Effects of Beetroot Juice Supplementation on a 30-s High-Intensity Inertial Cycle Ergometer Test

• Main Authors: Raul Domínguez, Manuel Vicente Garnacho-Castaño, Eduardo Cuenca, Pablo García-Fernández, Arturo Muñoz-González, Fernando de Jesús, María Del Carmen Lozano-Estevan, Sandro Fernandes da Silva, Pablo Veiga-Herreros, José Luis Maté-Muñoz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2017-12-01
• Series: Nutrients
• Subjects: beet; nitrate; physical activity; sport; supplement
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/12/1360

Background: Beetroot juice (BJ) is rich in inorganic nitrates and has proved effective at increasing blood nitric oxide (NO) levels. When used as a supplement BJ has shown an ergogenic effect on cardiorespiratory resistance exercise modalities, yet few studies have examined its impact on high intensity efforts. Objective: To assess the effects of BJ intake on anaerobic performance in a Wingate test. Methods: Fifteen trained men (age 21.46 ± 1.72 years, height 1.78 ± 0.07 cm and weight 76.90 ± 8.67 kg) undertook a 30-s maximum intensity test on an inertial cycle ergometer after drinking 70 mL of BJ (5.6 mmol NO3−) or placebo. Results: Despite no impacts of BJ on the mean power recorded during the test, improvements were produced in peak power (6%) (p = 0.034), average power 0–15 s (6.7%) (p = 0.048) and final blood lactate levels (82.6%) (p < 0.001), and there was a trend towards a shorter time taken to attain peak power (−8.4%) (p = 0.055). Conclusions: Supplementation with BJ has an ergonomic effect on maximum power output and on average power during the first 15 s of a 30-s maximum intensity inertial cycle ergometer test.