Effects of Beetroot-Derived Nitrate Supplementation in Highly Trained and Elite Athletes: A Scoping Review of Randomized Controlled Trials on Performance, Recovery, and Physiological Outcomes
Study Details
This new review compiled data from 31 studies examining beetroot-derived nitrate supplementation for performance, recovery and physiological outcomes in highly trained, elite and world-class athletes 🔍
Here are the key findings ⬇️
Key Findings
🧃 Nitrate doses ranged from 4–19.5 mmol/day (248–1209 mg nitrate)
⏱️ Most acute protocols provided beetroot juice around 2–3 hours before exercise
📅 Longer protocols ranged from 3–15 days of supplementation
🚴 Five studies reported improvements in time-trial performance, particularly in cycling and rowing
📈 Cycling improvements included approximately 0.6–2.8% faster time-trial performances in some studies
↔️ However, several other cycling, running, swimming and skiing studies found no endurance-performance benefit
⚡ Benefits appeared more consistent for high-intensity and anaerobic exercise than traditional endurance performance
💥 One study in footballers found approximately 11% greater Wingate peak power and 7% greater mean power ~400mg nitrate
⚽ Six days of ~400 mg nitrate improved Yo-Yo intermittent running distance by 3.4% in trained footballers
🏋️ Beetroot improved countermovement-jump performance in some rugby and handball studies
🦵 Improvements in agility, isometric endurance and other neuromuscular outcomes were also reported in selected studies
❌ Tennis, field hockey, swimming and taekwondo studies generally found little or no improvement in sport-specific performance
🫁 Effects on VO₂ and exercise economy were inconsistent despite substantial increases in nitrate and nitrite availability
🧬 Highly trained athletes may have less scope for improvement because of already-developed aerobic efficiency and nitric oxide metabolism
🔄 Multi-day supplementation produced benefits in several studies, suggesting repeated dosing may sometimes outperform a single acute dose
🥗 Habitual nitrate intake may influence responsiveness, with one football study finding benefits primarily in athletes with lower usual nitrate intake
😮💨 Ratings of perceived exertion were generally unchanged, although reductions were reported in some runners and skiers
💪 Preliminary evidence suggests beetroot may support recovery through reduced soreness and improved post-exercise muscle oxygenation
👤 Individual responsiveness appears substantial, meaning some elite athletes may benefit despite no average group effect
🤷♀️ Female athletes were heavily underrepresented, with only three studies exclusively involving women
Conclusion
Beetroot appears most promising for high-intensity, intermittent and anaerobic performance, while benefits for elite endurance performance remain much less consistent
For elite athletes, supplementation should be individually trialled rather than assumed to provide a universal ergogenic benefit ✅
Reference
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42588174/
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