β-alanine and its nutritional ergogenic action in the exercise: current evidence
Abstract
The oldest findings already show that supplementation of β-alanine causes the increase of muscle carnosine dipeptide stocks (β-alanyl-L-histidine) by 50%, which is an intramuscular pH buffering that has proven quite effective in exercise. But the latest studies have shown that chronic supplementation of β-alanine is deposited in fast fibers (type 2) between 30-100% of the slow fibers (type 1) which favors the performance of anaerobic exercises that are characterized by a high intensity and short duration. The most favored exercises with β-alanine prove to be the predominate lactic anaerobic pathway that demand a greater release of lactic acid, where the buffer system of carnosine seems to prolong exercise against hydrogen ions (H+) from the dissociation of lactic acid (LA) which can cause acidosis muscle, causing pain and fatigue leading individuals. Therefore, it seems necessary to know the clinical studies in humans to verify the effectiveness of β-alanine as a nutritional ergogenic aid.
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