Can beta-alanine supplementation improve exercise capacity and executive function in healthy older adults?
Beta-Alanine, a randomized trial (J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2018, PMID 29996843) — after supplementation, the BA group cycled significantly longer (14.6 minutes) than their pre-supplementation duration (11.1 minutes), while the PL group showed no significant change. Before supplementation, time-to-exhaustion (TTE) was not significantly different between groups.
Source: J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2018, PMID 29996843 ↗ · Research map · How Magellan grades evidence · evidence confidence: high
J Int Soc Sports Nutr · 2018 · PMID 29996843 · DOI 10.1186/s12970-018-0238-7
Beta-alanine supplementation improved exercise endurance and prevented post-exercise cognitive decline in healthy older adults.
The question
Can beta-alanine supplementation improve exercise capacity and executive function in healthy older adults?
What they tested
Increasing systemic carnosine levels via beta-alanine supplementation will enhance anti-oxidant, neuro-protective, and pH buffering capabilities, leading to improved exercise capacity and executive function in aging populations.
How they did it
Twelve healthy adults (average age 60.5 years) were randomized to receive either 2.4 g/d of beta-alanine (BA) or placebo (PL) for 28 days. Exercise capacity was assessed using a cycle ergometer at 70% VOpeak, and executive function was measured by Stroop Tests at four time points relative to exercise. Lactate, heart rate, and Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) were also recorded.
What they found
Before supplementation, time-to-exhaustion (TTE) was not significantly different between groups. After supplementation, the BA group cycled significantly longer (14.6 minutes) than their pre-supplementation duration (11.1 minutes), while the PL group showed no significant change. Placebo subjects were slower in completing the Stroop test post-exercise at T4 compared to T3, a decline not observed in the BA group. The BA group produced 2.4 mmol/L more lactate than the PL group post-supplementation, showing a trend towards significance.
| Placebo PRE | 9.4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Placebo POST | 8.7 | |
| Beta-Alanine PRE | 11.1 | |
| Beta-Alanine POST | 14.6 |
Beta-alanine supplementation significantly increased time-to-exhaustion POST-supplementation compared to PRE-supplementation in the beta-alanine group, while the placebo group showed no significant change.
What it means
Beta-alanine supplementation increased exercise capacity and prevented the decline in executive function observed after endurance exercise in the placebo group. The extended exercise duration with similar lactate production suggests an improved ability to sustain exercise. This could allow older adults to maintain exercise benefits with improved safety.
Limitations
The study involved a small sample size of 12 healthy adults, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
The paper at a glance
| Magellan’s evidence label | carnosine precursor, pH buffer (our label for this citation — see PubMed for the paper’s own title and authors) |
|---|---|
| Journal | J Int Soc Sports Nutr |
| Year | 2018 |
| PMID | 29996843 ↗ |
| DOI | 10.1186/s12970-018-0238-7 ↗ |
| Topic | Brain, cognition & mood |
Read the source: PubMed record (authors, abstract, full citation) ↗ · Publisher via doi.org ↗
Where Magellan uses this paper
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Beta-Alanine
Meta-analyses of controlled trials indicate that beta-alanine produces a small but statistically significant overall ergogenic effect, most evident for high-intensity exercise lasting roughly 1-4 minutes, where it can increase exercise capacity and time to exhaustion and delay neuromuscular fatigue;
Beta-alanine is a non-essential (non-proteinogenic) amino acid that serves as the rate-limiting…
Research describes the compound or intervention studied. It is not a claim about any specific product.
Cite this page
These citations point at this summary. To cite the original paper with its full author list, use the PubMed record or doi.org.
Magellan Longevity. (2026). Can beta-alanine supplementation improve exercise capacity and executive function in healthy older adults? [Plain-English summary of J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2018, PMID 29996843, DOI 10.1186/s12970-018-0238-7]. Magellan Longevity. https://magellanlongevity.com/study/s137.html@misc{magellan_s137,
title = {Can beta-alanine supplementation improve exercise capacity and executive function in healthy older adults?},
author = {{Magellan Longevity}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://magellanlongevity.com/study/s137.html}},
note = {Plain-English summary of PubMed PMID 29996843; DOI 10.1186/s12970-018-0238-7; J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2018. Reviewed by Gabriel Radu, DO},
urldate = {2026-08-11}
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