Beta-alanine, a key ingredient in Beachbody Performance Energize, has garnered attention as a supplement in recent years for its potential to improve athletic performance, delay muscle fatigue, and increase overall endurance. However, some people experience a strange side effect of beta-alanine supplementation: itching or tingling.
“The sensation is often described as feeling needles under the skin, which can be a bit nerve-wracking for people who have never used beta-alanine before,” says Elliot Reimers, M.D., a NASM-certified nutrition coach.
“There’s a misconception that this might be dangerous or that it might somehow cause long-term damage to nerves or muscles, but that’s just not true,” even at high doses.
Why does taking beta-alanine cause tingling?
While scientists and researchers don’t have a definitive answer as to what causes beta-alanine’s tingling sensation (thought to be a type of paresthesia), there is evidence to support one main hypothesis, says Melissa Morris, MD, M.D., an ACSM-certified exercise physiologist and ISSN-certified sports nutritionist.
Her theory is that beta-alanine activates G-protein-coupled receptors that are responsible for transmitting signals throughout the central nervous system, but especially on the skin.
In other words, the amino acid stimulates the nerve endings that give beta-alanine that tingling and itching sensation, but not enough to cause actual pain.
Keep in mind that this is a side effect, not a primary benefit, adds Morris: “Beta-alanine works at a cellular level to prevent the pH in muscles from becoming too acidic, which can lead to fatigue. So beta-alanine delays neuromuscular fatigue, which benefits performance. The itching and tingling is just a part of the journey to getting the benefits.”
How long does the beta-alanine tingling sensation last?
The length of time you feel the tingling sensation varies from person to person. Some people only experience the sensation for a few minutes, some for an hour, and some never, says Reimers.
After taking it, you’ll experience a tingling sensation in your neck, shoulders, and arms that starts about 15 minutes after taking it, says Jamie Hickey, an ISSA-certified nutritionist and personal trainer. For most people, the sensation starts to fade within 30 minutes, he adds.
Can beta-alanine stop the itch?
If you’ve been taking beta-alanine as a pre-workout supplement for a while and just can’t get used to the tingling sensation, there are ways to minimize it, or you may even be able to stop it completely.
Reimers advises that the main strategy is to split your dose: Instead of taking a big dose all at once right before you hit the gym, he suggests taking smaller doses throughout the day, which should significantly reduce the tingling sensation caused by beta-alanine.
You could also try lowering your dosage and see if you still get results in terms of athletic performance without the itching.
Hickey believes it’s worth the trouble to experiment with how to use beta-alanine most effectively, and he believes beta-alanine supplements live up to their reputation.
“Most supplements on the market are over-hyped and useless,” he says, “but beta-alanine stands out as one of the few products that continues to show solid scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness in helping athletes and bodybuilders reach their fitness goals. And that’s worth a little boost.”
