Beta-Alanine, anyone using it?

[alkemyst]

This is another supplement pretty well backed by science rather than just ads. A lot of older athletes are into it for recovery and many other pluses.

Cheap and effective, I am giving it a try. Probably not so needed for younger lifters, but I am turning 39 in a week and lift hard.

Interesting sensation when you take it...tingling starts in my face then moves down to my arms. Should subside in a week or so. Not that bad though either way. It starts almost instantly.

 

[MJinZ]

Makes you tingly and wired.

 

[surfsatwerk]

Help me understand the action of this product. Is it supposed to increase the amount of nitric oxide in your cells like some of those pre workout "pump" products?

 

[alkemyst]

it's not a pump product. It's something you really should look up and see...it adds endurance and increases power output. Helps recovery as well.

 

[darkxshade]

I've read about it and have been interested but I'm also weary[unfounded but still nonetheless] of taking too many supplements. I know some people take tons of supplements a day without problems but I'd like to be as "minimal" as possible.

That said, how would this stack up in conjuntion with creatine? I've never taken it but I've been curious. If I were to drink a PWO shake[creatine + whey], when would be the best time to supplement b-alanine?

Currently I'm only on fish oil, orange triad multi, and whey protein. I've recently stopped taking creatine.

 

[alkemyst]

Supplements don't scare me...our whole foods aren't the best as it is.

Taking Beta Alanine is pretty open as far as I can tell. I am taking some pre-workout with my shake and then with my 10am and 4pm ones.

Right now I am taking 2g each. Once my loading is up (6 days) I will be at 1g per shake.

I don't really dig the taste it adds, but it's not terrible. I could easily just chug it with a shot glass of water.

 

[MJinZ]

I've read about it and have been interested but I'm also weary[unfounded but still nonetheless] of taking too many supplements. I know some people take tons of supplements a day without problems but I'd like to be as "minimal" as possible.

That said, how would this stack up in conjuntion with creatine? I've never taken it but I've been curious. If I were to drink a PWO shake[creatine + whey], when would be the best time to supplement b-alanine?

Currently I'm only on fish oil, orange triad multi, and whey protein. I've recently stopped taking creatine.

Used to take supplementals when I was younger (college days), but no longer.

It's nice to achieve gains from eating normally and not taking something you need to take for the rest of your life in order to maintain them.

Plus, very very expensive...........

 

[darkxshade]

So you've just started 6 days ago? Noticed anything yet?

 

[MJinZ]

Supplements don't scare me...our whole foods aren't the best as it is.

Taking Beta Alanine is pretty open as far as I can tell. I am taking some pre-workout with my shake and then with my 10am and 4pm ones.

Right now I am taking 2g each. Once my loading is up (6 days) I will be at 1g per shake.

I don't really dig the taste it adds, but it's not terrible. I could easily just chug it with a shot glass of water.

I used to take Red Dragon. Couldn't stand powdered stuff. Of anything.

 

[darkxshade]

It's nice to achieve gains from eating normally and not taking something you need to take for the rest of your life in order to maintain them.

Aside from fish oil and multi-vitamins, I don't think I'd plan on taking anything else permanently. I was thinking I'd supplement when necessary creatine and possibly b-alanine like now to aid me since I'm cutting.

 

[MJinZ]

Aside from fish oil and multi-vitamins, I don't think I'd plan on taking anything else permanently. I was thinking I'd supplement when necessary creatine and possibly b-alanine like now to aid me since I'm cutting.

I am the worst.

I take gummy fish oil and multi-vites. Expensive, but I literally snack on them while I'm on the PC LOL. But they taste good and I never forget to take my vites!

Yea, I think short term supplements to get the results you want, especially cutting, should be OK. As long as you are OK with the idea that your body will change (slightly, maybe not) once you are off your supplements and depending on your diet and continued exercise.

 

[PricklyPete]

Nope. Do you feel it is really helping you? I've stayed away from supplements in general...although I do take a multi-vitamin every other day or so. Not saying there isn't merit in a supplement...I just prefer a minimal approach given how things go in and out of "nutritional" favor all the time.

 

[StageLeft]

Interesting sensation when you take it...tingling starts in my face then moves down to my arms. Should subside in a week or so.

Sounds really safe!

Supplements don't scare me...our whole foods aren't the best as it is.

Which is why they should scare you.

I just prefer a minimal approach given how things go in and out of "nutritional" favor all the time.

Yeah pretty much same here. 99% of supplements, if not more, are either crap or worse than crap with a potentially injurious effect.

Not actually familiar with this product but in all the years I was familiar with supplements I could count on a finger missing three fingers which ones are actually clearly worth a damn.

 

[The Sauce]

This is another supplement pretty well backed by science rather than just ads. A lot of older athletes are into it for recovery and many other pluses.

Well you can't say that something is backed by science unless you actually look at the science and are able to interpret it. I researched Beta alanine heavily about a year ago and the "science" was very dodgy. All that was out then were poorly designed, small subject studies that were not at all convincing. The theory is plausible but that does not guarantee real-world applicability. The only studies that showed any somewhat promising findings were directed towards endurance rather than strength training. My conclusion after reviewing everything at that time was that more and better studies were needed.

Now here is a recent interesting study that was pretty well designed that may be of interest to the strength-trainers in the forums on D-aspartic acid. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2774316/

Key bit: "Concerning the effect of D-Asp on the induction of testosterone release, after 12 days of D-Asp treatment, the levels of testosterone in the serum of the participants were significantly increased compared with basal levels. Out of 23 participants, 20 had increased testosterone. From a mean of 4.5 &#177; 0.6 ng/ml serum at zero time, it rose to 6.4 &#177; 0.8 ng/ml, a 42&#37; increase (Table 1). Statistical analyses indicated a significant effect [ANOVA with repeated measures: treatment effect: F(1,82) = 7.724, p < 0.0082] and a significant interaction between treatment and days [F(2,82) = 32.599; P < 0.0001]. "

 

[alkemyst]

So you've just started 6 days ago? Noticed anything yet?

Second day...I have 4 more to go to get to six.

 

[alkemyst]

Well you can't say that something is backed by science unless you actually look at the science and are able to interpret it. I researched Beta alanine heavily about a year ago and the "science" was very dodgy. All that was out then were poorly designed, small subject studies that were not at all convincing. The theory is plausible but that does not guarantee real-world applicability. The only studies that showed any somewhat promising findings were directed towards endurance rather than strength training. My conclusion after reviewing everything at that time was that more and better studies were needed.

Now here is a recent interesting study that was pretty well designed that may be of interest to the strength-trainers in the forums on D-aspartic acid. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2774316/

Key bit: "Concerning the effect of D-Asp on the induction of testosterone release, after 12 days of D-Asp treatment, the levels of testosterone in the serum of the participants were significantly increased compared with basal levels. Out of 23 participants, 20 had increased testosterone. From a mean of 4.5 ± 0.6 ng/ml serum at zero time, it rose to 6.4 ± 0.8 ng/ml, a 42% increase (Table 1). Statistical analyses indicated a significant effect [ANOVA with repeated measures: treatment effect: F(1,82) = 7.724, p < 0.0082] and a significant interaction between treatment and days [F(2,82) = 32.599; P < 0.0001]. "

There are always contradictory studies. There really is no argument that Beta Alanine is highly beneficial to many that are taking it.

BTW I was only a Pharmacy major in college. I have 7 years of chemical and biological science behind me.

 

[alkemyst]

Sounds really safe!Which is why they should scare you.Yeah pretty much same here. 99% of supplements, if not more, are either crap or worse than crap with a potentially injurious effect.

Not actually familiar with this product but in all the years I was familiar with supplements I could count on a finger missing three fingers which ones are actually clearly worth a damn.

I don't think you really understand anything in the health and nutrition world then...

The tingling sensation is totally benign. It's the receptors linking up with the Beta Alanine basically.

 

[alkemyst]

I am the worst.

I take gummy fish oil and multi-vites. Expensive, but I literally snack on them while I'm on the PC LOL. But they taste good and I never forget to take my vites!

Yea, I think short term supplements to get the results you want, especially cutting, should be OK. As long as you are OK with the idea that your body will change (slightly, maybe not) once you are off your supplements and depending on your diet and continued exercise.

You usually don't favor any supplements in any thread yet seem to mention the candy vitamins you snack on.

Not all supplements are expensive (although if one is poor everything is). Creatine is pennies a dose. Protein powders are MUCH cheaper than whole food.

The main problem is most really don't need the supplements they take. Most barely make an effort in the gym.

Being I am older now and just out of a major arm injury I am focusing on items that target recovery as well as allow my strength to be sustained in the gym.

Only a few supplements are those that once you stop taking them you 'lose' something. Even then it's really not a whole lot. More of an inner feeling than having someone else look at you and say you have gotten smaller.

Whole foods are great. I simply don't have the time nor desire to be chewing food all day long. As it is I seem to always be taking something in. I'd never get anything done if 2-3 of my meals couldn't be gulped down without even leaving my desk nor worrying about storing it in a cool place.

Today I made my 10:30am shake in my car while driving an hour to another job site.

 

[StageLeft]

I don't think you really understand anything in the health and nutrition world then...

The tingling sensation is totally benign. It's the receptors linking up with the Beta Alanine basically.

Joking?

How can you possibly be confident that this stuff is safe if one of its undesired side effects is "tingling starts in my face then moves down to my arms"?

It's obviously not "totally benign". If you understood "anything in the health and nutrition world" you would understand that there is a side effect to every chemical that comes into your body. Some are almost completely (never completely) irrelevant, others not so.

It's not like you're ramping up for Mr Olympia next week so I'd recommend more caution in the crap you put into your body if it's got scant little actual long term science studying its effects just to get you an extra 1/4" on your arms over the period of six months (assuming it can even do that; like I said, most supplements are a waste of time at best).

 

[alkemyst]

Joking?

How can you possibly be confident that this stuff is safe if one of its undesired side effects is "tingling starts in my face then moves down to my arms"?

It's obviously not "totally benign". If you understood "anything in the health and nutrition world" you would understand that there is a side effect to every chemical that comes into your body. Some are almost completely (never completely) irrelevant, others not so.

It's not like you're ramping up for Mr Olympia next week so I'd recommend more caution in the crap you put into your body if it's got scant little actual long term science studying its effects just to get you an extra 1/4" on your arms over the period of six months (assuming it can even do that; like I said, most supplements are a waste of time at best).

come on, you have to be trolling in this. I am well aware and do read into the science behind anything I take.

However, AT's little buzzword acedotal is big in knowing if anything works well for one's own use.

I'd suggest you do a little quick google and get up to speed a bit if you are going to make proclaimations against a product as unsafe.

 

[StageLeft]

come on, you have to be trolling in this. I am well aware and do read into the science behind anything I take.

However, AT's little buzzword acedotal is big in knowing if anything works well for one's own use.

I'd suggest you do a little quick google and get up to speed a bit if you are going to make proclaimations against a product as unsafe.

When I google it most of the results are for either betalanine.com (yeah that should be unbiased) or GNC or bodybuilding.com

T-mag likes it, but again they are also big supplement pimps. This guy doesn't care for it: http://evidencebasedfitness.blogspot.com/2007/04/another-beta-alanine-study-dont-buy.html and this says it "falls flat", but there is no date to the article: http://www.poweringmuscles.com/Sports-Science-30,Beta-alanine_Falls_Flat_In_New_Study.html

Seems like damn near all the information is on websites that have a link on how to buy the stuff.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16868650 <- says carnosine levels increase but no info on actual performance levels.

 

[alkemyst]

/facepalm

forget about it then.

 

[The Sauce]

There are always contradictory studies. There really is no argument that Beta Alanine is highly beneficial to many that are taking it.

BTW I was only a Pharmacy major in college. I have 7 years of chemical and biological science behind me.

Apologies, then. I took it for granted that most folks on the forums were not versed in critically evaluating scientific literature. I admit I have not reviewed anything more recent than one year on it, and it was a hot topic back then so there is probably better science on it now.

I think the most important thing is to review the information for yourself and draw your own conclusions. Even though I am a strong believer in several supps I have to admit that most of the effect for me is probably psychological...which is fine for me as long as I get an effect and believe in what I am doing. If I am not mistaken I think that is the sentiment behind your arguments in favor of anecdotes - if you truly believe it works, then it probably does...for you.

 

[StageLeft]

/facepalm

forget about it then.

Done!

 

[alkemyst]

Apologies, then. I took it for granted that most folks on the forums were not versed in critically evaluating scientific literature. I admit I have not reviewed anything more recent than one year on it, and it was a hot topic back then so there is probably better science on it now.

I think the most important thing is to review the information for yourself and draw your own conclusions. Even though I am a strong believer in several supps I have to admit that most of the effect for me is probably psychological...which is fine for me as long as I get an effect and believe in what I am doing. If I am not mistaken I think that is the sentiment behind your arguments in favor of anecdotes - if you truly believe it works, then it probably does...for you.

As a scientist I have grown tired of hearing the word 'anecdote'. It's really misused and the current "YOU'RE WRONG, I AM RIGHT! NANANANANA!" verbiage.