We all have a LOT going on in our lives. From work to relationships, personal finance, planning for the future, many sources of stress can damage our physical, mental, and emotional well-being and impede our ability to perform optimally.
While it can be easy to rely on unhealthy crutches like junk food or alcohol for stress relief, finding healthy, reliable ways to deal with our anxiety is always better.
According to research detailed by the National Institute of Health (NIH), Healthline, and the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, beta-alanine can offer a range of crucial health benefits – including stress relief.
Let’s explore this unique compound to better understand what it is, how it can benefit your general health, and why it might be your next ally in the battle against stress.
What is Beta-Alanine?
Beta-alanine is one of the 11 nonessential amino acids. Other examples include arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, and glutamic acid.
These amino acids are “inessential” because your body naturally produces them.
Conversely, essential amino acids – like histidine, isoleucine, and lysine – are ones your body cannot produce, meaning you have to get them from the food you eat.
The vast majority of these amino acids serve as building blocks in many of the 10,000 different proteins found throughout your body.
Thanks to amino acids, these proteins can help you:
- Digest Food
- Grow and Repair Essential Body Tissue
- Sustain Energy
- Balance Hormones
- Build Strong Muscles
However, beta-alanine is different. Instead of forming proteins, it:
- Produces carnosine, a molecule stored in skeletal muscle that aids physical performance by minimizing lactic acid accumulation
- Stimulates the brain’s expression of neurotrophins that boost cognition
The Physical Benefits of Beta-Alanine
If the body naturally produces beta-alanine, why do people take it as a supplement?
Excellent question!
Supplementation with beta-alanine is so prevalent among trainers and professional athletes because it helps your body perform intense exercises in two key ways:
Reduces Fatigue
According to research from reputable resources like the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the National Institute of Health (NIH), and the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, taking beta-alanine can be a great way to fight exercise-related fatigue.
The amino acid stimulates this effect by increasing your muscles’ carnosine levels, serving as an incredible buffer against lactic acids that block glucose breakdown (the body’s way of fueling during exercise) and lower your energy levels as a workout progresses.
Helps Build Muscle
Studies from the National Institute of Health (NIH), American College of Sports Medicine, and the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism all find that beta-alanine, alongside pre-workout supplements featuring creatine, can help you build strong, lean muscle.
According to the NIH, athletes that take creatine and beta-alanine together through supplements like Ultimate Nutrition’s Beta K Pre-workout saw “significantly greater strength improvements… [in] lean tissue accruement and body fat composition” than those who took creatine or a placebo.
Beta-Alanine for Stress Relief
Crucially, beta-alanine supplementation can also be a reliable, healthy way to reduce your stress levels for improved physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
While this potential beta-alanine benefit is less widely known than its influences on fatigue and exercise performance, it is nevertheless valuable and worth understanding.
Let’s take a closer look at exactly how this amino acid can help you de-stress to become the best version of yourself:
Increases Mental Stamina
Mental fatigue, which often develops into mental exhaustion, can lead to stress by triggering your sympathetic nervous system. This process can lead to unpleasant feelings of panic, worry, or anxiety.
According to well-cited research on beta-alanine’s influence on cognitive function, the amino acid “ameliorates fatigue… in mentally stressful situations,” a contention proven by rigorous study of subjects engaged in anxiety-inducing professions (like soldiers in combat zones).
Alongside a nutritious diet and regular exercise, beta-alanine supplementation may be a great way to fuel your mind to conquer life's challenges without succumbing to stress.
Balances Your Mood
Mood swings and stress are inextricably, frustratingly related. Stress can lead to poor moods; poor moods can lead to stress. Neither situation is desirable.
Fortunately, beta-alanine can help you balance your mood by calming your nerves and alleviating anxiety. NIH research suggests amino acid achieves this by increasing the expression of neurotrophins – proteins that regulate neuronal function – in your brain’s hippocampus.
With time and consistency, researchers believe this restoration of neurotrophins helps repair the mind’s ability to handle stressful situations without dramatic drops in mood.
Ultimate Nutrition’s Beta-Alanine
Here at Ultimate Nutrition, we dedicate ourselves to producing world-class supplements to boost your physical performance and help you get the best out of yourself. Our Beta-Alanine supplement, a part of our Platinum Series, offers precisely that.
This supplement is an ideal pre-workout boost that can maximize your physical potential by clearing your mind, delaying muscle fatigue, and increasing output in high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
This supplement pairs well with Ultimate Nutrition’s other pre-workout supplements – like our uber-popular Pre Gold.
Or you can also check out our Beta K pre-workout supplement, which combines beta-alanine and creatine to help you build lean muscle, fight lactic acid buildup, increase your power output, and boost your cognitive function.
Alongside a healthy meal plan, regular exercise, and responsible supplementation, Ultimate Nutrition DHEA is an excellent ally in pursuing a healthier, happier, fitter you.
Explore all of UN’s supplements HERE.