Table 1

All studies included in the meta-analysis

Authors and location	Participants	Supplementation protocol	Total dosage (g)	Exercise protocol
Baguet et al,7 Belgium	Elite male rowers PL=9; BA=8	5.0 g/day for 49 days	245	2000 m rowing ergometry
Bellinger et al,13 Australia	Trained male cyclists PL=7; BA=7	65 mg/kg BM/day for 4 weeks	∼129.4	4 min maximal cycle bout
Bellinger and Minhan,53 Australia	Trained male cyclists PL=7; BA=7	6.4 g/day for 4 weeks	179.2	1 km cycling TT 4 km cycling TT 10 km cycling TT
Carpentier et al,54 Belgium	Physically active males and females PL=13; BA=14	5.6 g/day for 8 weeks	313.6	Squat jump CMJ 45 CMJ fatigue test
Chung et al,55 Australia	Elite/subelite male/female swimmers PL=/; BA=/	4.8 g/day for 4 weeks followed by 3.2 g/day for 6 weeks	268.8	50–400 m swimming: Training performance Competition performance
Chung et al,42 Belgium/Australia	Trained male cyclists PL=13; BA=14	6.4 g/day for 6 weeks	268.8	1 hour cycling TT
Cochran et al,56 Canada	Healthy young males PL=12; BA=12	3.2 g/day for 6 weeks	134.4	Incremental cycle test 250 kJ cycling TT Repeated sprint cycle test
del Favero et al,46 Brazil	Elderly males and females PL=6; BA=12	3.2 g/day for 12 weeks	268.8	Constant load submaximal test Incremental treadmill test
Derave et al,5 Belgium	Sprint-trained competitive athletes PL=7; BA=8	2.4 g/day for 4 days, 3.6 g/day for 4 days, 4.8 g/day up to 5 weeks	153.6	400 m sprint Isometric endurance Maximal isokinetic knee extensions
Ghiasvand et al,57 Iran	Recreational males PL=19; BA=20	2.0 g/day for 42 days	84	Graded exercise test
Glenn et al,58 USA	Female masters athletes PL=11; BA=11	3.2 g/day for 4 weeks	89.6	Lower body ISO strength Hand grip strength
Gross et al,9 Switzerland	Recreational males PL=9; BA=9	3.2 g/day for 38 days	121.6	Maximal incremental cycle
Gross et al,25 Switzerland	Elite male alpine skiers PL=4; BA=5	4.8 g/day for 5 weeks	168	Counter movement jump 90 s box jump test
Hill et al,4 UK	Recreational males PL=8; BA=7	4.0 g/day in week 1 rising to 6.4 g/day by week 4 until week 10	414.4	Cycling capacity test at 110% of PowerMax
Hobson et al,40 UK	Trained male rowers PL=10; BA=10	6.4 g/day for 28 days	179.2–192	2000 m rowing ergometry
Hoffman et al,59 USA	Elite male soldiers PL=9; BA=9	6.0 g/day for 4 weeks	168	4 km run 5 CMJ 120 m sprint
Hoffman et al,60 USA	Elite male soldiers PL=9; BA=9	6.0 g/day for 30 days	180	2.5 km run 1 min sprint 50 m casualty carry Repeated 30 m sprints
Howe et al,61 Australia	Highly trained male cyclists PL=8; BA=8	65 mg/kg BM/day for 4 weeks	127.4	4 min maximal cycle bout
Jagim et al,62 USA	Anaerobically trained athletes PL=11; BA=10	4.0 g/day for 1 week followed by 6.0 g/day for 4 weeks	196	Run to exhaustion at 115% VO_2max Run to exhaustion at 140% VO_2max
James et al,41 UK	Trained male cyclists PL=9; BA=10	6.4 g/day for 4 weeks	179.2	20 km cycling TT
Jordan et al,63 USA	Recreational males PL=9; BA=8	6.0 g/day for 4 weeks	168	Incremental treadmill run to exhaustion
Okudan et al,64 Turkey	Untrained healthy males PL=11; BA=11	3.2 g/day for 22 days and 6.4 g/day for 6 days	108.8	3×30 s Wingates
De Salles Painelli et al,47 Brazil	Male and female swimmers PL=7; BA=7	3.2 g/day for 1 week and 6.4 g/day for 3 weeks	156.8	100 m swimming 200 m swimming
De Salles Painelli et al,43 Brazil	Trained male cyclists and recreational males PL=19; BA=20	6.4 g/day for 4 weeks	179.2	4×30 s cycle Wingates
Sale et al,18 UK	Recreational males PL=10; BA=10	6.4 g/day for 4 weeks	179.2	Cycling capacity test at 110% of PowerMax
Sale et al,65 UK	Recreational males PL=6; BA=7	6.4 g/day for 4 weeks	179.2	IKET
Saunders et al,66 UK	Elite/non-elite male games players PL=18; BA=18	6.4 g/day for 4 weeks	179.2	Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test
Saunders et al,26 UK	Amateur male footballers PL=8; BA=9	3.2 g/day for 12 weeks	268.8	Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 2
Saunders et al,67 UK	16 recreational males PL=8; BA=8	6.4 g/day for 4 weeks followed by 3.2 g/day for 1 week	179.2–201.6	3 sets of 5×6 s repeated sprints
Smith et al,68 USA	Recreational males PL=18; BA=18	6.0 g/day for 3 weeks followed by 3.0 g/day for 3 weeks	189	Cycle capacity at 110% VO_2max
Smith et al,69 USA	Recreational women PL=11; BA=13	4.8 g/day for 4 weeks	134.4	Graded exercise test
Smith-Ryan et al,70 USA	Recreational males PL=24; BA=26	4.8 g/day for 4 weeks	134.4	Run to exhaustion at 90% PV Run to exhaustion at 100% PV Run to exhaustion at 110% PV
Smith-Ryan et al,71 USA	Recreational males and females PL=15; BA=15	6.4 g/day for 4 weeks	179.2	Graded exercise test
Stout et al,72 USA	Males PL=13; BA=12	6.4 g/day for 6 days, then 3.2 g/day for 22 days	108.8	Incremental cycle to exhaustion
Stout et al,73 USA	Females PL=11; BA=11	3.2 g/day for 7 days, then 6.4 g/day for 21 days	156.8	Incremental cycle to exhaustion
Stout et al,27 USA	Elderly males and females PL=14; BA=12	2.4 g/day for 90 days	216	Discontinuous incremental exercise protocol
Tobias et al,48 Brazil	Martial arts male athletes PL=9; BA=10	6.4 g/day for 4 weeks	179.2	4×30 s upper body Wingates
Van Thienen et al,74 Belgium	Well-trained male cyclists PL=8; BA=9	2 g/day for 2 weeks, 3 g/day for 2 weeks, then 4 g/day for 4 weeks	182	Incremental cycle to exhaustion 10 min cycling TT 30 s cycle sprint
Walter et al,75 USA	Recreational females PL=19; BA=14	6.0 g/day for 3 weeks followed by 3.0 g/day for 3 weeks	189	Graded exercise test
Zoeller et al,76 USA	Healthy males PL=13; BA=12	6.4 g/day for 6 days followed by 3.2 g/day for 22 days	108.8	Incremental cycle to exhaustion

BA, β-alanine only group; CMJ, countermovement jump; IKET, isometric knee extension test at 45% of maximum voluntary contraction; ISO, isokinetic strength; PL, placebo group; PV, peak velocity; TT, time trial; VO_2max, maximal oxygen uptake.