Vegan diets are missing key muscle-building functionalities of beta-alanine, flag researchers

02 Jun 2022 --- The muscle-building beta amino acid beta-alanine is largely missing from vegan diets, according to nutritional science specialist Natural Alternatives International Europe (NAIE). The compound has been found to be essential in sustaining both brain function and muscle repair and maintenance.

The company’s patented beta-alanine CarnoSyn is marketed as the only patented, vegan beta-alanine proven to increase muscle carnosine – a dipeptide molecule found in the muscles and brain, made up of amino acids – and improve performance when consumed at 3.2 to 6.4 g per day.

“CarnoSyn is our own patented product that offers several benefits with two main applications, sports nutrition and wellness. It helps enhance mental focus, build muscles better and faster, prolonging endurance, and improving recovery,” speaking to NutritionInsight from the showfloor of PLMA’s World of Private Label exhibition held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

“Over 50, you start to lose your muscle mass. By taking this you can stay fit for longer, workout longer and prolong the general functionality of your body. It’s produced by our partner from Japan, it’s very pure and there is no risk of contamination from heavy metals.”

CarnoSyn beta-alanine is commonly found in powder form, usually as a pre-or post-workout supplement. Its particle size distribution is appropriate for most powder formulations and is easily dissolved in water and other liquids.

The nutritional compound is also available in the convenient delivery systems of gummy supplements, chewable tablets and capsules.

Beta-alanine is a naturally occurring amino acid that supports both muscle carnosine synthesis in the body as well as brain health.Filling nutritional gaps in vegan diets
Beta-alanine is a naturally occurring amino acid that supports muscle carnosine synthesis in the body. It combines with the amino acid histidine to form the dipeptide called carnosine. 

Over time, carnosine acts as a buffer to help delay the onset of lactic acid (pH decline) and muscle fatigue and failure while building endurance and improving recovery.

Since meat, poultry and fish are the highest dietary sources of beta-alanine, NAIE highlights that vegetarian athletes have an even greater need to supplement beta-alanine levels. 

“Therefore, it is vital for those with vegan or vegetarian dietary restrictions to supplement with beta-alanine to ensure healthy carnosine levels,” the company underscores.

“Elevated muscle carnosine levels can extend endurance, speed recovery, build muscle strength, sharpen mental focus and enhance peak performance.”

Sustained and instant release formats
CarnoSyn is available in two different forms – instant release and sustained release – offering two ways to dose. The sustained release SR CarnoSyn offers the same benefits as instant release CarnoSyn, but helps minimize paresthesia while extending absorption.

When used in tandem, the combination of instant release and sustained release gives athletes the ability to stack their dosing for higher quantities of beta-alanine and even more performance gains.

CarnoSyn beta-alanine has been the subject of more than 55 scientific studies.

According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), evaluating the existing body of beta-alanine research suggests improvements in exercise performance with more pronounced effects on activities lasting one to four minutes; improvements in neuromuscular fatigue, particularly in older subjects, and potential benefits in tactical personnel.

For maximum results, NAIE suggests supplementing with 3.2 to 6.4 g per day.Other studies have shown that beta-alanine supplementation can increase the number of repetitions one can do, increase lean body mass, increase knee extension torque, and increase training volume.

“The effectiveness of your beta-alanine supplement depends on your dosage. To see the benefits of beta-alanine, load a minimum of 90 g over a 28-day period,” highlights NAIE.

“For increased benefits, we recommend supplementing with a minimum of 90 g up to a maximum 179 g over a 28-day period (or 3.2 to 6.4 g per day).”

Highs and lows of plant-powered nutrition
Plant-based diets are on the rise, even among top athletes. Specifically, in online retail, “plant-based” just saw a 199% year-over-year growth, NAIE highlights.

In 2022, projections show an increase in the plant-based protein market from US$13.18 billion to US$14.58 billion, NAIE reveals. The market is anticipating a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.6% in 2022 and 9.9% by 2026. 

That does not mean a vegan diet can’t give you the fuel your body needs, the company concedes. It concludes that plant-based diets can still provide greater health benefits than omnivorous diets in reducing inflammation, improving recovery, and lowering the risk factors for chronic disease. 

“Plant-based diets are consistently better at reducing body fat and increasing effective glycogen storage, vascular flow and tissue oxygenation,” NAIE adds.

“In addition, by consuming large quantities of plants rich in antioxidants, you can boost cellular recovery and reduce oxidative damage.”

Plant-based supplement launches have expanded this year to include an array of joint health supplements, vegan capsules and pediatric nutrition.

By Benjamin Ferrer