Beta Alanine during fast?

[joe waguespack]

I have been taking Beta Alanine for a while now and it is definitely a great supplement for improving endurance during training, that I can attest to. I just read an article that says it can be converted to glucose in the liver and released to maintain blood sugar levels. Will this effect my fast? I usually take it in the morning and pre workout while I am fasting. Any thoughts or answers?

[Mike ODonnell]

Originally Posted by joe waguespack

I have been taking Beta Alanine for a while now and it is definitely a great supplement for improving endurance during training, that I can attest to. I just read an article that says it can be converted to glucose in the liver and released to maintain blood sugar levels. Will this effect my fast? I usually take it in the morning and pre workout while I am fasting. Any thoughts or answers?

Me thinks the whole purpose of a fast is to lower blood sugar levels, deplete muscle/liver glycogen and force the body to burn fat with no insulin.....kind of like having a gatorade before a workout....defeats the purpose of the fasted state workout (if that is your goal) and the resulting other health effects like increased autophagy post workout...but i have not researched the Beta Alanine enough to know how it really works....just more a guess on my part...

[joe waguespack]

Yeah, I've read a bunch on BA and this is the first I heard of this. I know that it is for maintaining intra-muscular carnosine and helps maintain proper PH. It's supposed to help buffer lactic acid's effects on muscle and delay fatigue. I had never heard that it was converted to glucose until this article. Just wondering.

[Mike ODonnell]

Best performance enhancing supplement I know of pre-workout while fasting is......coffee

[joe waguespack]

Can't argue there. IF has really made me appreciate the taste of good, strong black coffee.