Horse racing and sport

Horse muscle holds some of the highest carnosine concentrations measured, and beta-alanine has been tested in horses (Dunnett 1999; Li 2024). The rules below apply.

Australian racing

The Australian Rules of Racing and the harness racing rules define a prohibited substance by its capacity to act on a listed body system, not by a list of names (Harness Racing Australia rule 188A). Neither carnosine nor beta-alanine is named in the out-of-competition list (Racing Victoria notice 2022). Because the rules work by effect, a named “permitted” status does not exist for a feed ingredient.

Alkalinising agents are controlled in racing through limits on plasma total carbon dioxide (TCO2). Carnosine is a muscle buffer. This site makes no statement about whether a carnosine or beta-alanine product would affect a TCO2 test, and nothing on this site should be read as a way around those limits. Trainers should ask the relevant racing authority.

FEI

The FEI publishes an online Prohibited Substances Database (FEI). The status of carnosine and beta-alanine in that database was not confirmed when this page was checked. Search it directly.

Checked 11 October 2026.