How beta-alanine, carnosine, and anserine affect performance and recovery for running, OCR, and endurance sports
Thomas Solomon, PhD.
Updated onReading time approx 7 minutes (1400 words).
What you’ll learn:
Beta-alanine is an amino acid that can act like a messenger in the nervous system and, more importantly here, your body uses it to make carnosine — a pH buffer that lives inside muscle cells and helps manage acid build-up when you go hard.
Taking beta-alanine every day is likely to help in high-intensity efforts that last about 30 seconds to 10 minutes — think steep hill reps, a hard 1,000-meter repeat, or a punchy obstacle race (OCR) sprint.
Because of a lack of randomised controlled trialsThe “gold standard” approach for determining whether a treatment has a causal effect on an outcome of interest. In such a study, a sample of people representing the population of interest is randomised to receive the treatment or a no-treatment placebo (control), and the outcome of interest is measured before and after exposure to the treatment and control., it’s too soon to say whether carnosine (which is produced from beta-alanine) and anserine (which can be broken down to beta-alanine) have the same effects as beta-alanine.
Curious about the how and why? Scroll down for the details, the nuances, and the nerdy bits.
The information I provide is not medical advice. Supplements can have side effects and might interact with other drugs, nutrients, and medical conditions. If you are unsure, always consult your doctor to ensure a specific supplement is safe for you to use.
What are beta-alanine, carnosine, and anserine?
Some amino acids build proteins; others moonlight. Beta-alanine is an amino acid, but unlike its more famous sibling, L-alanine, it doesn’t get stitched into proteins. Instead, beta-alanine can nudge nerve signaling by acting as a neurotransmitter and binding to GABA and NMDA receptors. Crucially, for athletes, your body also uses beta-alanine plus histidine to make carnosine (β-alanyl-L-histidine), which sits inside muscle and buffers hydrogen ions (H+) when intensity spikes, helping keep pH in check.
β-alanine + histidine + ATP ⇌ carnosine + ADP + Pi
Supplementing with beta-alanine can raise muscle carnosine content (see Rezende et al. 2020), which is why it’s popular in sport. Oral carnosine sounds simpler, but your gut breaks it back down into histidine and beta-alanine. A related compound, anserine (carnosine with a —CH3 group attached to it; made from beta-alanine and 3-methylhistidine), resists breakdown a bit better and, like carnosine, also buffers pH inside muscle. So…
What is the scientific evidence on beta-alanine, carnosine, and anserine’s impact on athletic performance?
Beta-alanine is generally safe to consume (see here). A common side effect is a short, harmless tingling or prickling called paraesthesia — it fades quickly and not everyone gets it. Many studies don’t fully report side effects, so the true rate isn’t clear.
Performance gains show up most in short, very hard efforts powered mainly by glycolysis (glucose breakdown). That’s your fast war-face zone.
The sweet spot for beta-alanine supplementation is exercise lasting about 30 seconds to 10 minutes (although earlier evidence pointed to roughly 1 to 4 minutes). Below 30 seconds, benefits haven’t been found.
Co-supplementing daily beta-alanine with pre-exercise sodium bicarbonate produced the largest effect sizeAn effect size is a quantitative measure of the magnitude of a relationship or difference between groups in a study. Unlike p-values, effect sizes show how large or meaningful that effect is. Common effect size measures include Cohen’s d, Hedges’ g, eta-squared, and correlation coefficients. when compared with placebo (see here and here).
Why does beta-alanine help? Carnosine buffers H+, but it may also help mop up inorganic phosphate (Pi) that piles up during repeated hard contractions. Together, H+ and Pi can impair force and power more than either alone — a truly annoying tag-team that hovers on the dark side of the force.
Some nerdiness: It is debated whether buffering compounds like beta-alanine are performance enhancing because of their H+ buffering capacity or whether they are performance enhancing because they also buffer the intramuscular phosphate (Pi) that accumulates during high-intensity exercise (which is a series of high force muscle contractions). Some evidence shows that H+ (hydrogen) and Pi (phosphate) ions in combination more strongly impair maximal isometric force and peak power than what either ion exerts individually. Therefore, H+ and Pi accumulation during high-intensity exercise may synergistically and additively reduce muscle function during fatigue.
But, what about carnosine and anserine as alternative supplements to beta-alanine? Well, there is not currently a meta-analysisA meta-analysis quantifies the overall effect size of a treatment by compiling effect sizes from all known studies of that treatment. on carnosine and anserine supplementation. That said, fun fact: chicken broth is loaded with both carnosine and anserine, and one small study hinted that pre-exercise chicken broth (rich in carnosine and anserine) improved a cycling time trial.
If you choose to use beta-alanine, a reasonable dose is:
about 6 grams per day for roughly 2 to 4 weeks raises muscle carnosine. Note: this is based on effective doses used in research.
Taking more doesn’t necessarily mean a bigger effect.
The chicken broth thing: since there is approximately 1 gram of carnosine in 600 mL of chicken broth, which is broken down to approximately 570 milligrams of beta-alanine, you’d have to drink about 6 litres of chicken broth per day to obtain 6 g/day of beta-alanine. Don’t do that! And, if anyone down your gym tells you to chug chicken broth, they’re probably a cock; send them clucking!
If you stop supplementing, how fast muscle carnosine levels drift back to baseline is unclear — studies don’t agree yet.
Can beta-alanine, carnosine, and anserine enhance athletic performance?
Taking a daily beta-alanine supplement is likely to improve performance during high-intensity short-duration events lasting between 30-seconds and 10-minutes.
The effect sizeAn effect size is a standardized measure of the magnitude of an effect of an intervention. Unlike p-values, effect sizes show how large the effect is and indicate how meaningful it might be. Common effect size measures include standardised mean difference (SMD), Cohen’s d, Hedges’ g, eta-squared, and correlation coefficients. is small.
The effect appears to be similar between trained athletes and untrained folks, and between males and females; however, further research is needed in females because they are underrepresented among studies in this field.
These conclusions are based on a moderate quality of evidenceA high quality of evidence means that, in general, there is a small range of effect sizes between studies, effects are consistent, and there is a low risk of bias (due to a large number of studies, large numbers of participants, good study designs, appropriate methods, etc). When the quality of evidence is high, there is a high level of confidence that the overall effect size reflects the true effect.: effects are reasonably consistent between studies, but additional high-quality randomised controlled trialsThe “gold standard” approach for determining whether a treatment has a causal effect on an outcome of interest. In such a study, a sample of people representing the population of interest is randomised to receive the treatment or a no-treatment placebo (control), and the outcome of interest is measured before and after exposure to the treatment and control. are needed to increase overall quality of evidence. Consequently, there’s a moderate level of confidence that the overall effect sizes reported in meta-analysesA meta-analysis quantifies the overall effect size of a treatment by compiling effect sizes from all known studies of that treatment. reflect the true effect of beta-alanine.
Due to insufficient evidence, the effect of carnosine or anserine on performance is currently unclear. This may change when a meta-analysis becomes available.
To minimise the risk of consuming a supplement that contains prohibited substances, only choose products that have been independently tested (e.g., Informed Sport). And, remember: Supplements do not make athletes and do not replace training; they're just the icing on a very well-baked cake. Before reaching for pills and potions, optimise your training load and dial in your sleep, nutrition, and rest.
How to use this: If your target events include hard efforts of roughly 30 seconds to 10 minutes, consider a daily beta-alanine phase: about 6 grams per day for around 2 to 4 weeks. You don’t need megadoses. For very short efforts (under 30 seconds) or steady long races, don’t expect much. Some athletes pair daily beta-alanine with pre-race sodium bicarbonate for extra punch on short, intense efforts; if you try that combo, test it well before race day.
Strengthen the fight for clean sport
Remember: You are the only person responsible for what goes in your body! Ignorance is not an excuse! Stay educated. Be informed.
Consult WADA’s prohibited list, cross-check your meds against the Global DRO drug reference list, and only choose supplements that have been tested by an independent body (e.g., Informed Sport or LabDoor).
Information you can trust. All content on Veohtu is meticulously researched and written by Thomas Solomon, PhD. He does not sell supplements, recovery products, or ad space, and he has no sponsorships, brand affiliations, or ambassador roles. Everything you read reflects his independent views, shaped solely by peer-reviewed scientific evidence — and that will never change.
Full list of meta-analyses examining beta-alanine, carnosine, and anserine for performance.
Here are the meta-analyses I've summarised above:
Dosing strategies for β-alanine supplementation in strength and power performance: a systematic review. Ong et al. (2025) J Int Soc Sports Nutr.
Effect of Beta-Alanine Supplementation on Maximal Intensity Exercise in Trained Young Male Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Georgiou et al. (2024) Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab.
β-Alanine Supplementation in Combat Sports: Evaluation of Sports Performance, Perception, and Anthropometric Parameters and Biochemical Markers-A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials. Fernández-Lázaro et al. (2023) Nutrients
Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on body composition: a GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis. Damoon Ashtary-Larky, Reza Bagheri, Matin Ghanavati, Omid Asbaghi, Alexei Wong, Jeffrey R Stout, Katsuhiko Suzuki. J Int Soc Sports Nutr (2022)
Effect of β-alanine and sodium bicarbonate co-supplementation on the body's buffering capacity and sports performance: A systematic review. Laura Gilsanz, Jaime López-Seoane, Sergio L Jiménez, Helios Pareja-Galeano. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr (2021)
Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis Provides No Evidence of Intervention Response Variation in Individuals Supplementing With Beta-Alanine. Gabriel Perri Esteves, Paul Swinton, Craig Sale, Ruth M James, Guilherme Giannini Artioli, Hamilton Roschel, Bruno Gualano, Bryan Saunders, Eimear Dolan. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab (2021)
Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on Yo-Yo test performance: A meta-analysis. Jozo Grgic. Clin Nutr ESPEN (2021)
The Muscle Carnosine Response to Beta-Alanine Supplementation: A Systematic Review With Bayesian Individual and Aggregate Data E-Max Model and Meta-Analysis. Rezende et al. (2020) Front Physiol
Effects of Beta-Alanine Supplementation on Physical Performance in Aerobic-Anaerobic Transition Zones: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Ojeda et al. (2020) Nutrients
Effects of Beta-Alanine Supplementation on Physical Performance in Aerobic–Anaerobic Transition Zones: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Álvaro Huerta Ojeda, Camila Tapia Cerda, María Fernanda Poblete Salvatierra, Guillermo Barahona-Fuentes, and Carlos Jorquera Aguilera. Nutrients (2020)
Effect of Supplements on Endurance Exercise in the Older Population: Systematic Review. Martínez-Rodríguez A, Cuestas-Calero BJ, Hernández-García M, Martíez-Olcina M, Vicente-Martínez M, Rubio-Arias JÁ. Int J Environ Res Public Health (2020)
Nutritional Strategies to Optimize Performanceand Recovery in Rowing Athletes. Kim J, Kim EK. Nutrients (2020)
The Impact of Preconditioning Strategies Designed to Improve 2000-m Rowing Ergometer Performance in Trained Rowers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Turnes T, Cruz RSO, Caputo F, De Aguiar RA. Int J Sports Physiol Perform (2019)
β-alanine supplementation to improve exercise capacity and performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Saunders B, Elliott-Sale K, Artioli GG, Swinton PA, Dolan E, Roschel H, Sale C, Gualano B. Br J Sports Med (2017)
Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on performance and muscle fatigue in athletes and non-athletes of different sports: a systematic review. Berti Zanella P, Donner Alves F, Guerini de Souza C. J Sports Med Phys Fitness (2017)
The effects of beta-alanine supplementation on performance: a systematic review of the literature. Quesnele JJ, Laframboise MA, Wong JJ, Kim P, Wells GD. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab (2014)
Effects of β-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis. Hobson RM, Saunders B, Ball G, Harris RC, Sale C. Amino Acids (2012)
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Who is Thomas Solomon?
My knowledge has been honed following 20+ years of running, cycling, hiking, cross-country skiing, lifting, and climbing, 15+ years of academic research at world-leading universities and hospitals, and 10+ years advising and coaching in athletic performance and lifestyle change.
I have a BSc in Biochemistry, a PhD in Exercise Science, and over 90 peer-reviewed publications in medical journals.
I'm also an ACSM-certified Exercise Physiologist (ACSM-EP), an ACSM-certified Personal Trainer (ACSM-CPT), a VDOT-certified Distance Running Coach, and a UKVRN Registered Nutritionist (RNutr).
Since 2002, I’ve conducted biomedical research in exercise and nutrition and have taught and led university courses in exercise physiology, nutrition, biochemistry, and molecular medicine.
And, with my personal experience of competing on the track (800m to 10,000m), the road (5 k to marathon), on the trails, and in the mountains, by foot, bicycle, cross-country ski, and during obstacle course races (OCR), I deeply understand what it's like to train and compete — I've been there, done it, and gotten sweat, mud, and tears on my t-shirt.
Disclaimer: I occasionally mention brands and products, but it is important to know that I don't sell recovery products, supplements, or ad space, and I'm not affiliated with / sponsored by / an ambassador for / receiving advertisement royalties from any brands. I have conducted biomedical research for which I’ve received research money from publicly-funded national research councils and medical charities, and also from private companies, including Novo Nordisk Foundation, AstraZeneca, Amylin, the A.P. Møller Foundation, and the Augustinus Foundation. I’ve also consulted for Boost Treadmills and Gu Energy on R&D grant applications, and I provide research and scientific writing services for Examine.com. Some of my articles contain links to information provided by Examine.com but I do not receive any royalties or bonuses from those links. Importantly, none of the companies described above have had any control over the research design, data analysis, or publication outcomes of my work. I research and write my content using state-of-the-art, consensus, peer reviewed, and published scientific evidence combined with my empirical evidence observed in practice and feedback from athletes. My advice is, and always will be, based on my own views and opinions shaped by the scientific evidence available. The information I provide is not medical advice. Before making any changes to your habits of daily living based on any information I provide, always ensure it is safe for you to do so and consult your doctor if you are unsure.