The Study
High-dose beta-alanine supplementation for two weeks did not enhance intermittent endurance or sprint performance in trained futsal players
This study gave some athletes a supplement and others a fake one, then saw who ran better. It found no difference, so we can say this supplement didn't help these players in these tests. But it doesn't prove it won't help anyone else or under different conditions.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Scientists gave futsal players a daily powder for two weeks — some got beta-alanine, others got sugar powder — then tested how far they ran and how fast they sprinted.
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 568 / 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.
- 1Even though beta-alanine boosts a muscle buffer, it didn't help these trained players perform better in short bursts or recover faster during a sport that needs quick sprints and recovery.
- 2Both groups got better at running over two weeks, but the beta-alanine group didn't do any better than the sugar group.
- 3Sprint times, tiredness feelings, and blood lactate didn't change with beta-alanine.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
Year
2025
Authors
Hossein Miraftabi, Erfan Berjisian, Marzieh Nouri Dizicheh, A. Naderi, M. Bodaghi, Majid S. Koozehchian, Fatemeh Shabkhiz, Á. López-Samanés
Related Content
Claims (5)
Taking 12 grams of beta-alanine daily for two weeks does not change how much lactate builds up or is cleared from the blood during high-intensity intermittent exercise in trained futsal players, even though lactate levels rise from rest to after exercise in all cases.
Taking 12 grams of beta-alanine daily for two weeks does not change how fast trained futsal players can run a 30-meter sprint.
Taking 12 grams of beta-alanine daily for two weeks does not lower how hard athletes feel they are working during intense, stop-and-go exercise.
In trained futsal players, taking 12 grams of beta-alanine daily for two weeks does not improve endurance during short bursts of activity, sprint speed, lactate removal, or how hard they feel they are working, even though both the supplement and placebo groups improved over time.
Trained futsal players improved their intermittent endurance performance over two weeks whether or not they took beta-alanine, showing that the improvement came from training, not the supplement.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.