Research Article

EFFECTS OF β-ALANINE INGESTION ON RUNNING SPEED, HEART RATE AND BLOOD LACTATE RESPONSES IN MALE ENDURANCE ATHLETES DURING INCREMENTAL RUNNING TEST*

Volume: 6 Number: 3 December 22, 2025
TR EN

EFFECTS OF β-ALANINE INGESTION ON RUNNING SPEED, HEART RATE AND BLOOD LACTATE RESPONSES IN MALE ENDURANCE ATHLETES DURING INCREMENTAL RUNNING TEST*

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of 28 day of β-alanine supplementation on heart rate, blood lactate and running speeds in male endurance athletes during incremental running test. 28 male endurance athletes (age: 20,13 yrs, height: 174,88 cm, weight: 60,64 kg for β-alanine (β-Ala) group and age: 19,67 yrs, height: 175,08 cm, weight: 62,67 kg for Plasebo (PL) group) volunteered to participate in this investigation. Using a double-blind placebo controlled study protocol, participants were randomly assigned to either β-alanine (β-Ala, n=16) or placebo group (PL, n=12). While the β-Ala group was ingested 6 g.d-1 (6x1g tablet) of β-alanine supplementation during 28 day, the PL group was supplemented with dextrose in the same frequency as the β-Ala group. Before and after the supplementation period, participants were performed incremental treadmill test to define subject’s blood lactate and heart rate profile. Lactate threshold, heart rate at lactate threshold, running speed and heart rate corresponding to 2, 4, 6, 8 mmol.l-1 blood lactate were determined. A two-way repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to define differences between pre-test and post-test lactate threshold, heart rate at lactate threshold, running speed and heart rate corresponding to 2, 4, 6, 8 mmol.l-1 blood lactate scores. In case where the differences were found after the ANOVA test, simple main effect analysis was applied to determine pre-test and post-test scores for β-Ala and PL groups. The results from this study showed that 28 days of β-alanine supplementation had significant effect on running speed (increase from 16,38 ± 1,02 km/h to 17,50 ± 1,55 km/h for β-Ala group) at lactate threshold (P < 0.05). There was a small decrease in lactate threshold according to D-max method for β-Ala group after the β-alanine supplementation, but this difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). There was a significant increase in heart rate at lactate threshold after the β-alanine supplementation (P < 0.05). Simple main effect analysis demonstrated that running speed corresponding to 2, 4, 6 and 8 mmol.l-1 blood lactate concentrations in β-ala group improved significantly compared with their baseline value (p<0,05). As a result; we can state that daily 6 gram of β-alanine supplementation for 28 days increase the running speed in runs at the lactate threshold and below and above the anaerobic threshold and decrease blood lactate levels of endurance athletes at the anaerobic threshold.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Kütahya Dumlupınar University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Office

Project Number

# 2020 - 11.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Sports Training, Sports Nutrition

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

December 22, 2025

Submission Date

September 18, 2025

Acceptance Date

November 18, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 6 Number: 3

APA
Kayhan, M., Harmancı, H., & Özyiğit, F. (2025). EFFECTS OF β-ALANINE INGESTION ON RUNNING SPEED, HEART RATE AND BLOOD LACTATE RESPONSES IN MALE ENDURANCE ATHLETES DURING INCREMENTAL RUNNING TEST*. Sivas Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, 6(3), 160-168. https://izlik.org/JA45DT84FZ
AMA
1.Kayhan M, Harmancı H, Özyiğit F. EFFECTS OF β-ALANINE INGESTION ON RUNNING SPEED, HEART RATE AND BLOOD LACTATE RESPONSES IN MALE ENDURANCE ATHLETES DURING INCREMENTAL RUNNING TEST*. CUSPOR. 2025;6(3):160-168. https://izlik.org/JA45DT84FZ
Chicago
Kayhan, Mert, Halit Harmancı, and Filiz Özyiğit. 2025. “EFFECTS OF β-ALANINE INGESTION ON RUNNING SPEED, HEART RATE AND BLOOD LACTATE RESPONSES IN MALE ENDURANCE ATHLETES DURING INCREMENTAL RUNNING TEST*”. Sivas Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Spor Bilimleri Dergisi 6 (3): 160-68. https://izlik.org/JA45DT84FZ.
EndNote
Kayhan M, Harmancı H, Özyiğit F (December 1, 2025) EFFECTS OF β-ALANINE INGESTION ON RUNNING SPEED, HEART RATE AND BLOOD LACTATE RESPONSES IN MALE ENDURANCE ATHLETES DURING INCREMENTAL RUNNING TEST*. Sivas Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Spor Bilimleri Dergisi 6 3 160–168.
IEEE
[1]M. Kayhan, H. Harmancı, and F. Özyiğit, “EFFECTS OF β-ALANINE INGESTION ON RUNNING SPEED, HEART RATE AND BLOOD LACTATE RESPONSES IN MALE ENDURANCE ATHLETES DURING INCREMENTAL RUNNING TEST*”, CUSPOR, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 160–168, Dec. 2025, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA45DT84FZ
ISNAD
Kayhan, Mert - Harmancı, Halit - Özyiğit, Filiz. “EFFECTS OF β-ALANINE INGESTION ON RUNNING SPEED, HEART RATE AND BLOOD LACTATE RESPONSES IN MALE ENDURANCE ATHLETES DURING INCREMENTAL RUNNING TEST*”. Sivas Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Spor Bilimleri Dergisi 6/3 (December 1, 2025): 160-168. https://izlik.org/JA45DT84FZ.
JAMA
1.Kayhan M, Harmancı H, Özyiğit F. EFFECTS OF β-ALANINE INGESTION ON RUNNING SPEED, HEART RATE AND BLOOD LACTATE RESPONSES IN MALE ENDURANCE ATHLETES DURING INCREMENTAL RUNNING TEST*. CUSPOR. 2025;6:160–168.
MLA
Kayhan, Mert, et al. “EFFECTS OF β-ALANINE INGESTION ON RUNNING SPEED, HEART RATE AND BLOOD LACTATE RESPONSES IN MALE ENDURANCE ATHLETES DURING INCREMENTAL RUNNING TEST*”. Sivas Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, vol. 6, no. 3, Dec. 2025, pp. 160-8, https://izlik.org/JA45DT84FZ.
Vancouver
1.Mert Kayhan, Halit Harmancı, Filiz Özyiğit. EFFECTS OF β-ALANINE INGESTION ON RUNNING SPEED, HEART RATE AND BLOOD LACTATE RESPONSES IN MALE ENDURANCE ATHLETES DURING INCREMENTAL RUNNING TEST*. CUSPOR [Internet]. 2025 Dec. 1;6(3):160-8. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA45DT84FZ

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