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ranked #22,963 most helpful
out of 571,544,897 reviews
★★★★★
Great brand, good product, MAKE SURE you get your dosing right
Caution:
Taking this in large doses will cause mild to severe flushing and tingling of the skin, most commonly the forehead, arms and hands, or back. If you experience this, know that it's common, temporary, and you're going to be okay. But, most importantly, it is avoidable. Read the "how to take" section for more.
About the product:
Bulk Supplements is a great brand. Look at their average review across all their products. Few can compete. I've had no complaints with this product, and it came exactly as advertised, which has been true for all of my purchases from their line. Other products by this brand have been quality-tested by third party organizations like LabDoor, and all have exceeded their promises. One thing worth doing is explaining how to work with their products, so here's a short guide
-The bags use press-to-seal ziploc, which is not ideal for multiple accesses. I recommend transferring portions of the powder to a mason jar or similar container, using the bag for long-term storage.
-There is no scoop provided, because they don't do dosing. What IS provided is a measurement to concentration table. The label gives you measurements in increments of teaspoons (1tsp = 5ml). It's easy to miss and very handy.
How (and why) to take beta-alanine:
Take 3.2grams per day, taken as either four doses of 800mg or three doses of 1.1g (1100mg), spaced out by at least three hours. The time of day does not matter, and it is irrelevant to take it pre-, post-, or mid-workout. At any given time, it only matters if you have taken it consistently for a week or two. Take it in 800mg doses for one week before trying 1.1g doses to get your body used to it. It's been found that almost all people tolerate 800mg, but most will handle a slightly higher dose without the prickling feeling. I personally take 1.1g without noticeable effects. It takes one to two weeks to reach peak efficacy, and you will lose the performance benefits two to three weeks after you stop taking it. More information and the reasons for this dosing can be found below.
I do a meta-analysis of every supplement I consider taking. The information below is up to date via peer-reviewed, vetted studies sourced July 1st 2018.
The realistic, studied doses are 3-3.5 grams per day and ~6 grams per day. There has been no difference in results between the two, so my dosing recommendations will be targeted at and just above 3 grams per day. There is no reason to believe lower doses are ineffective, but they have not been studied. Both doses have been found to increase muscle concentration of carnosine and to improve performance in mid-high intensity, mid-high duration activities. Think long sprints, HIIT, swimming, and drop sets. Effect has been observed in general (think resistance training) activities, but it's too early for certainty.
Muscle carnosine levels have been found to be highly diet related, so supplementing is very unlikely to cause long-term change. Specifically, vegetarians (which implies vegans also - the significant aspect is the lack of meat in their diet) have chronically lower carnosine levels. It has not been studied, but it is simple to predict beta-alanine supplementation may be even more valuable to non-meat eating groups. Carnosine levels following the end of beta-supplementation have steadily reverted to baseline values across multiple studies. It's only effective while you take it.
At 800mg per dose, beta-alanine has consistently shown no prickling or flushing side effects. This number was chosen arbitrarily by researchers, and the only hard data about what doses WILL consistently cause side effects is anything 3g or more in a small time frame. Many will tolerate a larger (than 800mg) dose, but how much larger remains to be seen.
If you have any questions, you may reply to my comment and I will do my best to answer and make clear the limitations of my knowledge. The disturbing presence of naturalists, broscientists, and other homeopathic charlatans is something I'm willing to spend my time working against.
July 2018 · Health and Household · verified purchase