Beetroot juice…how can it enhance your athletic performance?
What is in beetroot juice that improves performance?
Rich source of nitrates which when ingested are converted to nitrous oxide
How does nitrate (nitrous oxide) enhance performance?
Recent studies demonstrate:
Reduced cost of exercise
Increased time to exhaustion
Improved power output (cycling economy)
Enhanced performance in running and cycling events
How much nitrate is needed for optimal performance results?
Typical doses used in recent sports/exercise performance studies use ~5-6mmol or ~300mg nitrate per serve of beetroot juice consumed ~2-2.5hrs before exercise
~500mL beetroot juice contains ~5.2 mmol of dietary nitrate, however be aware that nitrate content can vary from plant to plant therefore may not result in a reliable nitrate dose
Beet it – makes a concentrated beet juice (70mL) that contains 300-400mg of dietary nitrate
When should I drink for best performance effects?
Recent studies have shown benefits with either a onetime dose ~2.5 hours before exercise or a continued dose over a period of 3-15 days
Other rich dietary sources of nitrates
Green leafy vegetables such as lettuce and spinach, celery, rhubarb, leek and rocket
Beware
Beetroot juice consumption may cause temporary pink coloration of urine and stool which is of course from the beetroot and a similar effect you may have when consuming a large amount of beets.