A2
Beta-alanine
- Product declaration
- CarnoSyn Beta-Alanine: 3.6 g
- Selected studied range
- 4000 to 6000 mg
- Protocol and duration
- per day in divided doses, for at least 2 to 4 weeks, not as a single pre-workout dose
- Studied context
- Studied for high-intensity exercise capacity in the 60-240 second range via elevation of muscle carnosine, which acts as an intracellular pH buffer against acidosis. ISSN 2015 position stand: greatest performance benefits in "open end-point" tasks/time trials lasting 1-4 minutes; some benefit noted in aerobic exercise up to roughly 25 minutes; attenuation of neuromuscular fatigue, particularly noted in older adults.
- Limitations
- Strength/resistance-training outcomes remain mixed; training volume may increase without a clear strength gain. Tasks under 60 seconds do not show benefit. Endurance benefit beyond about 25 minutes is not established. Long-term safety data beyond roughly a year, and effects in special/tactical populations, are flagged as needing more research.
Selected evidence: ISSN position stand on beta-alanine, 2015 · Open source
A1
Betaine anhydrous
- Product declaration
- Betaine Anhydrous: 2.5 g
- Selected studied range
- 2000 to 5000 mg
- Protocol and duration
- per day, studied for up to 15 days
- Studied context
- NIH ODS describes betaine as studied for strength- and power-based performance in bodybuilders and cyclists, with "potential but modest" improvements from a limited set of small, sometimes conflicting studies. A 2024/2025 systematic review focused specifically on endurance performance (VO2max, time-to-exhaustion, time-to-completion, power output).
- Limitations
- The endurance systematic review explicitly states "limited and inconclusive evidence regarding the definitive ergogenic effect of betaine supplementation on endurance exercise performance". Only 2 of 5 reviewed studies showed a significant improvement, and the authors call for "additional, more rigorous research."
Selected evidence: NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Exercise and Athletic Performance · Open source
A2
L-theanine
- Product declaration
- L-Theanine: 350 mg
- Selected studied range
- 12 to 400 mg
- Protocol and duration
- per day across trials, with most using 200 mg
- Studied context
- Studied for attention/reaction-time measures and for stress-related relaxation without sedation. A meta-analysis/systematic review of 31 randomized controlled trials (n=1,168) found a single 200 mg dose taken 30-60 minutes before testing significantly improved choice reaction time (SMD = 0.51, 95% CI 0.25-0.77); a subset of 5 RCTs in 148 healthy adults found a dose-dependent effect on rapid visual information processing and recognition visual reaction time.
- Limitations
- The review describing itself as "promising, but not completely conclusive" signals the overall evidence base has not reached firm consensus strength despite the positive reaction-time finding.
Selected evidence: Systematic review and meta-analysis of L-theanine on cognitive performance · Open source
A2
Caffeine
- Product declaration
- Total caffeine from all declared sources: 350 mg
- Selected studied range
- 140 to 420 mg
- Protocol and duration
- 2 to 6 mg per kg body mass, 15 to 60 minutes before exercise, shown here for a 70 kg adult
- Studied context
- Studied for endurance-type aerobic exercise (moderate to large ergogenic effect, most consistent evidence category per ISSN 2021), muscular endurance and movement velocity in resistance exercise (small to moderate effects), sprinting/jumping/throwing (2-7% improvements), and cognitive attention/vigilance under fatigue. NIH ODS notes it "might enhance performance in endurance-type activities... And intermittent, long-duration activities."
- Limitations
- Minimal effective dose remains unclear. Repeated-sprint performance benefit is inconsistent and the ISSN position stand says this "requires further research." Effects of habitual/chronic caffeine use on the ergogenic response are described as equivocal.
Selected evidence: ISSN position stand on caffeine and exercise performance, 2021, with NIH ODS · Open source
