Effects of Beetroot Juice Supplementation on Cardiorespiratory Endurance in Athletes. A Systematic Review.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review of 23 intervention studies on athlete cardiorespiratory endurance
PubMed 28067808 · doi:10.3390/nu9010043
What was done
A systematic review searched DialNet, MedLine, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from 2010 to 2016 for studies evaluating beetroot juice supplementation on cardiorespiratory endurance in athletes. After excluding animal studies, review articles, inaccessible full texts, and studies without adequate endurance assessments, 23 articles were selected for analysis.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values, effect sizes, or statistical tests. Qualitatively, the review found that beetroot juice supplementation can improve cardiorespiratory endurance in athletes by increasing efficiency, extending time to exhaustion at submaximal intensities, and potentially improving performance at anaerobic threshold intensities and VO2max. Some contradictory findings were noted across studies, and interactions with other supplements such as caffeine remain inconclusive.
Why it matters
This review synthesizes evidence supporting dietary nitrate from beetroot juice as an ergogenic aid for aerobic performance and submaximal efficiency in athletic populations.
Limits
The abstract provides no quantitative data, effect sizes, or meta-analytic pooling. Specific supplement dosages, timing, participant characteristics, risk of bias assessments, and explanations for contradictory findings are not described in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Beetroot juice acts as a vasodilator via nitric oxide pathways and enhances endurance performance, especially in steady-state endurance sports like cycling, swimming, and running.