Blending L-carnosine with L-tyrosine could provide footballers a competitive advantage: Recent findings

Study Overview

Researchers in Turkey explored the effects of acute supplementation of L-carnosine and L-tyrosine, both individually and in combination, on professional football players. The findings, published in Frontiers in Nutrition, indicated that the combined supplementation significantly enhanced both physical and cognitive performance compared to individual supplements.

Key Findings

• Synergistic Effects: The combination of L-carnosine and L-tyrosine provided greater benefits than either compound alone, suggesting potential for optimizing performance in high-demand sports like football.

• Mechanisms of Action:

  • L-Carnosine:
    • Buffers hydrogen ions during intense exercise.
    • Mitigates oxidative stress and muscle damage.
  • L-Tyrosine:
    • A precursor to neurotransmitters (dopamine, norepinephrine).
    • Enhances focus and motor control, particularly under stress.

Study Design

• Participants: 24 male professional football players (ages 18-30) from the Turkish Football Federation’s Third League.

• Methodology:

  • Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial.
  • Four supplementation conditions: L-CAR, L-TYR, L-CAR + L-TYR, and placebo, with a 96-hour washout period.
  • Doses administered: L-CAR (6 mg/kg), L-TYR (150 mg/kg).

• Assessments: Players consumed the supplements an hour prior to performance tests that included physical exertion and cognitive tasks, with blood samples analyzed for lactate levels.

Results

• Performance Improvements:
  • Combined supplementation increased peak power by ~17% and average power by ~16%.
  • Reduced sprint and agility times by 7-13%.
  • Improved football-specific passing accuracy by ~17% and reaction times by ~15%.
  • Lower perceived exertion and no significant differences in blood lactate levels across conditions.

Conclusion

The study suggests that combined acute supplementation of L-carnosine and L-tyrosine can enhance physical and cognitive performance in professional football players, particularly in high-intensity situations. However, due to the small sample size, further research with larger, diverse populations is needed to validate these findings.

Reference

Source: Frontiers in Nutrition. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2026.1868802; “Combined L-carnosine and L-tyrosine supplementation as an ergogenic strategy for physical and cognitive performance under fatigue in professional football players.” Authors: S. Bilgin et al.