Military operators are often called "tactical athletes” due to their physical capabilities and demands rivaling that of competitive athletes. They must be very fit to perform their duties, which include running, reacting quickly with explosive power and speed, and carrying heavy loads for long distances on foot. Along with physical fitness, operators also require a high level of cognitive function to make decisions while dealing with physical and mental stress and fatigue.

Although nutrition and dietary supplementation have been extensively studied for improving physical performance in both athletes and tactical athletes, our knowledge on psychological and cognitive performance improvements has yet to catch up. However, a recent review in Nutrients specifically examined the potential role of beta-alanine supplementation on soldier performance.1

Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid naturally produced in the body. It plays an essential role in creating carnosine, a compound in muscle tissue that buffers acid buildup and delays fatigue during intense exercise. Supplementing with beta-alanine has been shown to increase carnosine levels in the muscles, which can lead to improved endurance and performance during high-intensity activities like sprinting, weightlifting, and other anaerobic exercises.*

Studies have also shown that beta-alanine supplementation helps reduce muscle fatigue and improve muscle recovery time, allowing athletes to train harder and more frequently.*

But it's not just athletes who can benefit from beta-alanine. It has also been shown to be effective in improving exercise capacity and promoting longevity in older adults and non-athletes as well.*

Review of beta-alanine research and cognitive performance

Military operators face various physical challenges, including prolonged runs, short sprints, lifting heavy loads, hand-to-hand fighting, and tactical shooting under physical stress, all contributing to cognitive stress, including sleep deprivation. Studies show that beta-alanine supplementation (6 grams daily for four weeks) can improve a soldier's tactical performance during high-intensity military activity.*

A study published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research sheds light on the potential benefits of beta-alanine for soldiers undergoing intense military training. By giving special operations soldiers a high dose of beta-alanine for a week, their bodies experienced an increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. This indicates that beta-alanine could help soldiers respond better to intense training and recover faster.2

The Nutrients review uncovered something not known before – a way for soldiers to maintain power and performance, even in the most intense situations. By supplementing with beta-alanine, they were able to improve both a 50-meter casualty carry task and their cognitive function.* Not only that, they also had better shooting accuracy following a weapon misfire. Their bodies remained strong and their minds sharp, even in the face of danger.*1

The findings from these two studies suggest that beta-alanine supplementation enhances fatigue resistance in muscle fibers, thus improving shooting performance by helping soldiers maintain both standing and kneeling shooting positions and keeping their weapons steady during target acquisition and marksmanship.*

Previous research also shows that beta-alanine crosses the blood-brain barrier and increases carnosine levels in the brain, reducing the oxidative stress associated with intense military training.*1 With further research, beta-alanine supplementation could be a valuable tool for tactical athletes.

In a controlled laboratory setting, two studies examined the impact of beta-alanine on soldiers' cognitive performance during a simulated military operation. The first one, published in The Journal of Dietary Supplements, investigated the effects of beta-alanine on cognitive function during a 24-hour simulated military operation going without sleep.3 Participants underwent various cognitive function assessments, including several reaction tests, a visual tracking assessment, and the Serial Sevens Test.

The results showed that beta-alanine supplementation provided potential cognitive benefits, with participants who consumed beta-alanine being able to maintain their visual reaction time and exhibiting significantly fewer misses compared to the placebo group.*

In the other study, published in Physiological Reports, participants were assessed using the Serial Subtraction Test, which measures the ability to quickly and accurately compute simple mathematical problems. The soldiers who received beta-alanine demonstrated superior performance and engagement speed compared to the placebo group, particularly in recognizing and fixing misfires during shooting.*4

The ability to make sound decisions under stress is crucial for mission success, and the promising results of these studies support the use of beta-alanine supplementation in tactical athletes. While further research is necessary to fully understand beta-alanine’s benefits, these findings suggest it does have a place in the field of military performance enhancement.*

Possible future areas of beta-alanine research – exertional heatstroke, PTSD, and stress

Although exertional heatstroke might not be top of mind when considering all the injuries competitive athletes and military operators could face, these groups are often exposed to high levels of physical activity and stress. Exertional heatstroke, if left untreated, can be devastating.

Another study published in The Journal of Dietary Supplements explored how beta-alanine supplementation in animals can play a role in the brain’s ability to regulate temperature. 

In the study, animals were given a combination of beta-alanine and glucomannan for 30 days before being exposed to a heat-stress protocol. The results were impressive – the supplemented animals showed a more effective thermoregulatory response to heat exposure, meaning they could better regulate their body temperature while being stressed.* This has significant implications for athletes and military personnel who need to perform at their best in extreme conditions.5

Active operators, as well as veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often face limited treatment options, with most approaches focusing on psychological support after an event. However, a review of new research suggests that beta-alanine supplementation might hold promise for building psychological resilience and reducing anxious feeling in both animals and humans.*

In a study published in Amino Acids, beta-alanine was determined to be effective in providing support for mild traumatic brain injury-like symptoms in animals exposed to a blast wave.*6 This is a significant finding, because mild traumatic brain injury is a common result of active operators being close to a low-pressure blast wave.

Building from that, a team of researchers conducted another study to investigate the effects of beta-alanine on PTSD in rats exposed to predator scent stress (PSS).7 The rats were given beta-alanine and glucomannan in their water for 30 days before PSS exposure. The results showed that animals given beta-alanine experienced significant elevations in carnosine levels in multiple brain regions.* They also exhibited significantly less anxious behavior than the animals fed a normal diet.* This model has been shown to effectively determine the impact of various interventions on the behavioral response to stress.

Lastly, in another animal study, researchers found beta-alanine supplementation led to elevated carnosine levels in the brain.* It also increased the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and decreased the levels of serotonin metabolites in the hippocampus.* The hippocampus is a part of the brain that plays a significant role in learning and memory. These changes were associated with reduced anxious behavior in the animals.*8

The takeaway

Although these studies hold promise for building psychological resilience and perhaps even reducing the incidence of battlefield injuries, it's important to note that further human research is needed to fully understand the potential benefits of beta-alanine supplementation. Nonetheless, these findings offer hope that further research might support use of beta-alanine in active military personnel and veterans experiencing various adverse health conditions.*

Thorne’s Beta-Alanine-SR uses sustained-release technology to provide long-lasting benefit while minimizing side effects – and it’s NSF Certified for Sport®.

To learn more about Thorne’s support of the military and first responder communities, visit Thorne’s GovX page.

References

  1. Ostfeld I, Hoffman JR. The effect of β-alanine supplementation on performance, cognitive function and resiliency in soldiers. Nutrients 2023;15(4):1039. doi:10.3390/nu15041039
  2. Hoffman JR, Gepner Y, Hoffman MW, et al. Effect of high-dose, short-duration β-alanine supplementation on circulating IL-10 concentrations during intense military training. J Strength Cond Res 2018;32(10):2978-2981. doi:10.1519/jsc.0000000000002625
  3. Varanoske AN, Wells AJ, Boffey D, et al. Effects of high-dose, short-duration β-alanine supplementation on cognitive function, mood, and circulating brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) in recreationally active males before simulated military operational stress. J Diet Suppl 2020;18(2):147-168. doi:10.1080/19390211.2020.1733730 
  4. Varanoske AN, Wells AJ, Kozlowski GJ, et al. Effects of β-alanine supplementation on physical performance, cognition, endocrine function, and inflammation during a 24 h simulated military operation. Physiol Rep 2018;6(24). doi:10.14814/phy2.13938
  5. Belity T, Hoffman JR, Horowitz M, et al. β-alanine supplementation attenuates the neurophysiological response in animals exposed to an acute heat stress. J Diet Suppl 2021;19(4):443-458. doi:10.1080/19390211.2021.1889734
  6. Hoffman JR, Zuckerman A, Ram O, et al. Behavioral and inflammatory response in animals exposed to a low-pressure blast wave and supplemented with β-alanine. Amino Acids 2017;49(5):871-886. doi:10.1007/s00726-017-2383-2388.
  7. Hoffman JR, Ostfeld I, Stout JR, et al. β-alanine supplemented diets enhance behavioral resilience to stress exposure in an animal model of PTSD. Amino Acids 2015;47(6):1247-1257. doi:10.1007/s00726-015-1952-y
  8. Murakami T, Furuse M. The impact of taurine- and beta-alanine-supplemented diets on behavioral and neurochemical parameters in mice: Antidepressant versus anxiolytic-like effects. Amino Acids 2010;39(2):427-434. doi:10.1007/s00726-009-0458-x