| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Fat No effect | NoneNo effect | 427 people | ||||
| Muscle Mass | Improves (the measure goes up) | 3 studies | 254 people | |||
| Oxygen Uptake | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 44 people | |||
| Weight | Changes; see studies | 413 people |
Supplement
Beta-alanine is an amino acid the body uses to build carnosine, a compound in muscle that helps buffer the acid that builds up during hard effort. People mostly look at it for climbing and other high-intensity sport, where the evidence is strong, and in cyclists anaerobic capacity improved. That cycling finding came from just two small studies, though, and research found no clear difference in body fat or aerobic fitness.
Sources: PMID 39032921; PMID 19935102
- Updated
- How we grade
- 29 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade B
- Conditions studied
- 21
- Outcomes
- 82
- Graded outcomes
- 0559
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta-cell function Small Decrease | Worsens (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 82 people | |||
| Blood glucose | Changes; see studies | 1 study | 172 people | |||
| HbA1c | Changes; see studies | 134 people | ||||
| Insulin | Changes; see studies | 82 people | ||||
| Insulin Resistance | Changes; see studies | 82 people | ||||
Type 2 Diabetes
- Beta-cell function: worsens
- Blood glucose: changes; see studies
- HbA1c: changes; see studies
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta-cell function Small Decrease | Worsens (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 82 people | |||
| Blood glucose | Changes; see studies | 1 study | 172 people | |||
| HbA1c | Changes; see studies | 134 people | ||||
| Insulin | Changes; see studies | 82 people | ||||
| Insulin Resistance | Changes; see studies | 82 people | ||||
Type 1 Diabetes
- Beta-cell function: worsens
- Blood glucose: changes; see studies
- HbA1c: changes; see studies
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta-cell function Small Decrease | Worsens (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 82 people | |||
| Blood glucose | Changes; see studies | 1 study | 172 people | |||
| HbA1c | Changes; see studies | 134 people | ||||
| Insulin | Changes; see studies | 82 people | ||||
| Insulin Resistance | Changes; see studies | 82 people | ||||
Overweight
- Beta-cell function: worsens
- Blood glucose: changes; see studies
- HbA1c: changes; see studies
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta-cell function Small Decrease | Worsens (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 82 people | |||
| Blood glucose | Changes; see studies | 1 study | 172 people | |||
| HbA1c | Changes; see studies | 134 people | ||||
| Insulin | Changes; see studies | 82 people | ||||
| Insulin Resistance | Changes; see studies | 82 people | ||||
Cycling Performance
- Anaerobic Capacity: improves
- Muscular Endurance: improves
- Power Output: improves
Running Performance
- Anaerobic Capacity: improves
- Muscular Endurance: improves
- Power Output: improves
Anaerobic Exercise Performance
- Anaerobic Capacity: improves
- Muscle Mass: improves
- Oxygen Uptake: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anaerobic Capacity Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 2 studies | 19 people | ||
| Muscle Mass | Improves (the measure goes up) | 3 studies | 46 people | |||
Studies that measured muscle mass
| ||||||
| Oxygen Uptake | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 46 people | |||
Swimming Performance
- Anaerobic Capacity: improves
- Anaerobic Exercise Performance: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anaerobic Capacity Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 2 studies | 41 people | ||
| Anaerobic Exercise Performance | Improves (the measure goes up) | 3 studies | 1,461 people | |||
Studies that measured anaerobic exercise performance
| ||||||
Football Performance
- Fatigue Symptoms: improves
- Body Fat
- Muscular Endurance: improves
Wrestling Performance
- Muscle Mass
- Body Fat
- Muscular Endurance: improves
Aerobic Exercise Performance
- Aerobic Exercise Metrics
- Muscular Endurance: improves
- Anaerobic Exercise Performance: improves
Body Composition
- Body Fat
- Muscle Mass: improves
- Oxygen Uptake: improves
Muscle Size Strength
- Cortisol
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cortisol No effect | NoneNo effect | 8 people |
Rowing Performance
- Aerobic Exercise Metrics
- Muscular Endurance: improves
- Anaerobic Exercise Performance: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Exercise Metrics No effect | NoneNo effect | 115 people | ||||
| Muscular Endurance | Improves (the measure goes up) | 5 studies | 379 people | |||
| Anaerobic Exercise Performance | Improves (the measure goes up) | 3 studies | 1,461 people | |||
| Power Output | Improves (the measure goes up) | 3 studies | 379 people | |||
| Blood Lactate (Exercise) | Changes; see studies | 109 people | ||||
| Heart Rate | Changes; see studies | 39 people | ||||
| Rating of Perceived Exertion | Improves (the measure goes up) | 48 people |
Muscle Size & Strength
- Cortisol
- Muscular Endurance: improves
- Power Output: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cortisol No effect | NoneNo effect | 8 people | ||||
| Muscular Endurance | Improves (the measure goes up) | 5 studies | 8 people | |||
| Power Output | Improves (the measure goes up) | 3 studies | 8 people | |||
| Fatigue Symptoms | Changes; see studies | 51 people | ||||
| Growth Hormone | Improves (the measure goes up) | 8 people | ||||
| Testosterone | Improves (the measure goes up) | 8 people |
Basketball performance
- Anaerobic Exercise Performance: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anaerobic Exercise Performance | Improves (the measure goes up) | 3 studies | 86 people |
Soccer Performance
- Anaerobic Exercise Performance: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anaerobic Exercise Performance | Improves (the measure goes up) | 3 studies | 86 people |
Cognitive Improvement
- Serum BDNF: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serum BDNF | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 14 people |
Healthy Muscle Aging
- Fatigue Symptoms: changes; see studies
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fatigue Symptoms | Changes; see studies | 26 people |
Fatigue
- Fatigue Symptoms: changes; see studies
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fatigue Symptoms | Changes; see studies | 26 people |
What the published studies found
4 automated readings
Cardiovascular events
Too few usable studies were found to tell whether Beta-Alanine changes cardiovascular events. 9 studies were read and none could be counted.
Endurance performance
The best available review (2026, 52 studies) found little or no difference in endurance performance. That review studied healthy adult athletes. 5 of the 9 studies read agree; 4 found an improvement. The evidence is moderate.
9 studies counted of 11 read: 3 reviews and 6 trials (116 people in the trials).
- Systematic review, 2026; 52 studies; healthy adult athletes: no clear difference (the review the verdict rests on).
BA supplementation produced non-significant or context-specific effects
Effects of combined versus single supplementation of creatine and beta-alanine on aerobic and anerobic performance: a systematic review and network meta-analysis - Systematic review, 2014; 20 studies; athletic population: improves.
BA may increase power output and working capacity
The effects of beta-alanine supplementation on performance: a systematic review of the literature - Meta-analysis, 2012; 15 studies, 360 people: no clear difference.
BA improved (P=0.002) the outcome of exercise measures
Effects of β-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis - Randomised trial, 2026; 22 people; young resistance-trained men and women: improves.
total number of repetitions increased with BA
Beta-Alanine Supplementation Improves Isotonic Strength Endurance Performance Without Altering Psychological Responses During Drop-Set and Bi-Set Resistance Exercises in Resistance-Trained Individuals - Randomised trial, 2025; 27 people; adolescent middle- and long-distance runners: improves.
increased TTE by 6.5% compared to 1.4%
Beta-alanine supplementation improves time to exhaustion, but not aerobic capacity, in competitive middle- and long-distance runners - Randomised trial, 2021; 16 people; long-distance runners: no clear difference.
No significant differences were shown for the 5000 m running time
Beta-alanine fails to improve on 5000 m running time despite increasing PAT1 expression in long-distance runners - Randomised trial, 2018; 16 people; physically active adults: improves.
statistically significant difference between the β-alanine vs placebo group
Beta-Alanine Supplementation Improved 10-km Running Time Trial in Physically Active Adults - Randomised trial, 2016; 14 people; aerobically trained males: no clear difference.
Thirty days of β-alanine supplementation (SUPP) did not increase VO2 peak (4.05 ± 0.6 vs. …
β-alanine Supplementation Fails to Increase Peak Aerobic Power or Ventilatory Threshold in Aerobically Trained Males - Randomised trial, 2013; 21 people; anaerobically trained college-aged men: no clear difference.
did not have a significant effect on sprint endurance
Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on sprint endurance
- Systematic review, 2026; 52 studies; healthy adult athletes: no clear difference (the review the verdict rests on).
Exercise performance
The studies disagree. The best available review (2025, 5 studies, 163 people) found an improvement in exercise performance, while 4 of the 8 studies read found no clear difference. The evidence is very weak.
8 studies counted of 9 read: 5 reviews and 3 trials (54 people in the trials).
- Systematic review, 2025; 5 studies, 163 people; older adults: improves (the review the verdict rests on).
exercise capacity may be improved following supplementation
Beta-Alanine for Improving Exercise Capacity, Muscle Strength, and Functional Performance of Older Adults: A Systematic Review - Meta-analysis, 2024; 18 studies, 331 people; trained young male individuals: improves.
overall effect size of 0.39 (95% confidence interval [CI] [0.09, 0.69])
Effect of Beta-Alanine Supplementation on Maximal Intensity Exercise in Trained Young Male Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis - Meta-analysis, 2024; 10 studies, 243 people; healthy adults of any training status: no clear difference.
No ergogenic effect was detected in this meta-analysis for BA
Sodium bicarbonate and beta-alanine supplementation: Is combining both better than either alone? A systematic review and meta-analysis - Systematic review, 2017; 23 studies; athletes and non-athletes: no clear difference. Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on performance and muscle fatigue in athletes and non-athletes of different sports: a systematic review
- Meta-analysis, 2012; 15 studies, 360 people: no clear difference.
BA improved (P=0.002) the outcome of exercise measures
Effects of β-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis - Randomised trial, 2026; 22 people; young resistance-trained men and women: improves.
total number of repetitions increased with BA
Beta-Alanine Supplementation Improves Isotonic Strength Endurance Performance Without Altering Psychological Responses During Drop-Set and Bi-Set Resistance Exercises in Resistance-Trained Individuals - Randomised trial, 2021; 16 people; long-distance runners: no clear difference.
No significant differences were shown for the 5000 m running time
Beta-alanine fails to improve on 5000 m running time despite increasing PAT1 expression in long-distance runners - Randomised trial, 2018; 16 people; physically active adults: improves.
statistically significant difference between the β-alanine vs placebo group
Beta-Alanine Supplementation Improved 10-km Running Time Trial in Physically Active Adults
- Systematic review, 2025; 5 studies, 163 people; older adults: improves (the review the verdict rests on).
Muscle mass
The best available review (2022, 20 studies, 492 people) found little or no difference in muscle mass. All 5 studies read agree. The evidence is limited.
5 studies counted of 10 read: 3 reviews and 2 trials (42 people in the trials).
- Meta-analysis, 2022; 20 studies, 492 people: no clear difference (the review the verdict rests on).
fat-free mass (FFM) (WMD: 0.05 kg
Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on body composition: a GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis - Systematic review, 2025; 35 studies, 991 people; athletes completing strength and conditioning training: no clear difference. Effects of different dietary supplements combined with conditioning training on muscle strength, jump performance, sprint speed, and muscle mass in athletes: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
- Systematic review, 2023; 7 studies; combat athletes: no clear difference.
non-significant (p > 0.05) improvement in the anthropometric parameters of lean mass
β-Alanine Supplementation in Combat Sports: Evaluation of Sports Performance, Perception, and Anthropometric Parameters and Biochemical Markers-A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials - Randomised trial, 2016; 16 people; untrained collegiate females: no clear difference.
no additive effects on body composition
Effects of β-Alanine on Body Composition and Performance Measures in Collegiate Women - Randomised trial, 2008; 26 people; vietnamese sports science students: no clear difference.
no significant effect of beta-ala supplementation on any of the exercise parameters measured, mass
The effects of 10 weeks of resistance training combined with beta-alanine supplementation on whole body strength, force production, muscular endurance and body composition
- Meta-analysis, 2022; 20 studies, 492 people: no clear difference (the review the verdict rests on).
Key findings
- Anaerobic CapacityImproves (the measure goes up)
- Beta-cell functionWorsens (the measure goes down)
- Fatigue SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)
Shop the evidence-backed picks
Third-party tested Beta-Alanine products, in the forms the graded studies used where we can match them.
- Grade B
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Studies cited
29 studies from PubMed
- Beta-Alanine and High-Intensity Exercise Capacity: A Systematic Review
- Beta-Alanine Supplementation in Older Adults: A Systematic Review
- Beta-Alanine Effects on Tactical Performance: A Review
- International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Beta-Alanine
- Effects of Beta-Alanine on Carnosine Content and Exercise Performance
- Safety and Efficacy of Beta-Alanine Supplementation: A Review
- Beta-Alanine Supplementation and Exercise Performance: A Meta-Analysis
- Paresthesia from Beta-Alanine: Mechanisms and Mitigation
- Effects of 28 days of beta-alanine and creatine monohydrate supplementation on aerobic power, ventilatory and lactate thresholds, and time to exhaustion
- Effects of β-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis
- The effect of beta-alanine supplementation on power performance during repeated sprint activity
- beta-Alanine supplementation augments muscle carnosine content and attenuates fatigue during repeated isokinetic contraction bouts in trained sprinters
- Effect of Beta-Alanine Supplementation on Maximal Intensity Exercise in Trained Young Male Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
- Beta-alanine and the hormonal response to exercise
- Effect of beta-alanine supplementation on the onset of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA) during treadmill running: Pre/post 2 treatment experimental design
- Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on the onset of neuromuscular fatigue and ventilatory threshold in women
- Effects of beta-alanine supplementation and high-intensity interval training on endurance performance and body composition in men; a double-blind trial
- Effects of twenty-eight days of beta-alanine and creatine monohydrate supplementation on the physical working capacity at neuromuscular fatigue threshold
- Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on body composition: a GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis.
- Six weeks of high-intensity interval training with and without beta-alanine supplementation for improving cardiovascular fitness in women
- Important role of muscle carnosine in rowing performance
- β-alanine supplementation to improve exercise capacity and performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Effects of Beta-Alanine Supplementation on Physical Performance in Aerobic-Anaerobic Transition Zones: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
- Effects of β-alanine supplementation on performance and body composition in collegiate wrestlers and football players
- Short-duration beta-alanine supplementation increases training volume and reduces subjective feelings of fatigue in college football players
- Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on Yo-Yo test performance: A meta-analysis.
- The effect of beta-alanine supplementation on neuromuscular fatigue in elderly (55-92 Years): a double-blind randomized study
- Effect of Carnosine or β-Alanine Supplementation on Markers of Glycemic Control and Insulin Resistance in Humans and Animals: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
- Fourteen weeks of β-alanine supplementation and HIIT did not improve serum BDNF concentrations and Stroop test performance.