β-Alanine supplementation and military performance

Abstract

During sustained high-intensity military training or simulated combat exercises, significant decreases in physical performance measures are often seen. The use of dietary supplements is becoming increasingly popular among military personnel, with more than half of the US soldiers deployed or garrisoned reported to using dietary supplements. β-Alanine is a popular supplement used primarily by strength and power athletes to enhance performance, as well as training aimed at improving muscle growth, strength and power. However, there is limited research examining the efficacy of β-alanine in soldiers conducting operationally relevant tasks. The gains brought about by β-alanine use by selected competitive athletes appears to be relevant also for certain physiological demands common to military personnel during part of their training program. Medical and health personnel within the military are expected to extrapolate and implement relevant knowledge and doctrine from research performed on other population groups. The evidence supporting the use of β-alanine in competitive and recreational athletic populations suggests that similar benefits would also be observed among tactical athletes. However, recent studies in military personnel have provided direct evidence supporting the use of β-alanine supplementation for enhancing combat-specific performance. This appears to be most relevant for high-intensity activities lasting 60–300 s. Further, limited evidence has recently been presented suggesting that β-alanine supplementation may enhance cognitive function and promote resiliency during highly stressful situations.

Evaluation of spatial memory and anti‐fatigue function of long‐term supplementation of β‐alanine and confirmation through cAMP‐PKA and apoptosis pathways in mice

“…The exogenous supplementation with β ‐A is considered to be an effective method for improvement of carnosine content in muscle [2]. β ‐A in the human body is mainly derived from food, and it is obtained mainly from fish and meat [3]. Supplementation with β ‐A has been shown to influence cycle capacity [4], ventilatory threshold, and fatigue time in humans [5].…”

Effects of Four Weeks of Beta-Alanine Supplementation Combined with One Week of Creatine Loading on Physical and Cognitive Performance in Military Personnel

“…The efficacy of BA and Cr supplementation individually are well documented to augment physical performance [20,26,31]; however, there is limited mixed evidence evaluating the effects of BA co-ingested with Cr. Furthermore, both Cr and BA may alter cognitive function.…”

Fragmented Dosing of β-alanine Induces A Body Weight-Independent Pharmacokinetic Response

“…L-carnosine, constituted by the α-amino acids L-histidine and its rate-limiting factor β-alanine, is a pluripotent dipeptide, as it functions as a cellular proton buffer, an antioxidant, a metal quencher and a Ca 2+ sensitizer [4]. In addition to the pronounced interest from the athletic community, chronic β-alanine supplementation has also been considered in, for example, elderly or soldiers [5,6].…”