Beta Alanine A Natural Body Building Supplement
October 14, 2008
Beta alanine belongs to the category of non-essential amino acids. Beta alanine is not required normally for any bodily processes, as the human body can synthesize this amino acid but only in smaller quantities. The major sources of beta alanine are meat products, fish etc. Similar to some other amino acid containing products, beta alanine has been shown to increase lean muscle mass as well as to improve upon the muscular health (both aerobic as well as anaerobic).
Beta alanine has a biphasic (dual) function, first and foremost is the increased production of carnosine. Carnosine is a dipeptide that helps to maintain the pH (acid base balance) in the muscular environment by acting as a buffer that resist any sharp change of pH. Maintainence of this neutral environment in turn results in reduced muscle fatigue. The reduction in muscle fatigue directly helps you to stretch the limit of reps. Don’t you always crave for making more reps of the weightlifting schedule ? Beta alanine is just the right the solution to improve muscular performance under these conditions.
Does Beta alanine works alone or does it need something else to work as well ?
Beta alanine when coupled with histidine in presence of the enzyme carnosine synthetase results in formation of Carnosine. The functional effects observed in muscles are mainly due to carnosine, but it is not possible to consume carnosine alone as taking carnosine in diet makes its digestion and degradation very easy in the acidic environment of gastrointestinal tract. By taking beta alanine supplementation the GI degradation is circumvented and an optimum concentration of carnosine is always available to the rescue of muscle fatigue making it easier to have more training schedules and reps.
The major advantages of beta alanine usage as a supplement include the following attributes:
- Incrementation of muscular power and ability to lift heavier weights.
- Increases the muscular fatigue threshold (ability to resist fatigue).
- Boosts aerobic as well as anaerobic endurance.
Therefore, beta alanine supplementation could be beneficial for attaining an enhancement in muscle building process depending on body needs and exercise schedules.
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