The effect of β-alanine supplementation on high intensity cycling capacity in normoxia and hypoxia.

The availability of dietary beta-alanine (BA) is the limiting factor in carnosine synthesis within human muscle due to its low intramuscular concentration and substrate affinity. Carnosine can accept hydrogen ions (H), making it an important intramuscular buffer against exercise-induced acidosis. Metabolite accumulation rate increases when exercising in hypoxic conditions, thus an increased carnosine concentration could attenuate H build-up when exercising in hypoxic conditions.