The Benefits Of CarnoSyn Beta-Alanine!
There’s beta-alanine, and then there’s CarnoSyn® Beta-Alanine! Let’s face it, beta-alanine is one of a handful of supplements that stand out from the rest. Why? One big reason is that it produces results you can feel. But, why use a generic version when you can use a premium quality branded version such as CarnoSyn Beta Alanine! This article will do a deep dive into this ingredient and find out just what makes this compound work. Ready? Then let’s get started!
What Is CarnoSyn® Beta Alanine?
CarnoSyn is a patented form of beta alanine. Like all branded ingredients, there are studies that back up its effectiveness. In fact, there are more than 55 studies that back up the effectiveness of CarnoSyn. Plus, it’s the only form of beta-alanine that is both internationally and nationally certified! That means it has been shown to be effective and completely safe.
In addition, it’s the only beta-alanine recognized by the FDA for New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) and Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS). For a supplement, any supplement, to have any level whatsoever of recognition by the FDA is a very impressive accomplishment. This is even more true when you consider the fact that the FDA pretty much always portrays supplements in a very negative light. (1)
What Is Standard Beta-Alanine?
It goes without saying that the majority of pre-workouts contain beta-alanine. I can only think of one or maybe two brands that don’t. Beta-alanine has become so common that it has become an expected pre-workout ingredient. However, most pre-workouts use standard (or, generic) beta-alanine. This type does not have the research and it is not a patented ingredient. Therefore, it will not be as effective or as pure as patented CarnoSyn beta alanine.
What Does Beta Alanine Do?
As many of you no doubt know, generally speaking beta-alanine extends exercise endurance by reducing the buildup of acid in the muscles. This reduces fatigue thereby allowing you to knock out more reps.
But there’s a little more to it, so let’s take a look at how it works.
First of all, it needs to be understood that beta-alanine is a non-proteinogenic (is not involved in the creation of protein) non-essential amino acid that’s produced naturally by the body. The combination of beta-alanine and the amino acid histidine create carnosine, which is a dipeptide. To clarify, a dipeptide is exactly what the name suggests, a bond of two amino acids.
So, we see that beta-alanine and histidine create carnosine. Now, as you may know, the main role of carnosine is to buffer the buildup of lactic acid and muscle fatigue, improving endurance and recovery. Therefore, beta-alanine works indirectly by stimulating more carnosine production.
One note about the natural production of carnosine. Natural production does not create levels high enough to be very effective. That’s the main reason you should use beta-alanine to buffer acid buildup. As noted, the buffering effect extends your strength and power during your workouts allowing you to get more reps than you could get otherwise.
An Example
Let’s look at an example. We’ll use chest day. Let’s say your exercises are bench presses, incline bench presses and the seated dip machine (a personal favorite). We will say you’re doing 5 working sets of each exercise for 6-8 reps each set. You’re smart, you warm up thoroughly, you train your working sets heavy and implement progressive overload. You also perform your reps explosively, with a slower negative and a pause in the fully stretched position.
You start your work sets strong but begin to get a little tired after bench presses, and no doubt inclines will take a little more out of you. By the time you get done with the dip machine, you will be very fatigued, sore, and ready to call it a day. But, maybe you missed some of your reps. Do you think you could have done a better job on your last couple sets?
Now, here’s the difference CarnoSyn beta-alanine makes. This compound will help you hit those missed reps. As noted, you will be able to knock out a few more reps than you could otherwise. This means that you can maintain your strength levels longer than you previously thought. It should be obvious that the more strength you have, the more effective reps you can do leading to a more productive workout.
How CarnoSyn® Beta-Alanine Benefits You
Generic beta-alanine and CarnoSyn beta-alanine have the same benefits, but, as we have seen, CarnoSyn is more effective in providing them to hard-training lifters. These benefits include:
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Increased Carnosine Production Which Reduces The Buildup Of Lactic Acid.
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Extended In The Gym Endurance
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Increased Strength And Power, Which Leads To More Growth.
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Enhanced Focus And Clarity – This May Not Be A Benefit You’d Usually Attribute To Beta-Alanine
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Improved Post-Workout Recovery
In addition increased carnosine from beta-alanine supplementation provides the following benefits, even if you do not work out:
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Promotes Cognitive Health & Function
- Supports Bone Health
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Enhances Immune System Health & Function
- Supports Heart Health
Is Branded CarnoSyn® Better Than Generic Beta Alanine?
As suggested, there’s always going to be a big difference between the quality of a branded ingredient and a generic version. To put it bluntly, the quality and effectiveness of generic beta-alanine does not come close to a patented beta-alanine such as the CarnoSyn brand.
Of course, the makers of generic beta-alanine will say their products are exactly the same, just as pure, and that it has the same level of effectiveness.
But, here’s the thing. These types of claims are not FDA-backed, and generic beta alanine does not have the research behind it. On the other hand, CarnoSyn beta alanine has quite a few studies (over 55, as noted above) to prove it, plus it has 19 global patents!
The Dreaded Side Effect – Why Beta-Alanine Makes You Tingle And Itch?
I’m sure that pretty much every lifter has used a pre-workout that contained beta-alanine. And I’m just as sure that when you did, the first thing you noticed not too long after taking it was an itching and tingling sensation. Let’s be clear – for some it’s unpleasant, and some won’t use a pre-workout with beta-alanine because of it, but it’s a harmless, temporary effect.
Why Does This Happen?
Why this side effect happens is not completely clear, but you shouldn’t let it keep you from using an otherwise good pre-workout. First, just drink a glass or two of water, and that helps the effect pass. Second, the tingling and itching tells you your pre-workout is beginning to kick in. That means you better be getting ready to train.
On the other side of the coin, I advise not to switch to a pre-workout with under-dosed beta-alanine (unless you just can’t deal with it). But remember, the clinical dose ranges from 3.2 grams up to 6.4 grams (that’s right, 3.2 grams is the low end!) Therefore, don’t use anything less.
For pre-workouts containing the full dose of CarnoSyn beta-alanine, I suggest the following:
Cellucor C4 Ultimate X WWE pre-workout – This is a comprehensive, well-balanced pre-workout with the full 3.2 dose of CarnoSyn.
For pre-workouts containing a lower dose of CarnoSyn beta-alanine, I suggest the following:
Kaged Pre-Workout – Bear in mind you can use 2 scoops and get the full 3.2 grams of CarnoSyn, as well as double of everything else.
Cellucor C4 Original – You can’t really double the dose on this one due to the caffeine content, so this is strictly for those lifters that do not want to use the full clinical dose.
What Other Supplements Work Well With CarnoSyn?
Since the vast majority of lifters use CarnoSyn as an ingredient in their pre-workout, you can stack anything you want to with the pre-workout of your choice. I would start with protein, such as Hi-Tech Precision Protein. This is in a class by itself because it releases the powerful amino acid leucine in the early stages of protein synthesis. That means muscle growth is more likely to happen than with other powders.
Creatine
Next, I would add creatine monohydrate, such as AllMax Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate. As it happens, the makers of CarnoSyn feel their beta-alanine works very well with creatine. Not to mention, creatine has a host of benefits and the extended research to back it up.
Multi-Vitamin
Finally, I would add a multi-vitamin, such as Universal Animal Pak. This super-complete vitamin pack covers all of your basic nutritional needs, and much, much more.
While you can use any number of other supplements, the three mentioned here, and your Pre, are cornerstone products. For me, this is a non-negotiable stack.
CarnoSyn® Beta-Alanine Clinical Studies
CarnoSyn beta-alanine has several studies supporting its effectiveness, and there’s a number of studies that show supplementing with beta-alanine increases muscle carnosine levels. (2)
Here’s one example.
CarnoSyn Study #1: Parameters
This study was published in the Journal “Nutrients” that gave test subjects a single dose of 5g beta-alanine per day over a 10 week period. In addition, the test subjects were engaged in an intense resistance training program during this time. For clarification, “Nutrients” is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal of human nutrition published semimonthly online by MDPI.
The Results
At the end of the 10 weeks, test subjects who were given beta-alanine saw an increase of muscle carnosine concentrations by as much as 80 percent.
Use CarnoSyn® Before Your Workout
CarnoSyn beta-alanine, or any form of beta-alanine, should be taken with your pre-workout for optimal results. A pre-workout that does not contain beta-alanine will not be as effective as one that does. Believe me, you will see a difference when it comes to knocking out more reps.
Should You Use CarnoSyn® Beta-Alanine On Your Off Days?
While you can take CarnoSyn on your off-days if you want, it’s designed to be used in conjunction with an intense training program. It’s part of your pre-workout (or should be) so you don’t have to worry about missing a dose.
Summary
If you aren’t using a pre-workout containing CarnoSyn® beta-alanine, it’s time to give it a shot. You’ve got several options to choose from. All that’s left is to stop by illpumpyouup.com/ and grab yours – don’t wait, do it today!
References:
- Beta-Alanine | Beta-Alanine Resource Guide (carnosyn.com)
- Effects of β-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis (nih.gov)