Beta-Alanine and Reduced Heart Rate

Research synthesisLow evidenceSmall effect3 studies · 0 beneficial · 3 neutral · 0 harmful

Across 3 studies, all reported neutral, small-sized effects of beta-alanine on reducing heart rate, with no statistically significant findings. The evidence is insufficient to support a beneficial effect; the most commonly studied dose was 6.4 g acutely or 45 mg/kg for athletes, but no consistent dose range emerged.

Studied populations: athletes (middle-distance runners, swimmers)

Caveats: Evidence base is small (only 3 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. Many of the included studies did not reach statistical significance — effect may be smaller than the predominant direction suggests.

Generated May 13, 2026

Doses used in studies

g/day: 6.4 (median 6.4, IQR 6.4–6.4) — 1 study
mg/kg/day: 45 (median 45, IQR 45–45) — 1 study

3 of 3 papersPopulation:

Effects of Different Dietary Supplements on Swimming Performance: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.
- 2024-12-26
- Systematic Review
- Nutrients 17(1)
- - Dongxiang Huang
  - Xiaobing Wang
  - Hideki Takagi
  - Shiwei Mo
  - Zhongzheng Wang
  - Daniel Hung-Kay Chow
  - Bo Huang
- PubMed: 39796467
- DOI: 10.3390/nu17010033
4 Insights on
- Reduced Heart Rate
- High evidence
- Rigorous Journal
No prominent differences were noted among the interventions in 50 m time, 200 m time, heart rate, and body mass.
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Significant
No
Effects of acute beta-alanine supplementation on post-exertion rating of per-ceived exertion, heart rate, blood lactate, and physical performance on the 6-minute race test in middle-distance runners.
- 2023-10-01
- RCT
- Nutricion hospitalaria 40(5)
- - Guillermo Barahona-Fuentes
  - Álvaro Huerta Ojeda
  - Sergio Galdames Maliqueo
  - María-Mercedes Yeomans-Cabrera
  - Carlos Jorquera Aguilera
- PubMed: 37073742
- DOI: 10.20960/nh.04432
4 Insights on
- Reduced Heart Rate
- High evidence
- Athletes
the analysis evidenced no significant differences at the end of 6-MRT for all variables
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Significant
No
Dose
30 mg·kg-1 (low dose) and 45 mg·kg-1 (high dose)
Effects of Acute Beta-Alanine Ingestion and Immersion-Plus-Exercise on Connectedness to Nature and Perceived Pain.
- 2021-07-31
- RCT
- International journal of environmental research and public health 18(15)
- - R W Salatto
  - Graham R McGinnis
  - Dustin W Davis
  - Bryson Carrier
  - Jacob W Manning
  - Mark DeBeliso
  - James W Navalta
- PubMed: 34360425
- DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18158134
4 Insights on
- Reduced Heart Rate
- High evidence
No difference in HR (p = 0.846)
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Significant
No
Dose
6.4 g

Beta-Alanine and Reduced Heart Rate

Effects of Different Dietary Supplements on Swimming Performance: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Effects of acute beta-alanine supplementation on post-exertion rating of per-ceived exertion, heart rate, blood lactate, and physical performance on the 6-minute race test in middle-distance runners.

Effects of Acute Beta-Alanine Ingestion and Immersion-Plus-Exercise on Connectedness to Nature and Perceived Pain.