The absorption of orally supplied beta-alanine and its effect on muscle carnosine synthesis in human vastus lateralis
Controlled trialHumansWith 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
- Controlled trial
- Subjects
- not stated in abstract
- Dose used in the study
- Single doses of beta-alanine at 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg body weight, or chicken broth supplying 40 mg/kg beta-alanine as histidine dipeptides; then 3 doses of 10 mg/kg per day for 15 days; then 3.2 g/day or 6.4 g/day beta-alanine (multiple doses of 400 or 800 mg), or an isomolar dose of L-carnosine, for 4 weeks
- Duration
- 4 weeks (chronic phase)
- What was measured
- Plasma beta-alanine, carnosine and taurine, urinary losses, and muscle carnosine in vastus lateralis biopsies.
What the authors reported
Plasma beta-alanine peaked at 428 (broth), 47 (10 mg/kg), 374 (20 mg/kg) and 833 (40 mg/kg) micromol/L and returned to baseline within 2 hours. Carnosine was not detected in plasma after the broth, though traces of carnosine and anserine appeared in urine. Less than 5% of a beta-alanine dose was lost in urine. Plasma taurine rose after beta-alanine but urinary taurine loss did not. Over 4 weeks muscle carnosine rose by an estimated 42.1% (3.2 g/day beta-alanine), 64.2% (6.4 g/day beta-alanine) and 65.8% (isomolar L-carnosine). The abstract does not report side effects; the paraesthesia (flushing and tingling) often attributed to this paper's larger single doses is in the full text, which was not accessed.
Limits of this study
Small physiology study. Sample sizes and statistics not given in the abstract. Supplement supplied by a manufacturer (CarnoSyn, NAI). Several authors linked to that company. Full text not read.
Source
PubMed 16554972 · doi:10.1007/s00726-006-0299-9
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.