I’ll start by saying that this is not a scientific review, but is based on anecdotal experience (i.e. survey size of one - me) and some reading of other scientific study that has been done.

What is Carnosine?

Carnosine is a natural substance found in concentration in muscular tissues.  One of it’s key characteristics is that it behaves as an anti-oxidant (in general terms, reduces the impact of harmful oxidation by scavenging what are generally known as “free radicals” which cause cell degeneration, ageing (via cell mutation) and decreased muscular performance/endurance). 

To increase intramuscular carnosine levels, the standard practice is to take beta-alanine orally.  Carnosine is a dipeptide of beta-alanine and histidine - the former is the limiting factor in carnosine levels and histidine is generally freely available in the body.  Taking beta-alanine causes a binding reaction to the histidine to increase carnosine levels in the muscles.

The theory of carnosine from an exercise and physiology point of view is that, in simplistic terms, it reduces the onset of fatigue by buffering lactate in the muscles.  This allows the athlete to train / compete for longer at a higher work rate.

Scientific Studies

There have been numerous studies conducted in the past 3 years and I’ve read lots of them.  Firstly, all of them agree that beta-alanine is highly effective at increasing the intramuscular concentration of carnosine - this is important as if you are going to take a supplement you want to firstly ensure that it actually gets where it needs to go (for example, many supplements are ineffective because they do not increase levels of the supplemented compound in the body).

An excellent (and concise) summary of the more recent research can be found here: Beta alanine : the new kid on the ergogenic block.  The summary of the research is that:

In conclusion, beta-alanine supplementation (3.2g to 6.4g per day) appears to elevate muscle carnosine levels and enhance exercise performance in untrained subjects. Future studies need to examine whether beta-alanine supplementation can increase muscle carnosine levels and exercise performance in highly trained athletes. Further, future investigations should also examine the combined effect of beta-alanine supplementation and training on performance.

What is not entirely clear is what the difference between an untrained and highly trained athlete is.  Does my 300km odd of riding every week constitute enough training to change the applicability of these studies?

Personal Experience

I started taking beta-alanine a year ago.  The first thing you notice is a very odd physical sensation of skin prickling - there are varying theories about why this occurs and the prevailing theory seems to be that some of the beta-alanine binds to nerve receptors, causing them to fire randomly.  This sensation is most pronounced when you first start taking beta-alanine and tends to decrease over time.  It lasts about a half hour.  Significant studies have been done to validate the safety of beta-alanine and all studies have shown it to be safe and non-toxic, even in very significant doses.

Apart from the tingling sensation, I found that I didn’t notice anything all that significant over the first few days.  After about 10 days of supplementation I started to notice two things:

• My time to fatigue (measured by perception rather than some scientific method) increased - for example, I could ride at a consistently higher intensity on a hill for a longer period before the pinch was felt in the muscles;
• When I took a dose of beta-alanine after longer training sessions, I noticed a significant improvement in my recovery by the next day.

Apart from the sports / performance benefits, I’ve also noticed a significant difference in my immune strength over the past year.  With a new baby in the house interrupting sleep, some serious sleep deprivation due to watching almost every stage of the Tour de France live and some vicious colds going around the family (4 kids and wife all got it) I’ve stayed remarkably healthy.

I’m generally sceptical of the benefits of supplements, and even more so of supplements with claims of ergogenic benefits.  However, I’m convinced - from personal experience and the scientific research done - that beta-alanine is a valuable supplement for athletes and those wanting to stay fit and healthy.

Usage

There are different protocols for usage, however most research is based on supplementation of 3-6g of beta-alanine per day.  Many products recommend a dosage of 4g per day, however I only use this amount on heavy training days.

From personal experience, I’ve found that in the initial 10 days, a dosage of 4g per day (2g in the morning, 2g in the evening) is good for building intramuscular carnosine stores.  I’ll then revert to a 2g per day regime and use 4g on heavy training days (training lasting 3hr or longer).  Of course, you’ll want to vary according to bodyweight and specific ingredients.  Some days I won’t take any and during base periods where I’m not doing much training I will use it infrequently.

What’s Not Good

There’s not much I don’t like about this supplement.  Research shows it to be non-toxic so I have few concerns there.  Probably the only issue I see is the “prickling sensation” side effect.  It’s a minor issue, but be warned - don’t take this stuff before going to bed - give yourself a couple of hours or you could find yourself tossing and turning.  The prickling sensation goes away pretty quickly, is reduced by ongoing use and can also be avoided by breaking up the dosage into smaller doses throughout the day. 

Price / Where to get it

There are lots of supplements.  I’ve used Athletic Edge’s IntraXCell product and been very happy.  I have to admit that I haven’t used other products at this stage as I’ve been happy with this product, however I believe that beta-alanine is relatively consistent in terms of quality so there will be many substitute products.

I’ve been a little lazy and just bought this at GNC for ~$60.  This gives 180 capsules which is a 30 day supply if you are taking 4g/day but I find a bottle lasts about 2 months.

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