Beta Alanine Benefits and Side Effects



Posted: Sunday, January 09, 2011

by Ben Mester
Plan B Publishing

Beta Alanine is a natural compound that's used in the body already on a regular basis. It's one of the amino acids the body relies on for healthy function, and many people are beginning to supplement beta alanine because of its positive health benefits. But the interesting thing about beta alanine is that it has a very interesting side effect when it reaches a certain amount in the bloodstream. Beta alanine, when in high enough concentrations in the blood, causes what's knows as paresthesia, which is the sensation of pins and needles on the skin that a person feels after one of their limbs has fallen asleep. That's one of the more interesting non-harmful side effects I've ever heard of from a supplement, and while I can see why it causes alarm in people who are supplementing beta alanine, it's also very interesting. Depending on the dosage, some people report that skin irritation and flushing have come after taking beta alanine pills. These side effects are very temporary, and in normal doses there are no reported long term beta alanine side effects.

People supplement beta alanine generally for just one reason. Beta alanine, being an amino acid, is widely used in the body, since amino acids have been called the building blocks of life. They're very important for healthy function, but people aren't often deficient in them. Beta alanine isn't generally supplemented because of a deficiency. The interesting thing about beta alanine is that it isn't used in the production of any proteins or enzymes. If you know anything about amino acids you know that they're the building blocks of all proteins and many thousands of different kinds of enzymes. Beta alanine, in that way, has very limited use in the body. It is generally only supplemented by bodybuilders.

In the world of bodybuilding, there are many amino acids that are very helpful in growing and repairing muscles. Amino acids are often added to protein powders, amino acids like Glutamine and L-Carnitine, to help metabolize fats for energy and help the body quickly repair broken muscle. Beta alanine is another amino acid that is taken to help the body build and repair muscle. Beta alanine aids in muscle production and repair because it is a precursor to the compound Carnosine, which aids athletes by reducing fatigue and increasing the overall amount of work that the muscles are able to do. Though Carnosine has its highest concentration in muscle tissue, it is found throughout the body and has been studied in relation to a number of other health benefits. Carnosine, apart from its muscle enhancing benefits has been shown to have powerful antioxidant properties as well. It also increases recovery and healing, enhances the immune system, and may even have anti-aging properties. People like to take supplements like beta alanine because, being an amino acid already used by the body, it generally is free of side effects, and the full range of benefits hasn't even been discovered by medical science. The only side effect mentioned is more of a nuissance than a real hazard. So people don't mind experimenting with beta alanine and other natural compounds because they figure that the benefits definitely should outweigh any potential side effects.

Beta alanine is a very interesting supplement that may become very widely used in years to come. If you want to read more about bodybuilding and supplements, read another of my articles on L-Carnitine Benefits.
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