β-Alanine

Beta-alanine is a non-essential beta-amino acid, a natural amino acid found in many proteins.

It is a colorless or white crystal, easily soluble in water, insoluble in most organic solvents.

It is naturally produced in small quantities in our body and can also be found in some foods like meat and spinach. It is a beta-amino acid that contains an ethyl chain, which makes it different from other amino acids.

In industrial production, it is produced by the reaction of ammonia with β-spironolactone. It can also be obtained by hydrolysis and refinement of proteins such as silk gum, gelatin, and corn filth.

Highly sought after by athletes, Beta-Alanine acts as an indirect buffering agent by increasing intracellular carnosine levels. It is used as an ingredient in many dietary and sports supplements.

It serves as a precursor to carnosine, a critical dipeptide required for buffering lactic acid during exercise.

Supplementation with Beta-Alanine can increase muscle carnosine concentration. Carnosine works as an intracellular buffer that reduces fatigue during exercise by inhibiting the build-up of H+ ions in the muscle cells.

Carnosine helps in reducing lactic acid formation by inhibiting the enzyme Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH). It is also used in the synthesis of pantothenic acid and calcium pantothenate.