Beta-Alanine + HIIT – Match Made in Athletic Heaven

Beta-Alanine + HIIT – Match Made in Athletic Heaven

This isn’t your grandfather’s form of cardio. Recently, high-intensity interval training has surged in popularity, freeing fitness enthusiasts from long hours on the treadmill.

HIIT is highly efficient, boosting the metabolism into a calorie-burning frenzy and challenging the cardiovascular system. As a result, all types of athletes, from bodybuilders to basketball players, have adopted high-intensity interval training as a means to minimize time spent in the gym while maximizing endurance performance and improvements in body composition. Unfortunately, though, high-intensity interval training is not without downsides. HIIT can be hard on the joints and can also diminish the body’s stores of glycogen, phosphocreatine, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Because of this, HIIT cannot be performed for long periods of time – which is great for those trying to save time, but can be an issue for those who are trying to burn a lot of calories. But the lack of glycogen, phosphocreatine and ATP can also interfere with other athletic pursuits, such as weight lifting or sports.

So is there any way to soften the blow?

According to recent research from the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, there is, and it’s as close as your nearest supplement store.

What is this magical endurance aid?

Beta-alanine.

Beta-alanine is classified as a non-essential amino acid, and interestingly, is not believed to be used in the building of proteins. This amino acid is usually not ingested on its own unless it is supplemented; rather, the most common sources are the dipetides carnosine, anserine and balenine. While these are contained in fish, beef and chicken, the amount of beta-alanine from those sources is not sufficient to trigger the results of the following study (1).In the study, forty-six college-aged men who had not taken supplements within the past six months participated in two three-week programs of high-intensity interval training and either placebo or beta-alanine supplementation. Fitness assessments were taken prior to the program to find a baseline, and also at the midpoint and end of the study.

Even after only the first three weeks, several significant changes were noted between the beta-alanine group and the placebo group.

Those supplementing beta-alanine demonstrated longer time until exhaustion and improved maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 Max). Additionally, the increase in Total Work in the beta-alanine group was nearly double that of the placebo group. The supplement group also experienced positive changes in lean body mass, while the placebo group did not (2).While high-intensity interval training can be helpful on its own, beta-alanine supplementation appears to increase the positive effects as well as improve work capacity, making your training more effective than ever before.
Sources:

1. Beta-Alanine. The Facts.
2. Smith, Abbie E., et al. Effects of [beta]-alanine supplementation and high-intensity interval training on endurance performance and body composition in men; a double-blind trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2009; 6(5): 5