Abstract
Nitric Oxide (NO) has a plethora of physiological benefits including vascular smooth muscle relaxation and vasodilation. Beetroot (BR) is a rich source of dietary nitrate which serves as a precursor for enhancing the bioavailability of circulating NO levels. BR has been used by athletes as a supplement to potentially enhance blood flow and exercise performance. Understanding the performance effects of BR supplementation is important for determining its practical value as an ergogenic aid for athletes and active individuals.PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate whether BR supplementation enhances exercise performance during a cycling sprint protocol. METHODS: Ten recreationally active males participated in this randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Participants consumed 2 x 70 mL of either nitrate-rich BR (~400 mg nitrate; Beet It Sport®) or a nitrate-depleted placebo daily for three days preceding the experimental trials. An additional dose of 2 x 70 mL was ingested on the day of testing 2.5 hours before completing the cycling sprint protocol. Each participant completed a cycling sprint protocol consisting of 10 x 5-second sprints on a stationary bike interspersed with 55 seconds of rest between efforts. Average power, peak power, distance, and average speed were assessed during each sprint. A two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (2 x 10) was conducted to examine group differences in cycling performance, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed between the groups for cycle performance metrics (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: BR supplementation did not produce significant improvements in cycling performance measures in this study. This contrasts with previous findings indicating that acute nitrate supplementation can enhance power production during short cycling sprints. The variability in outcomes across studies highlight the need for further investigation into the conditions under which nitrate supplementation is most effective.
Recommended Citation
Karas, Lia M.; Gonzalez, Adam M.; Wang, David; Ghigiarelli, Jamie J.; and Sell, Katie M.
(2025)
"Effect of Short-term Beetroot Supplementation on High-intensity Cycling Sprint Performance in Recreationally Active Adults,"
International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 15:
Iss.
7, Article 19.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol15/iss7/19