Repeated-sprint performance and plasma responses following beetroot juice supplementation do not differ between recreational, competitive and elite sprint athletes

Study answer

What this study found

BR supplementation increased plasma nitrate and nitrite concentrations vs PLA across all sport levels (P<0.001) with no differences between sport levels. Peak power across Wingates did not differ between BR and PLA (1338±30 W vs 1333±30 W; P=0.62); mean power did not differ (P=0.86); no Wingate×treatment interaction (P=0.48). Time to peak power improved by ~2.8% with BR vs PLA (median difference −0.2 s; 95% CI −1.0 to 0.4; P=0.007), consistent across Wingates and sport levels. Conclusion: Plasma and sprint-performance responses to beetroot juice do not differ by sport level, but BR reduces…

Study & population

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over design in 52 healthy sprint athletes who completed the protocol: elite sprinters (n=10; 5M/5F), competitive sprinters (n=22; 14M/8F), recreational athletes (n=20; 10M/10F).

Intervention

Beetroot juice (nitrate-rich) 140 mL daily for 6 days (~800 mg nitrate per day); Beetroot juice (nitrate-depleted) 140 mL daily for 6 days (~0.5 mg nitrate per day); taken at breakfast.

Key limitation

Not powered to detect sex differences within sport levels; athletes across sport levels tested in different time periods due to practical reasons; day-to-day performance variation; eight missing DEXA measurements (LLFFM/FFMI) across participants (4 male competitive, 3 female competitive, 1 male elite); one dropout;…

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Original abstract