The Study
Incremental effects of 28 days of beta-alanine supplementation on high-intensity cycling performance and blood lactate in masters female cyclists
This study is like a fair test where half the women took a supplement and half took sugar pills, and then they all rode bikes until they were tired. The ones who took the supplement lasted longer and recovered faster. So we can say the supplement probably helped — but only for these specific women.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Older women who took a daily supplement called beta-alanine for a month could cycle harder and longer without getting as tired, and their muscles cleared waste better after exercise.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 561 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — this means they could push harder during short, intense efforts like sprinting or climbing hills, which matters for competitive cycling or daily fitness.
- 2After 28 days, women who took beta-alanine cycled 23% longer and did 21% more total work.
- 3Their blood lactate dropped 24% during recovery.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Amino Acids
Year
2015
Authors
J. Glenn, M. Gray, R. Stewart, N. Moyen, S. Kavouras, R. Dibrezzo, R. Turner, J. Baum
Related Content
Claims (7)
Female athletes who take beta-alanine supplements can exercise longer before becoming exhausted.
Taking beta-alanine improves performance during high-intensity exercise lasting 1 to 4 minutes, especially when the exercise continues until exhaustion.
In women aged 50 and older, taking 3.2 grams of beta-alanine daily for 28 days increases time to exhaustion by 23% and total work completed by 21% during high-intensity cycling at 120% VO2max compared to a placebo.
In women aged 50 and older, beta-alanine supplementation improves performance during high-intensity cycling and speeds up lactate clearance, but does not improve other types of exercise or benefit other groups.
In women aged 50 and older, taking beta-alanine for 28 days lowers blood lactate levels by 24% during passive recovery after intense cycling at 120% of VO2max, reflecting increased capacity to clear lactate from the blood.
In women aged 50 and older, taking beta-alanine for up to 21 days does not improve how long they can cycle at high intensity or how much total work they complete during the workout. Improvements in performance only occur after 28 days of daily use.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.