Footnotes

• Contributors BS was the principal writer of the article, while all authors contributed to drafting the article and revising it critically. AV designed the infographic. All authors approved the final version to be submitted.

• Funding BS (2016/50438-0 and 2017/04973-4), GGA (2014/11948-8) and ED (2015/11328-2) were financially supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo.

• Competing interests BS has previously received financial support from Natural Alternatives International (NAI), a company that produces β-alanine, to undertake a study unrelated to this review. NAI have also provided β-alanine supplements free of charge for further experimental investigations and supported open access page charges for several of the author’s manuscripts. NAI have not had any input (financial, intellectual or otherwise) into this review.

• Patient consent for publication Not required.

• Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.