The Claim

Beta-alanine supplementation at a dose of 3.2 g/day for one week followed by 6.4 g/day for four to five weeks improves 100-meter and 200-meter swimming time-trial performance by 2.1% and 2.0%, respectively, in competitive swimmers.

Source: The ergogenic effect of beta-alanine combined with sodium bicarbonate on high-intensity swimming performance.

What the research says

Supports is higher

Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.

Supports
38score
Challenges
0score

These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.

Quantitative
1 study reviewed
In plain English

Competitive swimmers who take beta-alanine at 3.2 grams per day for one week and then 6.4 grams per day for four to five weeks swim 100 meters 2.1% faster and 200 meters 2.0% faster than before.

See the scientific wording

Beta-alanine supplementation at a dose of 3.2 g/day for one week followed by 6.4 g/day for four to five weeks improves 100-meter and 200-meter swimming time-trial performance by 2.1% and 2.0%, respectively, in competitive swimmers, suggesting a performance benefit for short-duration, high-intensity aquatic events.

Why this might work

Beta-alanine enters muscle cells and combines with another molecule to form carnosine, which soaks up acid produced during hard swimming. This keeps the muscle environment less acidic, allowing muscles to keep contracting forcefully for longer, which makes swimmers faster in short races.

Supported mechanismbased on 1 study

What the research says

1 study
  1. Study: The ergogenic effect of beta-alanine combined with sodium bicarbonate on high-intensity swimming performance.

    This study found that swimmers who took beta-alanine for five weeks got about 2% faster in short races, just like the claim said. The improvement was real and not due to chance.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

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