Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on body composition: a GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACT

Purpose

Previous studies have suggested that beta-alanine supplementation may benefit exercise performance, but current evidence regarding its effects on body composition remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effects of beta-alanine supplementation on body composition indices.

Methods

Online databases, including PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase, were searched up to April 2021 to retrieve randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which examined the effect of beta-alanine supplementation on body composition indices. Meta-analyses were carried out using a random-effects model. The I² index was used to assess the heterogeneity of RCTs.

Results

Among the initial 1413 studies that were identified from electronic databases search, 20 studies involving 492 participants were eligible. Pooled effect size from 20 studies indicated that beta-alanine supplementation has no effect on body mass (WMD: −0.15 kg; 95% CI: −0.78 to 0.47; p = 0.631, I² = 0.0%, p = 0.998), fat mass (FM) (WMD: −0.24 kg; 95% CI: −1.16 to 0.68; p = 0.612, I² = 0.0%, p = 0.969), body fat percentage (BFP) (WMD: −0.06%; 95% CI: −0.53 to 0.40; p = 0.782, I² = 0.0%, p = 0.936), and fat-free mass (FFM) (WMD: 0.05 kg; 95% CI: −0.71 to 0.82; p = 0.889, I² = 0.0%, p = 0.912). Subgroup analyses based on exercise type (resistance training [RT], endurance training [ET], and combined training [CT]), study duration (<8 and ≥8 weeks), and beta-alanine dosage (<6 and ≥6 g/d) demonstrated similar results. Certainty of evidence across outcomes ranged from low to moderate.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis study suggests that beta-alanine supplementation is unlikely to improve body composition indices regardless of supplementation dosage and its combination with exercise training. No studies have examined the effect of beta-alanine combined with both diet and exercise on body composition changes as the primary variable. Therefore, future studies examining the effect of the combination of beta-alanine supplementation with a hypocaloric diet and exercise programs are warranted.

KEYWORDS:

• beta-alanine
• body composition
• meta-analysis
• systematic review

Availability of supporting data

Data sharing is applicable.

Authors’ contributions

DAL and RB conceived and designed the research. DAL and conducted experiments. DAL and RB contributed new reagents or analytical tools. OA analyzed data. DAL, RB, and MG wrote the manuscript. AW, RB, KS, and JRS revised the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

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Consent for publication

We agree with publications after acceptance in JISSN.

Disclosure statement

Jeffrey R. Stout has conducted industry-sponsored research on creatine and other nutraceuticals over the past 25 years. Further, Jeffrey R. Stout has also received financial support for presenting the science of various nutraceuticals, like beta-alanine, at industry-sponsored scientific conferences

Ethical Approval and Consent to participate

This is a review study, and there was no consent to participate.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported that there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.