L-Alanine

L-Alanine

L-alanine, also known as “alanine” or “alpha-alanine”, is an organic amino acid that plays a major role in the production of proteins and brain chemicals, and proper functioning of the central nervous system. Furthermore, your body uses L-alanine to draw upon blood sugar as a source of energy.[1] You can get a decent amount of L-alanine in poultry, beef, pork and fish. However, your alanine reserves can get depleted due to poor nutrition, environmental factors, stress, and the aging process. In order to compensate for this loss, you need to load up on L-alanine dietary supplements to keep your body working at optimum levels.

Benefits of L-Alanine

This powerful amino acid has a lot of proven health benefits to offer, including:

Improved Blood Sugar Levels

L-alanine supplementation has been known to treat individuals who suffer from low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia) since it aids in the production of blood sugar in the body, according to one study.[2] This effect can help prevent the sudden drop in blood sugar levels of diabetic individuals.

Healthy Prostate

There have been numerous studies that have shown that L-alanine helps prevent benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition characterized by enlargement of the prostate which causes severe pains and urinary problems. According to these studies, L-alanine supplementation can help maintain a healthy prostate and even treat urinary symptoms associated with BPH.[3-4]

Improved Exercise Tolerance

One study has shown that L-alanine supplementation may help increase physical fitness when combined with exercise.[5] Over 400 participants were asked to take L-alanine supplements or placebo. After the treatment period, researchers observed that the group who took L-alanine supplements performed significantly better than the placebo-treated group. This effect can be attributed to L-alanine’s ability to aid in the production of blood sugar as a source of energy.

Improved Mood

There is strong scientific evidence that loading up on amino acids can boost overall mood. According to studies, taking amino acid supplements such as L-alanine, might help improve symptoms of depression and mental illnesses as well as overall quality of life by increasing the production of certain brain chemicals that control a person’s mood.[6-8]

Improved Libido

An overwhelming body of clinical research shows that amino acids, particularly L-alanine, can help ramp up a man’s sexual power and performance. According to studies, amino acids boost the production of testosterone, a hormone that fuels a man’s sex drive.[9-10] In addition, amino acids also prevent erectile dysfunction by improving blood flow within the penis.[11]

References:

1. Shiga H. et al: Amino acid therapy for hypertrophy of the prostate; Hinyokika Kiyo 2008; S. 625-632
2. Brennan L, Shine A, Hewage C, Malthouse JP, Brindle KM, McClenaghan N, Flatt PR, Newsholme P. A nuclear magnetic resonance-based demonstration of substantial oxidative L-alanine metabolism and L-alanine-enhanced glucose metabolism in a clonal pancreatic beta-cell line: metabolism of L-alanine is important to the regulation of insulin secretion. Diabetes. 2002 Jun; 51(6):1714-21.
3. Kuritzky L. A Primary Care Physician’s Perspective on Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. Reviews in Urology. 2003;5(Suppl 5):S42-S48.
4. FEINBLATT HM, GANT JC. Palliative treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy; value of glycine-alanine-glutamic acid combination. The Journal of the Maine Medical Association. 1958; 49(3):99-101 passim.
5. Available from http://aminoacidstudies.org/l-alanine/#fn-202-2.
6. Rao TSS, Asha MR, Ramesh BN, Rao KSJ. Understanding nutrition, depression and mental illnesses. Indian Journal of Psychiatry. 2008;50(2):77-82. doi:10.4103/0019-5545.42391.
7. Parker G, Brotchie H. Mood effects of the amino acids tryptophan and tyrosine: ‘Food for Thought’ III. Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica. 2011; 124(6):417-26.
8. Honig A, Bartlett JR, Bouras N, Bridges PK. Amino acid levels in depression: a preliminary investigation. Journal of psychiatric research. 1988; 22(3):159-64.
9. Kraemer WJ, Ratamess NA, Volek JS. The effects of amino acid supplementation on hormonal responses to resistance training overreaching. Metabolism: clinical and experimental. 2006; 55(3):282-91.
10. Available from http://www.aminoacid-studies.com/areas-of-use/virility-and-libido.html.
11. Stanislavov R, Rohdewald P. Improvement of erectile function by a combination of French maritime pine bark and roburins with aminoacids. Minerva urologica e nefrologica = The Italian journal of urology and nephrology. 2015; 67(1):27-32.