Share Button

It seems an unlikely performance booster but mounting research suggests beetroot could be the secret to sporting success at this year’s Olympics. Athletes who drink beetroot juice perform btter than their rivals, thanks to its high content of nitrates.

Beetroot juice increases the amount of nitrate in the blood. Nitrate is then converted into nitric oxide (NO) in the body. This gas plays an important role in vaso dilation and regulating blood pressure. Increasing NO levels prior to exercise could be an advantage as it means blood vessels become more dilated, aiding the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to muscles during exercise.

What is the evidence?

Researchers at St Louis University, US, found that athletes who consumed 200g cooked beetroot an hour before exercise were able to run faster in the latter stages of a 5km run (Murphy et al, 2012). The findings support earlier research, published in 2009, by British scientists which suggested drinking beetroot juice could have a powerful effect on stamina and endurance, as well as lower blood pressure.

The researchers, from the University of Exeter and the Peninsula Medical School asked eight healthy young men to complete a series of cycling tests. They performed them twice – after drinking beetroot juice once a day for six days and after drinking blackcurrant cordial.

When tasked with cycling at an easy pace, the men used less oxygen after drinking beetroot, suggesting their muscles were able to do the same amount of work while spending less energy. When they were asked to cycle for as long as they could before stopping, the beetroot juice allowed them to pedal an extra minute-and-a-half before running out of energy.

This 16 per cent increase in endurance could mean someone who normally runs out of steam after jogging for an hour would be able to keep going for an extra ten minutes.

A further study by the same researchers found that cyclists given 500ml beetroot juice 2 ½ hours before a time trial race improved their performance by 2.8% in a 4km race and 2.7% in a 16.1km race (Lansley et al, 2011). University of Maastrict researchers found that 170ml beetroot juice concentrate over 6 days improved 10km time trial performance and power output in cyclists (Cermak et al, 2012). These results suggest that the nitrates in beetroot juice reduce maximal oxygen uptake, improve exercise economy and allow athletes to exercise longer. In a nutshell, it means that athletes can tolerate higher intensity levels for longer.

Do I need it?

Beetroot may help improve your performance time in events lasting between 4 and 30 minutes. Typical doses used in studies are around 250ml – 500ml beetroot juice or 70 – 170ml beetroot juice concentrate or 200g cooked beetroot (equivalent to 300mg nitrate). This may be taken daily for a week or between 1 and 2 ½ hours before exercise.

Are there any side effects?

No side effects of beetroot have been reported to date although it may cause a harmless, temporary pink coloration of urine and stools. Be warned!

Murphy M et al (2012), ‘Whole Beetroot Consumption Acutely Improves Running Performance’. J Acad Nutr Diet, Vol 112, pp 548–552

Lansley KI, et al (2011), ‘Acute dietary nitrate supplementation improves cycling time trial performance’. Med Sci Sports Exerc vol 43 pp 1125-1131.

Cermak NM, et al (2012) ‘Nitrate supplementation’s improvement of 10 km time trial performance in trained cyclists’. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab vol 1 pp64 – 71.

Menu