Few Supplements Actually Work — This Is One of Them

You Should Know: The supplement industry is, largely, a sham. Researchers estimate that more than 90% of supplements are inaccurately labeled, and the FDA has little oversight over supplement manufacturing. Point blank, most supplements don’t work. One that actually does? Beta-alanine.

Going Deeper: Beta-alanine is an amino acid your body already makes (and you also get it from meat and fish). When you take it as a supplement, your muscles build more carnosine — a helper molecule that soaks up the “burn” (acid) that builds during hard efforts. With less burn, your muscles keep firing a bit longer, so you can push through high-intensity sets or sprints more easily.

Bottom Line: If you’re going to spend your money on supplements, spend it on the few that are actually proven to do something, like beta-alanine. And don’t be spooked when your fingers start to tingle. That’s just paresthesia, a harmless and well-documented side effect of high doses of beta alanine.