Beta-alanine and exercise performance
What 6 graded rows on beta-alanine agree on for exercise performance, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the Beta-alanine page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the Beta-alanine page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
Beta-alanine and exercise performance
6 rows · 2,671 peopleMostly an improvement: 4 of 6 rows, and most of the people. 2 had mixed results.
- BGrade B× 3
- CGrade C× 2
- DGrade D× 1
- Rows
- 6
- Trials
- 37
- At least: a review without a trial count
- People
- 2,671
- Pooled reviews may count some twice
What the rows share
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade B, is a meta-analysis of 1,461 people (2017) and found an improvement.
The rows run from 44 to 1,461 people, published from 2012 to 2026: 5 pooled reviews and 1 single study.
The rows
4 improved · 2 mixed- BGrade BExercise capacity and performance · Improved
Meta-analysis · n 1,461 · 2017 · Healthy participants in 40 double-blind, placebo-controlled studies
Varied; total amount ingested did not moderate the effect · Varied across trials
Small overall benefit (effect size 0.18; 95% CI 0.08 to 0.28). Effects were larger for exercise capacity than for performance in 0.5-10 min tasks, and training status did not change the effect.
Row on the Beta-alanine page · PubMed 27797728 (opens PubMed)
- BGrade BExercise lasting 60-240 seconds · Improved
Meta-analysis · n 360 · 2012 · Participants in 15 published studies (174 beta-alanine, 186 placebo)
Median total of 179 g over the supplementation period · Varied across trials
Exercise lasting 60-240 s and >240 s improved vs placebo, but exercise under 60 s did not. The median improvement was 2.85%.
Row on the Beta-alanine page · PubMed 22270875 (opens PubMed)
- BGrade BMaximal-intensity efforts lasting 0.5-10 minutes in trained men · Improved
Meta-analysis, 18 studies · n 331 · 2024 · Trained men aged 18-40 in 18 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies
Varied; the 5.6-6.4 g/day subgroup showed an effect (effect size 0.35) · Varied; effect significant at 4 weeks
Overall effect size 0.39 (95% CI 0.09 to 0.69) in favour of beta-alanine. Effects were significant at 4 weeks of supplementation (0.34), for maximal efforts of 4-10 minutes (0.55) and at 5.6-6.4 g/day (0.35).
Row on the Beta-alanine page · PubMed 39032921 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DPhysical working capacity in older adults · Improved
RCT · n 44 · 2013 · Men and women around age 70 (mean 70.7)
800 or 1200 mg beta-alanine, twice per day, in a protein drink · 12 weeks
Physical working capacity at fatigue threshold rose 17.8% (800 mg) and 13.6% (1200 mg), significantly more than the drink alone; body composition and grip strength did not change.
Row on the Beta-alanine page · PubMed 23832078 (opens PubMed)
- CGrade CTime to exhaustion and other performance measures in women · Mixed
Meta-analysis, 11 studies · n 312 · 2026 · Women in 11 randomized controlled trials (12 reports)
As used in the pooled trials · Varied across trials
Time to exhaustion improved (8 studies, 187 women; SMD 0.49, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.79). Pooled effects on peak power, anaerobic performance, VO2max or VO2peak and body fat percentage were imprecise. Certainty of evidence was very low for every outcome.
Row on the Beta-alanine page · PubMed 42370349 (opens PubMed)
- CGrade CExercise capacity, strength and physical function in older adults · Mixed
Systematic review, 5 studies · n 163 · 2025 · Older adults (mean age 69.1) in 5 studies
2.4-3.2 g/day (mean 2.7 g/day) · Mean 11.7 weeks
Exercise capacity may improve at 2.4-3.2 g/day; muscle strength and functional performance did not appear to improve.
Row on the Beta-alanine page · PubMed 39724872 (opens PubMed)