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Acute Moderate-Dose β-Alanine Improves Exercise Efficiency via Bicarbonate-Related Mechanisms During a Cycling Time
Juan Carlos Muñoz-Carrillo1,2, Silvia Pérez-Piñero1, Francisco Javier López-Román1,3
1Health Sciences Department, Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia UCAM, Campus de los Jerónimos n°135, Guadalupe, 30107 Murcia, Spain.
Sports (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 25, 2026
Summary
Acute beta-alanine supplementation did not enhance cycling performance but reduced mechanical work. This suggests beta-alanine may influence buffering mechanisms, impacting exercise efficiency without affecting speed.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Nutritional Supplementation
- Sports Science
Background:
- Limited research on beta-alanine's physiological mechanisms, focusing mainly on performance.
- Investigating acute effects of beta-alanine on cycling performance, mechanical output, and acid-base balance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine acute beta-alanine effects on performance and physiological responses during a 10-minute cycling time trial.
- To explore the link between buffering variables and performance outcomes.
Main Methods:
- 85 recreational cyclists completed a 10-minute cycling time trial under placebo and two beta-alanine doses (10g and 20g).
- Utilized two-way repeated-measures ANOVA and correlation analyses to assess performance and physiological data.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in performance metrics (distance, speed, cadence, heart rate) were found.
- Total external mechanical work was significantly reduced post-supplementation.
- A moderate dose of beta-alanine decreased exercise mechanical cost without performance impairment, linked to bicarbonate changes.
Conclusions:
- Acute beta-alanine supplementation did not improve cycling performance.
- Supplementation may alter buffering responses, reducing mechanical work during high-intensity cycling.
- Bicarbonate dynamics are crucial for modulating the mechanical cost of high-intensity exercise.
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