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

Matthews, Joseph J.; Creighton, Jade V.; Donaldson, James; Swinton, Paul A.; Kyrou, Ioannis; Bellary, Srikanth; Idris, Iskandar; Santos, Lívia; Turner, Mark D.; Doig, Craig L.; Elliott-Sale, Kirsty J.; Sale, Craig

Abstract

Overweight and obesity are characterised by excess adiposity and systemic, chronic, low-grade inflammation, which is associated with several metabolic disorders. The aim 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. Twenty-seven adults (44% Female, age: 58 ± 10 years, body mass index: 31.1 ± 2.9 kg/m2, HbA1c: 39.8 ± 4.3 mmol/mol) received β-alanine (4.8 g/day) or a matched placebo for three-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 analysed using a Bayesian approach presented with 95% credible intervals (CrI). β-alanine was well tolerated and adhered to (adherence: placebo 0.91 [95%CrI: 0.84 to 0.95] and β-alanine 0.92 [95%CrI: 0.85 to 0.95]); side effects remained at or below baseline throughout. The probability that β-alanine supplementation affected cardiometabolic, cardiovascular, or clinical biochemical outcomes was low. 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.

Citation

MATTHEWS, J.J., CREIGHTON, J.V., DONALDSON, J., SWINTON, P.A., KYROU, I., BELLARY, S., IDRIS, I., SANTOS, L., TURNER, M.D., DOIG, C.L., ELLIOTT-SALE, K.J. and SALE, C. 2025. β-alanine supplementation in adults with overweight and obesity: a randomized controlled feasibility trial. Obesity [online], 33(2), pages 278-288. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.24204

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 23, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Jan 12, 2025
• Publication Date: Feb 1, 2025
• Deposit Date: Nov 4, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 13, 2026
• Journal: Obesity
• Print ISSN: 1930-7381
• Electronic ISSN: 1930-739X
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 278-288
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.24204
• Keywords: Prediabetes; Cardiovascular; Diabetes; Metabolim
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2570707
• Additional Information: This article has been published with separate supporting information. This supporting information has been incorporated into a single file on this repository and can be found at the end of the file associated with this output.; A Dataset by the lead author is available on Zenodo at https://zenodo.org/records/14165012.