β-Alanine

Background Information:

β-Alanine is a naturally occurring beta amino acid, which is an amino acid in which the amino group is attached to the β-carbon (i.e. the carbon two atoms away from the carboxylate group) instead of the more usual α-carbon for alanine (α-alanine). Levels of β-alanine limit the amount of carnosine, and it has been used frequently as a workout supplement to increase carnosine concentrations in muscle. This assists in building lean muscle mass, and can also improve physical functioning and performance. Some studies suggest that β-alanine and taurine are the primary agonists at hippocampal strychnine-sensitive glycine receptors, and that membrane transporters are critical in regulating their extracellular concentration.