HIGH-VELOCITY INTERMITTENT RUNNING: EFFECTS OF BETA-ALANINE SUPPLEMENTATION

Smith-Ryan, AE, Fukuda, DH, Stout, JR, and Kendall, KL. High-velocity intermittent running: effects of beta-alanine supplementation. J Strength Cond Res 26(10): 2798-2805, 2012-The use of beta-alanine in sport is widespread. However, the effects across all sport activities are inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of beta-alanine supplementation on high-intensity running performance and critical velocity (CV) and anaerobic running capacity (ARC). Fifty recreationally trained men were randomly assigned, in a double-blind fashion, to a beta-alanine group (BA, 2 x 800 mg tablets, 3 times daily; CarnoSyn; n = 26) or placebo group (PL, 2 x 800 mg maltodextrin tablets, 3 times daily; n = 24). A graded exercise test (GXT) was performed to establish peak velocity (PV). Three high-speed runs to exhaustion were performed at 110, 100, and 90% of PV, with 15 minutes of rest between bouts. The distances achieved were plotted over the time to exhaustion (TTE). Linear regression was used to determine the slope (CV) and gamma-intercept (ARC) of these relationships to assess aerobic and anaerobic performances, respectively. There were no significant treatment effects (p > 0.05) on CV or ARC for either men or women. Additionally, no TTE effects were evident for bouts at 90-110% PV lasting 1.95-5.06 minutes. There seems to be no ergogenic effect of beta-alanine supplementation on CV, ARC, or high-intensity running lasting approximately 2-5 minutes in either men or women in the current study.