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

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

doi:10.1002/oby.24204

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

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

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

22 Downloads (Pure)

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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	278-288
Number of pages	11
Journal	Obesity
Volume	33
Issue number	2
Early online date	12 Jan 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.24204
Publication status	Published - Feb 2025

Bibliographical note

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium,provided the original work is properly cited.© 2025 The Author(s). Obesity published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Obesity Society. CC BY

Funding

Joseph J. Matthews was funded by Birmingham City University. Jade V. Creighton was on a match\u2010funded studentship between Nottingham Trent University and Natural Alternatives International (NAI), a company formulating and manufacturing customized nutritional supplements. Craig L. Doig received Quality Research funding for this study from Nottingham Trent University.

Funders
Birmingham City University

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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10.1002/oby.24204Licence: CC BY

Kyrou2025VoRFinal published version, 2.46 MBLicence: CC BY
Obesity - 2025 - Matthews - ‐alanine supplementation in adults with overweight and obesity a randomized controlledFinal published version, 2.04 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{b6d9ac760b234222b89582d9ee823172,

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

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.",

author = "Matthews, \{Joseph J.\} and Creighton, \{Jade V.\} and James Donaldson and Swinton, \{Paul A.\} and Ioannis Kyrou and Srikanth Bellary and Iskandar Idris and L{\'i}via Santos and Turner, \{Mark D.\} and Doig, \{Craig L.\} and Elliott‐Sale, \{Kirsty J.\} and Craig Sale",

note = "This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium,provided the original work is properly cited.{\textcopyright} 2025 The Author(s). Obesity published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Obesity Society. CC BY",

year = "2025",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1002/oby.24204",

language = "English",

volume = "33",

pages = "278--288",

journal = "Obesity",

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T1 - β-alanine supplementation in adults with overweight and obesity

T2 - a randomized controlled feasibility trial

AU - Matthews, Joseph J.

AU - Creighton, Jade V.

AU - Donaldson, James

AU - Swinton, Paul A.

AU - Kyrou, Ioannis

AU - Bellary, Srikanth

AU - Idris, Iskandar

AU - Santos, Lívia

AU - Turner, Mark D.

AU - Doig, Craig L.

AU - Elliott‐Sale, Kirsty J.

AU - Sale, Craig

N1 - This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium,provided the original work is properly cited.© 2025 The Author(s). Obesity published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Obesity Society. CC BY

PY - 2025/2

Y1 - 2025/2

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85214678279

U2 - 10.1002/oby.24204

DO - 10.1002/oby.24204

M3 - Article

SN - 1930-7381

VL - 33

SP - 278

EP - 288

JO - Obesity

JF - Obesity

IS - 2

ER -

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

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

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