The science

Carnosine science.

Explore the science of carnosine, muscle performance and targeted topical application.

002 / INSIDE WORKING MUSCLE

WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE MUSCLE
WHEN PERFORMANCE GETS HARDER?

  1. 01 / BASELINE

    INTENSE ACTIVITY

    Every sprint. Every stride. Every repetition.

  2. 02 / RISING DEMAND

    THE MUSCLE ENVIRONMENT CHANGES

    As intensity rises, the environment inside working muscle changes.

  3. 03 / HIGH DEMAND

    PERFORMANCE BECOMES HARDER TO MAINTAIN

    The effort stays. Sustaining it gets harder.

  4. 04 / THE QUESTION

    SO WHAT ROLE DOES CARNOSINE PLAY?

    One shared question across human, equine and canine muscle.

SO WHAT IS CARNOSINE?

003 / MEET CARNOSINE

MEET CARNOSINE.

A molecule your muscles already know.

Carnosine is a naturally occurring dipeptide found in skeletal muscle. It is formed from the amino acids beta-alanine and histidine, and is part of the muscle environment during intense physical activity.

BETA-ALANINEHISTIDINE
BETA-ALANINE + HISTIDINE → CARNOSINE
01

What is carnosine?

Carnosine is a naturally occurring dipeptide — a small molecule built from two amino acids, beta-alanine and histidine.

02

Where is it found?

Carnosine occurs naturally in the body, with especially high amounts in skeletal muscle. It is also present in other tissues.

03

Why do performance researchers care about it?

Muscle carnosine is studied for its possible role in the muscle environment during high-intensity activity. Research in this area is ongoing.

CARNOSINE IS NOT UNIQUE TO ONE TYPE OF ATHLETE.

HUMAN • EQUINE • CANINE

IF CARNOSINE IS ALREADY INSIDE MUSCLE, HOW DO YOU GET MORE OF IT THERE?

004 / DELIVERY

THE NEXT QUESTION
IS DELIVERY.

Carnosine can be approached in different ways. Topical application introduces a targeted method of use.

PATH A

ORAL / SYSTEMIC

  1. INGESTION
  2. DIGESTIVE TRACT
  3. SYSTEMIC PATHWAY

Taken by mouth and distributed through the body.

PATH B

TOPICAL / TARGETED APPLICATION

  1. APPLICATION
  2. SKIN
  3. LOCAL AREA

Applied directly to a chosen area of the body.

WHAT IF CARNOSINE COULD BE APPLIED WHERE PERFORMANCE HAPPENS?

005 / FROM HYPOTHESIS TO EVIDENCE

THIS IS WHERE THE SCIENCE GETS INTERESTING.

Researchers have investigated topical carnosine application and what happens after it is applied.

  1. 01TOPICAL APPLICATION
  2. 02RESEARCH
  3. 03MEASUREMENT
  4. 04WHAT DID THEY FIND?

A CLAIM IS NOT EVIDENCE.

SO LET'S LOOK AT WHAT WAS ACTUALLY STUDIED.

NEXT / EQUINE RESEARCH

THE STORY STARTS WITH THE HORSE.

Equine research gives us an important place to begin examining topical carnosine.

Topical carnosine vs oral supplementation

Why topical?

Because application method changes how a product fits into the performance routine.

Topical carnosine

Oral supplementation

Traditional topical rubs

Application

Topical carnosineApplied directly to a chosen external area.

Oral supplementationTaken by mouth.

Traditional topical rubsApplied externally to a chosen area.

Routine

Topical carnosineCan be integrated around activity.

Oral supplementationOften used as part of a broader supplementation routine.

Traditional topical rubsOften used as part of topical care routines.

Carnosine

Topical carnosineContains carnosine directly in the topical formulation.

Oral supplementationMay use carnosine itself or ingredients related to carnosine metabolism, depending on the product.

Traditional topical rubsMay or may not contain carnosine.

Targeting

Topical carnosineAllows external application to a selected area.

Oral supplementationIs not locally applied.

Traditional topical rubsAllows external application to a selected area.

Topical doesn't mean "better."
It means different.

Different delivery approaches serve different routines, goals and use cases.

Why carnosine gel is different

  1. 01

    Carnosine-based

    The formulation contains carnosine itself.

  2. 02

    Topical

    It is applied externally to a chosen area.

  3. 03

    Studied

    Topical carnosine has been investigated in both equine muscle-delivery research and human performance research.

Review the research ↑

How it's applied is one part of the story.
What's inside is the next.

Let's look at the formula.

Research references

Sources, kept separate.

  1. Equine background

    Sewell DA, Harris RC, Marlin DJ, Dunnett M. “Estimation of the carnosine content of different fibre types in the middle gluteal muscle of the thoroughbred horse.” The Journal of Physiology. 1992.

    VIEW SOURCE ↗
  2. Equine topical delivery

    Dieter BP, Macias CJ, Sharpe TJ, et al. “Transdermal delivery of carnosine into equine skeletal muscle.” Comparative Exercise Physiology. 2021;17(5):429–434. DOI: 10.3920/CEP200077

    VIEW PUBLISHED STUDY ↗
  3. Human performance

    Beaven CM, James C, McMaster DT, Brockelbank N. “Topical carnosine gel improves intermittent high-intensity exercise performance in world-class rugby sevens players.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2025;22(1):2550311. DOI: 10.1080/15502783.2025.2550311

    VIEW PUBLISHED STUDY ↗

Canine: no equivalent direct canine performance evidence is presented. Different species. Different evidence. Same commitment to clarity.

Knowledge hub

Questions about carnosine?

Start with the questions people ask before they understand the science, the products, or the difference between human and animal use.

Carnosine

Carnosine is a naturally occurring dipeptide made from beta-alanine and histidine. It is found in skeletal muscle and other tissues and has been studied for its role in the muscle environment during high-intensity activity.

Carnosine occurs naturally in skeletal muscle and is also present in other tissues. Muscle carnosine levels vary between species, individuals and muscle types.

Carnosine is formed from two amino acids: beta-alanine and histidine.

Researchers study carnosine because it is present in working muscle and may influence aspects of the muscle environment during intense activity. Research continues into how carnosine availability relates to performance and muscle physiology.

No. Beta-alanine is one of the two amino acids used by the body to form carnosine. Carnosine itself is the finished dipeptide made from beta-alanine and histidine.

Topical application

Topical carnosine refers to a formulation containing carnosine that is applied externally to the skin rather than taken by mouth.

Topical carnosine is applied to a selected external area. Oral supplementation is taken by mouth and follows a systemic pathway. These are different application approaches, and one should not automatically be assumed to be universally better than the other.

A published equine study reported higher measured intramuscular carnosine concentrations at 30 and 60 minutes after topical carnosine application compared with placebo. Equivalent direct measurement in humans requires further study.

View source ↗

Yes. A 2025 peer-reviewed study in seven world-class rugby sevens players examined topical carnosine gel during repeated high-intensity exercise. Higher peak power was reported in several specific sprint efforts compared with placebo, while mean power, heart rate and perceived exertion did not show a treatment effect.

View source ↗

Current research is promising but limited. Individual responses may vary, and the available studies should not be interpreted as proof that every person, animal, sport or activity will respond the same way.

You've seen the science.
You've seen the products.
Now choose your performance world.

LactiGo & Fortigo experiences

Real people.
Real animals.
Real routines.

Science tells one part of the story. Experience tells another.

Featured performance story

Verified testimonial content will be added here.

Name / roleProduct

Human

LactiGo
  • Athlete
  • Runner
  • Cyclist
  • Gym / strength
  • Team sport

Equine

Fortigo
  • Rider
  • Trainer
  • Horse owner
  • Racing
  • Endurance
  • Jumping / other disciplines

Canine

Fortigo
  • Working dog handler
  • Agility
  • Sporting dog
  • Active companion

We only want stories we can stand behind.

Customer experiences should be identified clearly as personal experiences, not scientific guarantees.

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