Beta-alanine is a popular, natural pre-workout supplement that boosts the existing levels of beta-alanine already in your body, giving you improved endurance and muscle-building for a short period of time. For all of its benefits, though, there are times when using beta-alanine can cause a ‘beta-alanine itch.’
Why does beta-alanine make you itch? and is it actually dangerous or just an annoyance? If you get it, how do you get rid of it? Here are the basics on how to manage a beta-alanine-caused itch if you suddenly have to deal with one.
What Causes The Itch?
Beta-alanine is a regular chemical inside your body, meaning that you will always have some inside you, even If you are not relying on supplements. It combines with histidine to create a new substance called carnosine, which is responsible for things like improved physical performance and reduce fatigue.
Of course, this means that your body has a normal, stable range of beta-alanine that it is used to. Unlike many artificial supplements, you are not introducing a new chemical to your body that does not already exist. Instead, you are adding more of it.
This can sometimes mean that beta-alanine begins to activate specific neurons in your body, including the ones that cause the famous beta-alanine itch. As long as these neurons keep firing, it will cause a tingling or itching sensation in your skin with no apparent cause, a problem known as paresthesia.
Is The Itch Dangerous?
On its own, the itch is quite literally nothing. There is not any direct cause other than certain neurons in your nervous system and brain firing when they should not be. This tricks your body into thinking that you are itching when you are not, meaning that you can feel the itch, but there is not any physical cause for it.
This means that it is not actively dangerous because there is not much of an actual risk behind the itching or tingling itself. If you can ignore it, the sensation will eventually go away with no harm to your body. This paresthesia is more or less completely harmless.
For some people, paresthesia itches can actually be a sign that the beta-alanine has been used correctly since it shows that the body has managed to absorb it properly. The supplement itself is also safe, so the itch is not going to cover up other more serious problems you might face while using it.
How Do I Handle The Itch?
A beta-alanine itch is not a serious threat, but that does not make it an easy thing to deal with. The itch can quickly become annoying if you are trying to take part in serious workouts, and for some people, beta-alanine itches will persist for quite a long period of time.
Since the itch itself is a form of paresthesia, you can’t really use creams or ointments to try and deal with it because there is not a physical cause behind it. It is not like a rash, where treatment can get rid of whatever is causing the burning pain because there are no physical symptoms other than your own nervous system tricking itself.
Sensitivity varies between people. Some are very susceptible to itching. Other people have never felt it. Keep this in mind since you might end up being somebody who is naturally vulnerable to these itches compared to other people around you.
Food Intake:
In some people, the amount of food you eat before using a supplement can impact the itching. Foods that can directly improve carnosine might also be responsible for certain itches on a smaller scale, but this does not usually cause a great difference.
Dosage:
The more beta-alanine you take, the stronger the itch will get since your nervous system is being altered more. Sometimes reducing your beta-alanine dosage slightly can make the itch more manageable or remove it entirely.
Hydration:
Staying hydrated makes a big difference when you are trying to work with supplements, especially ones that contain beta-alanine. Make sure you drink enough water since this can sometimes help you avoid getting serious itches or tingles that would disrupt your exercise routine.
Different Formulas:
There are also some supplements that are simply more likely to cause itches than others, usually due to differences in their formula. If one is constantly causing you to itch, but another is not, then there might be something in one of the supplements that your body can’t manage properly.
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