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Beta Alanine. Beta alanine background. Discovered around 100 years ago Most of the work on beta alanine was done by Dr. Roger Harris Beta alanine is most commonly known today for its use as a supplement.
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Beta alanine background • Discovered around 100 years ago • Most of the work on beta alanine was done by Dr. Roger Harris • Beta alanine is most commonly known today for its use as a supplement. • Beta alanine is found commonly in products such as: Jack3d, 1.M.R, and Plain beta alanine pills.
Beta alanine supplements such as these are usually just powdered beta alanine in a capsule form.
Beta alanine Background • Many supplement companies say that beta alanine can: a. improve anaerobic and aerobic endurance b. increase lean muscle mass c. Delay muscular fatigue • Can this really do what it says? • How can we prove that beta alanine can do all of these things?
Beta alanine background • Also known as 3-aminopropanoic acid, beta alanine is a non-essential amino acid. • It is not to be confused with alanine. The difference between the two is that the amino group is attached to the beta carbon. where alanines amino group is attached to the alpha carbon.
Beta alanine background • Beta alanine is the only known naturally occurring beta peptide. • When scientists found out that beta alanine was, in general, the only beta peptide occurring in nature they began to explore the usage of beta peptides in antibiotics. • Since beta peptides don’t usually occur in nature, they can be used to help prevent antibiotic resistance.
Beta alanine background • There are ways that scientists can make beta peptides artificially. • One of the reactions used to make beta alanine is the Arndt–Eistert synthesis. • This synthesis uses catalyst such as heat, light, or silver oxide. • This reaction can be used to convert alpha peptide into beta peptides
Beta alanine • This peptide is also an amino acids that is generally not used in protein synthesis. • Beta alanine is an amino acid that is usually combined with histidine to form a compound known as carnosine. • Carnosine is actually one of the most common ways we ingest beta alanine. Along with several other dipeptides(anserine,etc.) carnosine is ingested in meats such as chicken, beef, and fish.
Beta alanine • Ingesting dipeptides and taking supplements is not the only way that we can make beta alanine. We can produce it in vitro (in the body). • The liver can produce beta alanine by breaking down pyrimidine nucleotides into uracil and thymine. • Uracil and thymine can be metabolized to make beta alanine.
Beta alanine and carnosine • Carnosine is the main thing that beta alanine produces. • Beta alanine is commonly referred to as the limiting factor of carnosine. • Beta alanine and histidine combine to make carnosine . But histidine is in a higher concentration in the cell, so beta alanine is what is needed to make more carnosine.
Carnosine’s role in the body • When carnosine is produced in the cell it can begin to serve its purpose. • When we exercise we produce H+ ions in our muscle tissue. • We most commonly refer to this build up of H+ ions as lactic acid build up. • This is what is commonly known as the “burn” that you get when exercising.
Carnosine’s role in the body • When the H+ ions build up this limits our muscles ability to contract by dropping the pH. • When the pHis dropped in the body there are buffers that come into play to keep homeostasis. • Carnosine acts as a buffer in the muscle cells by soaking up the extra H+ ions to help keep the pH down.
Carnosine and muscle endurance • When the pH is kept toward a normal level for a longer period of time athletes can train at a higher level. • In a study done at Adams state college, a wrestling team was given 4-5 grams of beta alanine for a 10 week period. • The team improved their 400m sprint times from 68.24 ±3.143 to 64.82 ±3.382. • This is around a four second increase for the entire team. Mid season
Carnosine and muscle endurance • Some people may say that physical gains don’t provide enough evidence that beta alanine supplements were the cause. • In another study, done by the the University of Chichester in the UK, 13 test subjects were given beta alanine supplements of the same dose for 10 weeks. • After the ten week period, a biopsy was done from a sample of muscle tissue from the vastuslateralis(lateral quad). The test results showed up to a 80% increase in the levels of carnosine.
Beta alanine vs. carnosine • Some people ask whether or not it is beneficial to take just carnosine since carnosine is the thing that does all the work. • But if carnosine is ingested by itself it is usually broken down in the GI tract and turned into beta alanine so it can get through the cell membrane.
Immediate side effects of beta alanine • Some say that carnosine is a precursor to nitric oxide which is a vaso dilator. So beta alanine is thought to have some immediate effects on your “workout pump”. • Another immediate effect of beta alanine is parathesia. This is most commonly seen when your foot or hand falls asleep. The tingling sensation is not felt by everyone but some people do. It is due to an increase in blood plasma concentration of Beta alanine that binds to nerve endings.
