Does beta-alanine improve exercise performance?
A little, for all-out efforts lasting 30 seconds to 10 minutes. A review of 18 trials in trained young men found a small gain; a trial of 5-second sprints found none.
What the studies found
“A significant (p = .01) result was observed with an overall effect size of 0.39 (95% confidence interval [CI] [0.09, 0.69]), in favor of beta-alanine supplementation versus placebo.”
“The results of this study clearly indicate that 5 weeks of BA supplementation provides no benefit for repeat sprint performance.”
The details
- What the trials used
- The review found effects at 5.6 to 6.4 g a day, and after 4 weeks of taking it. These are the doses studied, not advice on what to take.
- Who was studied
- Trained or physically active young men.
Before you try it
If you take any medicine or have a health condition, ask a pharmacist or doctor before adding a supplement. This page doesn’t link to any product.
How we checked this
This answer comes from one finding on our site, and that finding has been re-checked: each linked study was confirmed on PubMed and read against the finding’s grade, direction and study count. We then read every abstract ourselves on 7 November 2026 and wrote the answer from them, then checked it against recent reviews; the quotes above are copied word for word. If the finding changes, this answer is hidden until it is checked again. How we grade.