Beta-alanine has long been marketed as a way to push back against the burn of hard exercise, but does it deliver? A meta-analysis of 15 studies and 360 participants found a real but modest benefit, with an estimated median gain of 2.85%. The effect was clearest for efforts lasting 60–240 seconds, was smaller beyond four minutes, and did not appear for sprints under a minute. The article also covers the commonly used loading approach of 3.2–6.4 g per day for four or more weeks, how splitting doses can reduce tingling, and which athletes stand to gain most.
This page is available in