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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2025 Feb;33(2):278-288.
doi: 10.1002/oby.24204. Epub 2025 Jan 12.

β-alanine supplementation in adults with overweight and obesity: a randomized controlled feasibility trial

Joseph J Matthews  1   2 , Jade V Creighton  3 , James Donaldson  4   5 , Paul A Swinton  6 , Ioannis Kyrou  7   8   9   10 , Srikanth Bellary  11 , Iskandar Idris  12 , Lívia Santos  2 , Mark D Turner  3 , Craig L Doig  3 , Kirsty J Elliott-Sale  13 , Craig Sale  13
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

β-alanine supplementation in adults with overweight and obesity: a randomized controlled feasibility trial

Joseph J Matthews et al. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2025 Feb.

Abstract

Objective: Overweight and obesity are characterized by excess adiposity and systemic, chronic, low-grade inflammation, which is associated with several metabolic disorders. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and tolerability of β-alanine supplementation and to explore the effects on cardiometabolic health and cardiovascular, hepatic, and renal function in adults with overweight and obesity.

Methods: A total of 27 adults (44% female; mean [SD], age: 58 [10] years, BMI: 31.1 [2.9] kg/m2, hemoglobin A1c: 39.8 [4.3] mmol/mol) received β-alanine (4.8 g/day) or a matched placebo for 3 months. Feasibility and tolerability outcomes included adherence, side effects, recruitment, attrition, and blinding, and exploratory outcomes included biochemical markers, blood pressures, and transthoracic echocardiography parameters. Data were analyzed using a Bayesian approach presented with 95% credible intervals (CrI).

Results: β-alanine was well tolerated and adhered to (adherence: placebo, 0.91 [95% CrI: 0.84-0.95]; β-alanine, 0.92 [95% CrI: 0.85-0.95]), and side effects remained at or below baseline throughout. The probability that β-alanine supplementation affected cardiometabolic, cardiovascular, or clinical biochemical outcomes was low.

Conclusions: Sustained-release β-alanine supplementation is well tolerated and adhered to in adults with overweight and obesity. Future research should consider more advanced metabolic conditions, which may benefit from longer duration supplementation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Natural Alternatives International (NAI) has provided Craig Sale with supplements for other studies free of charge and has contributed to the payment of open‐access publication charges for some manuscripts on β‐alanine supplementation. Craig Sale has also received an honorarium from NAI to produce materials to support a blog on β‐alanine supplementation and the effects of carnosine. NAI provided the supplements used in the trial but had no role in the design, methods, or analysis of the trial. The other authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) flow diagram of study recruitment and attrition.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Supplement adherence across three time points; expressed as overall rate (percentage). Total supplement intake (grams) calculated from supplement adherence and duration in the study. [Color figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Pre‐ and post‐alanine supplementation values for selected cardiometabolic health and cardiovascular function outcomes. Data presented as mean values with individual data points. Statistical model inferential data are presented in Tables 4 and 5. [Color figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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