Beta Alanine is a beta amino acid which raises muscle carnosine levels1. Carnosine helps to buffer the increase in hydrogen ions (H+) caused by the rise in lactate during high intensity exercise. These hydrogen ions cause the pH of the muscle to drop thus causing enzymes that produce muscular contractions to stop functioning as effectively. An increase in carnosine means an increase in the clearing rate of these hydrogen ions, leading to a safe and effective increase in exercise performance2. A variety of studies have shown that Beta Alanine supplementation leads to an increase in exercise performance in both men and women, with improvements on markers of strength, power and VO2 max3. 1. Harris, R.C., Tallon, M.J., Dunnett, M., Boobis, L., Coakley, J., Kim, H.J., Fallowfield, J.L., Hill, C.A., Sale, C., & Wise, J.A. (2006) The absorbtion of orally supplied beta-alanine and its effects on muscle carnosine synthesis in human vastus lateralis. Amino Acids, 3, 279-89 2. Derave, W., Ozdemir, M.S., Harris, R.C., Pottier, A., Reyngoudt, H., Koppo, K., Wise, J.A., & Achten, E. (2007). Beta-Alanine supplementation augments muscle carnosine content and attenuates fatigue during repeated isokentic contraction bouts in trained sprinters. J Appl Physiol, 5, 1736-43 3. Stout, J.R., Cramer, J.T., Zoeller, R.F., Torok, D., Costa, P., Hoffman, J.R., Harris, R.C., & O’Kroy, J. (2006). Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on the onset of neuromuscular fatigue and ventilatory threshold in women. Amino Acids, 3, 381-6.