Supplementing with beetroot juice doesn't improve women's performance, says new study
While some research, including studies funded by the British Heart Foundation, has linked beetroot juice to health benefits such as reduced blood pressure, a new study investigating the effects of nitrate supplementation on muscular power and endurance across the menstrual cycle found that supplementing with beetroot juice actually worsened certain performance metrics.
The research
A randomised crossover trial, published in the journal J Appl Physiol, aimed to investigate the effects of nitrate supplementation on exercise performance and recovery across the menstrual cycle. The researchers studied 10 women (average age 24) in Virginia who had no apparent health conditions and were not aerobically trained.
The methods
Each participant in the randomised trial – which took place over two months – was tested during two specific phases of their menstrual cycle: the early follicular phase (3–4 days after their period began) and the late follicular phase (13–14 days after their period began).
During each phase, participants consumed 140 mL of either nitrate-rich beetroot juice or nitrate-depleted beetroot juice (the placebo) daily for five days.
After the supplementation period, participants completed a series of knee extension tests. First, they performed knee extensions at different speeds (isokinetic movements), during which their maximum knee extension velocity and power were measured. Next, they performed maximal voluntary isometric contractions to assess muscle strength.
Following this, participants undertook a muscular endurance test, which involved holding a series of three-second isometric contractions at 60% of their maximal voluntary isometric contraction force until exhaustion. To evaluate recovery, participants performed another round of maximal voluntary isometric contractions after the muscular endurance test."
The results
The results from the randomised trial showed that maximal power and velocity were lower when participants consumed the nitrate-rich beetroot juice compared to the placebo (with a medium effect size), with no difference between menstrual cycle phases. No significant differences were found between the beetroot juice and placebo conditions for any of the other outcomes.
What does this mean for us?
Simply put, while beetroot juice contains antioxidants, electrolytes, and other compounds that can help support heart and brain health, when it comes to improving exercise performance, supplementing with beetroot juice can actually worsen some performance metrics.
Admittedly, it’s worth noting that this particular trial was only conducted on a very small sample of participants, but overall, if you’re looking for muscle gains in the gym, it’s best to avoid the red stuff.
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