Beetroot and its role in sports nutrition

Beetroot has been increasingly mentioned in recent years as a demonstrably effective sports nutrition supplement, especially due to its high content of dietary nitrates . These have the ability to improve performance in certain types of exercise and positively influence physiological processes in the body.

How nitrates work

After consuming foods rich in nitrates (e.g. beets, celery, spinach, arugula or lettuce), they are converted into nitrites and then into nitric oxide (NO). This plays several key roles in the body:

• dilates blood vessels and improves blood circulation to muscles,

• reduces oxygen consumption during exercise,

• supports mitochondrial function and energy production,

• It affects the release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, which can facilitate muscle contraction.

The result is more efficient muscle work and delayed fatigue.

Scientific findings

Studies show that consuming beetroot extract or concentrated shots containing 5–8 mmol of nitrates (≈ 370–500 mg):

• improves endurance performance at submaximal and maximal loads,

• reduces blood pressure and oxygen costs during intense running or cycling,

• delays exhaustion by up to 15%,

• increases the efficiency of interval and repeated sprint performance.

Meta-analyses of dozens of studies show an average performance improvement of around 3% when supplementation is timed correctly (usually 90 minutes before performance).

Practical use

The most common form of supplementation is beetroot juice extracts , which contain the necessary amount of nitrates. Athletes usually take them 2–3 hours before performance. Long-term daily use for 3–7 days, e.g. before a competition, further enhances the effect.

Recreational and well-trained athletes experience the most benefits, while elite, highly trained athletes may experience a slightly smaller effect, but many elite athletes like Eliud Kipchoge are big advocates of beetroot and nitrates.

What to watch out for

• Not all nitrate sources are equally effective – that's why standardized extracts or concentrates are used.

• Some mouthwashes and antibacterial products can block the conversion of nitrates to nitric oxide, so they are not recommended for use before or after consumption.