The Effect of Different Doses of Beetroot Juice on Exercise Performance: An Experimental Study

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of different doses of beetroot juice (BJ) on submaximal exercise performance in elite male short-distance runners. Material and Methods: Twelve elite male short-distance runners (mean age: 19.0±1.54 years, mean body weight: 66.0±4.7 kg, mean height: 176.5±5.3 cm, mean body fat: 7.68±2.78%) voluntarily participated in this single-blind, placebocontrolled, crossover design trial. The study design involved three separate occasions with one-week intervals between sessions. Participants consumed BJ containing different nitrate (NO3 −) doses (0.04 mmol as placebo, 6 mmol, or 10 mmol) three hours before each exercise trial. Participants performed treadmill exercise tests until exhaustion at 85% HR reserve, during which time to task failure (TTF), HR, ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), and rating of perceived hunger (RPH) were recorded. Blood pressure (BP) was measured before BJ ingestion, pre and post exercise. All trials were conducted between 8 and 12 AM. Results: When blood pressures were examined, a statistically significant difference was found the both BJ trials (6 mmol and 10 mmol NO3 −) compared to placebo trial (p0.05). Conclusion: In male elite short-distance runners, 10 mmol NO3 − BJ dose may enhance performance, while the 6 mmol NO3 − BJ dose did not show such an effect.