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Beta-Alanine Scores Again |
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Written by Anssi Manninen
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Friday, 12 October 2007 |
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Beta-alanine shares many similarities and parallels with
Creatine and as a result, it's often touted as "the next Creatine." While it is
understandable why these two powerhouse supplements are often compared, it's a
great injustice to both beta-alanine and Creatine to use titles like that, as
it leads people to believe one can replace the other. While beta-alanine is on
par with Creatine from both a scientific and effectivity standpoint, it does
not replace Creatine.
A recent study on sprint-trained athletes, using 4.8 grams
of beta-alanine and lasting eight weeks, showed a significant increase in
carnosine concentrations (+47 percent) in the soleus and (+37 percent) in the
gastracnemius muscles (carnosine is a powerful buffer in muscle cells). As
expected, the increase in carnosine concentrations lead to significant
decreases in fatigue during repeated bouts of dynamic muscle contractions. At
the same time, this study did not show improvements in race times for the 400
m.
Reference:
Derawe W
et al. Beta-alanine supplementation augments muscle carnosine content and
attenuates fatigue during repeated isokinetic contraction bouts in trained
sprinters. J Appl Physiol, (August 9, 2007).
doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00397.2007
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