A Systematic Risk Assessment and Meta-Analysis on the Use of Oral beta-Alanine Supplementation
Meta-analysisHumansWith beta-alanine (carnosine precursor)
This study tested carnosine together with beta-alanine (carnosine precursor). Its results cannot be assigned to carnosine alone. More combination studies.
- Design
- Meta-analysis
- Subjects
- 101 human studies and 50 animal studies
- Dose used in the study
- Varied across included studies
- Duration
- Varied across included studies
- What was measured
- Side effects in longitudinal and acute trials, circulating health biomarkers, skeletal muscle taurine and histidine, animal outcomes. GRADE and multilevel Bayesian models.
What the authors reported
Paraesthesia was the only side effect reported, with an odds ratio of 8.9 (95% CrI 2.2 to 32.6) versus placebo. Dropout rates were similar to placebo. Alanine aminotransferase rose slightly (effect size 0.274, CrI 0.04 to 0.527) but stayed well within clinical reference ranges. There was no effect on muscle taurine or histidine in humans. In mice, taurine changed only at 3% or more beta-alanine in drinking water. The authors concluded beta-alanine at the doses in the available research does not adversely affect those consuming it.
Limits of this study
Concerns beta-alanine, not carnosine itself. Study durations mostly short. Authors are active beta-alanine researchers. Full text not read.
Source
PubMed 30980076 · doi:10.1093/advances/nmy115
Entry checked against PubMed abstract (E-utilities) on 2026-10-19. The dose shown is the dose the researchers used. It is not a recommendation. How to read this page.