Beetroot juice boosts stamina

Drinking beetroot juice boosts stamina and could help people exercise for up to 16% longer, a new study has found.

According to researchers from the University of Exeter in the UK, beetroot juice contains nitrate, a chemical that reduces oxygen uptake – making exercise less tiring.
The study also found that the reduction in oxygen uptake that the beetroot juice provides could not be achieved by any other known means, including training.

Looking at the affect 500ml of organic beetroot juice taken every day for six consecutive days had on the endurance, the researchers found that participants were able to cycle for 92 seconds longer compared to those given a placebo juice. This would translate into an approximate 2% reduction in the time taken to cover a set distance.

The group that had consumed the beetroot juice also had lower resting blood pressure.

The researchers said they were not sure of the exact mechanism that caused the nitrate in the beetroot juice to boost stamina. However, they suspect it could be a result of the nitrate turning into nitric oxide in the body, reducing the oxygen cost of exercise.

The research team now hopes to conduct further studies to try to understand in more detail the effects of nitrate-rich foods on exercise physiology.

The study was published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

[Posted: Sat 08/08/2009]