What is the pins-and-needles sensation I get when I take beta alanine?
The prickling is named parathesia, and is caused by beta alanine attaching to nerves, which activates them and makes them fire. Most of these nerves are beneath the skin, causing a needle-prickling feeling. It begins about 15 to 20 minutes after ingesting beta alanine and typically goes on for 60 to 90 minutes. The sensation strength varies depending on the dose you take, personal sensation, adaptation to the feeling, and also from other calcium channels activators like caffeine. This sensation usually becomes minimized over a few weeks of beta alanine usage.
