Beta-Alanine Tingles: Causes and How to Treat It
Beta-alanine enhances your endurance and power during exercise and muscle building. It’s an amino acid that connects with histidine to produce carnosine. The carnosine slows down the production of lactic acid, allowing you to exercise more. However, it causes a nuisance-tingling feeling. Knowing its cause and how to treat it will help you achieve the optimal benefits of beta-alanine.
What causes beta-alanine tingling
Beta-alanine supplements have all the admirable benefits. One of the adverse effects of beta-alanine is tingling. Tingling may be due to beta-alanine activating g-protein receptors. The receptors are responsible for transmitting signals throughout your central nervous system. Other factors include:
- Ethnicity: depending on your ethnicity, you could experience more tingling than others.
- Sex: Tingling is more frequent in female than male athletes.
- Body size: You’ll experience more itching than those weighing more than you when taking the exact dosage.
- Dosage: The amount of dose you take determines the level of tingling. High doses result in more tingling than low doses.
How long might the tingling last?
Tingling is a temporary side effect that vanishes in approximately less than 30 minutes. You’ll be able to get back into your activities sooner, depending on your paresthesia.
Is beta-alanine itching a health concern?
Beta-alanine is a naturally occurring amino acid in your body. Its supplementations are safe and beneficial to athletes and workout enthusiasts. However, many have concerns about tingling and itching that results from beta-alanine.
The good news is that tingling has not dangerous to your health. It won’t cause you problems, and it is not a sign of a severe problem. In reality, tingling is as it feels, annoying and uncomfortable, and you should worry too much.
Other effects of beta-alanine may include a reduction in plasma and muscle-free histidine availability.
Alternative to finding beta-alanine
Your body naturally produces beta-alanine. However, you can obtain it through your diet. Food sources that contain beta-alanine include:
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Beef
- Pork
- Fish
How to treat the tingling
The intensity and duration of tingling depend on the dosing. If you’re a consistent beta-alanine user, the feeling will vanish quickly compared to a first-time beta-alanine user. But if you experience tingling from your supplements, you should consult your doctor before increasing or continuing with the dose.
The tingling can make you uncomfortable, and hard to get used to it. You’ll need to minimize by using the dosage or splitting it effectively. Using a smaller amount will alleviate the itching or treat it. You will take the same carnosine levels in a day and not much to cause itching in one dose.
Alternatively, you can use a sustained-release beta-alanine product instead of regular supplementation. The products are designed to release beta-alanine into your body from a single dose slowly. You’ll achieve a high beta-alanine intake without exceptionally high spikes.
Also, you can take beta-alanine during the day instead of at night. Taking it during the day will result in fewer muscle sensations and breathing difficulties. However, consult your doctors because it is possible for some people to experience intense muscle sensations and breathing difficulties when they take it at night.
Final thoughts
Beta-alanine is among the most used sports supplements. It has outstanding abilities to enhance performance and overall health. However, the benefits don’t come without paresthesia to some users. Though it’s harmless and temporally, tingling is unpleasant. The above information will help you know its causes and how to prevent and treat them.
