Looking to take your workout performance to the next level? Beetroot juice may be just what you need to get there.
A recent study shows that dietary nitrate, the active molecule in beetroot juice, increases muscle force during exercise. Read on to find out more about what it has to offer.
The Study
Researchers at the University of Exeter and the U.S. National Institutes of Health conducted a study involving ten healthy volunteers. The volunteers were asked to ingest nitrate oxide and then perform maximal leg exercise. The goal was the find out where the nitrate was active in the body and hence, how it promotes the desired effects.
The volunteers were asked to perform 60 contractions of the quadriceps at high intensity over five minutes on an exercise machine. The team found a significant increase in nitrate in the muscles. This boosted muscle force by 7% as compared to when participants took a placebo.
Previous Studies
This most recent study wasn’t the first to look at nitrate oxide’s benefits. Previous research revealed that nitrate increased in the tissue and body fluid after a dietary nitrate was taken.
But this study used a tracer that allowed researchers to determine where the nitrate is increased and active. It also provided insight into how the nitrate we consume is used to enhance exercise performance.
“The study provides the first direct evidence that muscle nitrate levels are important for exercise performance, presumably by acting as a source of nitric oxide. These results have significant implications not only for the exercise field but possibly for other medical areas such as those targeting neuromuscular and metabolic diseases related to nitric oxide deficiency,” said Dr. Barbora Piknova, research collaborator and staff scientist in the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health.
About Beetroot Juice
Beetroot juice can be purchased at most health food retailers. In addition to helping with exercise performance, it also boosts blood flow and lowers blood pressure.
It is advisable to drink 1-2 cups of beetroot juice a day. But avoid overdoing it. The juice’s high oxalate content can contribute to kidney stone formation.
Beetroot juice has an intensely earthy flavor and a hint of bitterness. Some describe it as tasting like dirt. Not everyone finds its flavor profile appealing.
Will you be adding beetroot juice to your diet?