Beta Alanine and Sports PT

Many sports physics and athletic trainers ask me what supplements can help enhance performance or recovery. Obviously good nutrition and sleep are vital, but creatine and an amino acid called beta-alanine may offer some benefits. Listen to our newest video here to learn more:

(0:00) Hi, Dr. Wells here from St. Augustine Beach. Hope you're having a great day. (0:05) I'm just here to talk a little bit about beta-alanine (0:07) supplementation.

 (0:08) Beta-alanine is a amino acid. It's often used in sports and used as supplementation to help improve (0:16) endurance. (0:17) A meta-analysis showed that it does in fact increase endurance by 2.85 percent.

 (0:24) Typical supplementation (0:26) is usually around 6 grams four times a day, (0:29) so about 1.5 grams per. If you do a little bit more than that, (0:33) you actually can risk getting some numbness and tingling in the hands and feet. (0:36) So this could definitely be a tool for some of our athletes that are looking for that slight edge.

 (0:41) In the end, beta-alanine can help increase carnosine, (0:45) the amino acid that helps with acid base buffering, particularly in the muscles and brain. (0:50) There may be some effects on aging and other factors, (0:53) but the studies on those are still kind of weak and in review. (0:57) So anyhow, if you know athletes, if you're a sports PT, this might be something you're interested in.

 (1:01) We talked a little bit about this supplement and more in our nutritional courses for PTs. (1:05) Check them out and have a great day.

If you'd like, go check that out, but check out the article, and check out our (1:10) courses, and have a great day.

If you like what you see here then know there is more in our 3 board-approved continuing education courses on Nutrition specific for Physical Therapists. Enroll today in our new bundled course offering and save 20%, a value of $60!

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Keywords: PT education, endurance PT, beta alanine, supplementation, performance PT, exercise physiology, sports science, evidence-based practice, running PT, cycling PT

Image Credit: Photo by Guto Macedo: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-man-with-supplements-13013751/