한어Русский языкEnglishFrançaisIndonesianSanskrit日本語DeutschPortuguêsΕλληνικάespañolItalianoSuomalainenLatina

01

Beetroot has become a popular natural performance enhancer among athletes and fitness enthusiasts in recent years. Whether it is juiced, consumed directly or mixed into a drink as a powder, beetroot is seen as a potential boost to running and cycling performance. But can beetroot really significantly improve athletic performance? Let's find out.

02

A large 2020 systematic review of 80 clinical trials that randomly assigned participants to drink beetroot juice or not found that drinking beetroot juice did provide athletes with a performance advantage. In sports where every second or centimeter counts, the gains from beetroot juice can be substantial. For example, in a 16.1 km (10 mile) cycling time trial, beetroot juice supplementation was equivalent to a 48-second improvement.

Another 2021 systematic review of 73 studies looked at endurance athletes and found similar positive effects. Supplementing with beetroot (and other nitrate-rich vegetables) improved their time to exhaustion by an average of 25.3 seconds and increased their travel distance by 163 meters. However, these improvements were mainly seen in recreational athletes and not in elite athletes or sedentary people.

The reason why beetroot can improve exercise performance is mainly due to its rich nitrate content. Nitrates are converted into nitrites by bacteria in the mouth, and then converted into nitric oxide with the help of stomach acid. Nitric oxide can dilate blood vessels and accelerate the delivery of oxygen to muscles, thereby improving energy utilization efficiency and delaying fatigue.

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) has evaluated beetroot and recommends its use in specific sporting situations. The AIS advises that beetroot supplementation is appropriate for exercise, training and competitive activities lasting 4-30 minutes, and team sports with intermittent exercise.

For best results, beetroot products (whether juice, powder or food) should contain 350-600 mg of inorganic nitrates. To ensure that the nitrates have enough time to be converted into nitric oxide and absorbed into the blood, it is recommended to consume them 2-3 hours before training or competition.

03

Precautions for using beetroot juice:

Changes in urine color: After consuming beetroot juice, your urine may turn red, which can make it difficult to judge your dehydration status.

Stomach upset: Some people may experience stomach upset after drinking beetroot juice, so it’s best to try it during training to ensure that there are no issues on race day.

While it may be difficult to consume enough nitrates directly from vegetables to improve athletic performance, including enough vegetables in your daily diet (such as celery, arugula, spinach, etc.) can help maintain high nitric oxide levels. However, cured meats with added nitrates should be avoided because the nitrites in these foods may increase the risk of cancer.

In conclusion, beetroot may offer athletes a small performance boost, but a balanced diet and adequate training are equally important. Consulting with a sports scientist and a certified sports nutritionist is recommended for optimal results.

refer to

Senefeld JW, Wiggins CC, Regimbal RJ, Dominelli PB, Baker SE, Joyner MJ. Ergogenic Effect of Nitrate Supplementation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2020 Oct;52(10):2250-2261.