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Beta-alanine is a non-proteogenic amino acid that is naturally produced in the liver and obtained through the consumption of foods like poultry and meat. Although it has limited ergogenic properties by itself, beta-alanine serves as the rate-limiting precursor to carnosine synthesis, consistently increasing carnosine levels in human skeletal muscle. Supplementation with 4 to 6 g/day of beta-alanine has been shown to elevate muscle carnosine concentrations by up to 64% after 4 weeks and up to 80% after 10 weeks.

Beta-alanine is a component of pantothenic acid and a crucial amino acid in the biosynthesis of histidinyl antioxidant dipeptides like carnosine and anserine. It acts as a non-selective agonist at glycine receptors and a ligand for the G protein-coupled orphan receptor, TGR7 (MrgD). Additionally, beta-alanine plays a cytoprotective role by supporting osmotic stability in various organisms exposed to hypoxic stress.

In industries such as medicine, feed, food, and others, beta-alanine is utilized for synthesizing pantothenic acid, calcium pantothenate (a medicine and feed additive), carnosine, pamidronate sodium, and barley nitrogen. It is also employed in the production of plating corrosion inhibitors, serves as a biological reagent, and acts as an intermediate in organic synthesis.

As a non-essential amino acid, beta-alanine indirectly enhances performance in extremely high-intensity, short-duration exercises by potentially increasing intramuscular levels of carnosine. Carnosine acts as a buffer, delaying fatigue by mitigating acidosis during high-intensity exercise. The significance of carnosine in buffering capacity is underscored by its higher concentrations in athletes compared to the general population. Therefore, beta-alanine supplementation is considered a strategy to enhance the body's ability to buffer acidic concentrations during intense exercise, ultimately delaying fatigue.

InChI:InChI=1/C3H7NO2/c4-2-1-3(5)6/h1-2,4H2,(H,5,6)