost Explosive Muscular Strength & Power Output.
• Increases Aerobic Endurance
• Boosts Energy Levels

Original Research Article by: Nick Saliba © 2007.