Introduction:
Beetroot juice is one of the most popular sports-based supplements that is often taken by many athletes to improve their overall performance. One can wonder what exactly makes beet juice or beet veggie such a bundle of nutrition that gives endurance. Read the article to find out all about the research, promising potential, and rationale behind beetroot juice being beneficial before an athletic performance.
Is Beet Juice Good for Athletes?
The beetroot (beta vulgaris), usually is best enjoyed by individuals across the globe as a food source and is also used medicinally, serving as both a sports and ergogenic supplement. While various varieties of this reddish-colored heart-shaped vegetable can be found across different parts of the world, it is typically available throughout the year in most organic stores and during all seasons, depending on the local availability and crop cycles.
Consuming beet greens, beets, or beetroot as a vegetable has been demonstrated by nutrition researchers over the last decade to have a significant impact on improving body functions during and post-workout or exercise. This is attributed to their high carotenoid and bioactive compound presence, such as phenolic acids and flavonoids, that are known to boost immunity and cellular health.
Athletes and adults who are fitness enthusiasts, bodybuilders, or more oriented towards an active lifestyle (involving moderate to high-intensity workouts, training, endurance, and resistance training) typically require more nutrition compared to individuals who follow a sedentary or less active lifestyle.
Whether for athletes or fitness enthusiasts, the focus is often on the consumption of proteinaceous or nutrient-dense foods to improve endurance, stamina, or athletic performance. Current nutrition research sheds light on a diet primarily rich in vegetables, such as beets, which have been shown to significantly improve endurance.
What Is the Popularity and Rationale of Beetroot in Sports Nutrition?
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One might have noticed that fitness enthusiasts, bodybuilders, or athletes are more often supplemented with beet juice, or they would be recommended beet juice by their dietitian or nutritionist. One might wonder the reason behind the popularity of beet juice among these individuals. Beet juice is known to enhance cardiorespiratory endurance and athletic performance, making it an indispensable part of current-day sports nutrition. Most commercial brands market it either in combination with other blends or juices in the sports nutrition market.
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Current research highlights that after several observations following beet juice consumption by athletes engaged in various sports such as running, swimming, cycling, or power walking, there is preliminary evidence showing potent endurance capacity in these individuals.
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Nitrates are chemicals naturally found in certain foods and are converted into nitric oxide after consumption. Similarly, when someone drinks beet juice, they are raising the nitric oxide levels in their body, which could possibly improve functions that are pro-endurance in their body. For example, nitric oxide is mainly known for promoting blood flow through the vessels, improving lung capacity, and function according to medical research, and it may even possibly stimulate or strengthen muscular contraction.
What Are the Health and Performance Benefits of Beetroot Juice?
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According to a major research study published on beetroot juice supplementation and its connection with the aerobic response in around 14 healthy male swimmers, controlled swim tests demonstrated beetroot juice supplementation to be an effective link in boosting the aerobic energy of the swimmers. The athletes were evaluated through the course of the swim test to determine the maximum volume of oxygen (VO₂) as well as their aerobic energy expenditure or cost. The research results in swimmers showed an increased anaerobic threshold right after beet juice supplementation compared to those swimmers who were not supplemented by beet juice. This research study holds promising potential as well as links to the future utilization of beet veggies in sports nutrition because of its ability to increase oxygen capacity or prevent exercise failure before athletic performance which shows that it can be one of the many natural ways to sustain endurance in athletes.
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As known, when individuals work out in high altitudes, the body has a more additional demand for oxygen due to its decreased supply to the working muscles. Another primary reason why oxygen is decreased in higher altitudes is the possibility of a reduction in oxygen pressure, usually proportional to a higher elevation. Nitric acid that promotes blood flow, as elaborated earlier (by the nitrates found in beet juice), would hold promising potential as per current preliminary medical research in promoting cardiovascular health as well as sustaining endurance during workouts at higher altitudes.
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As current medical research shows the potency of nitrates to stimulate blood flow to the muscles, along with the cellular health ensured by the antioxidants such as bioactive polyphenol compounds present in beetroot juice, individuals such as athletes or fitness trainers would gain the needed competitive edge to improve their bodily stamina and performance by nearly 16 percent (according to a 2014 medical research study). Research studies show that athletes from different fields, be it cyclists, swimmers, runners, kayakers, or triathletes, gained more aerobic energy post beet juice consumption or prior to the performance.
What Is the Best Way to Consume Beetroot Juice?
Beets can be consumed either by cooking them in their vegetable form or by drinking their juice. Although commercial beet juices are in trend now, all consumers need to study the nutrition back label. Some brands may contain mixed fruit or vegetable blends with added sugars or preservatives which may hinder consumers from availing the natural benefits accompanying beet juice consumption. One can prepare their own beet juice at home, cutting back on sugars, or use it in the form of a dehydrated or powdered supplement.
Conclusion:
Beets can hence be called a rich source of potent antioxidant compounds, including vitamin C, carotenoids, phenolic acids, and flavonoids, along with essential nitrates that yield benefits like boosting bodily stamina or endurance. Like most other pre-workout foods and commercial supplements, enjoying a glass of beetroot juice right before starting to work out or beginning exercise or training would probably provide the boost and bodily immunity that one needs. It is always wiser to consult with a registered healthcare professional, such as a nutritionist or dietitian, for personalized advice to prevent any possible adverse or side effects in individuals who may be taking systemic medications, have a certain medical history, or have food sensitivity or gastrointestinal/celiac conditions.
