Beetroot Juice Effects on Contractile or Neuromuscular Properties in Male Trained Sprinters (BEET_SPRINT)

Acute Ingestion of Beetroot Juice Does Effects on Contractile or Neuromuscular Properties in Male Trained Sprinters: a Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study.

Beetroot juice is a rich source of nitrate (NO3-), which serves as a precursor to nitric oxide (NO) via the NO3- to nitrite (NO2-) to NO conversion pathway. This pathway is believed to enhance vasodilation and improve neuromuscular function, such as by increasing sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium release and re-uptake, leading to enhanced force production in type II muscle fibers and improved muscle contractile recruitment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of beetroot juice supplementation on muscle contractile properties, as assessed by tensiomyography, and neuromuscular performance in sprint-trained athletes.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Nitrates; Placebo
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Beetroot Juice (Beet-It Stamina Shot) and Exercise Training

Detailed Description

Sports nutrition is a rapidly expanding scientific field that has experienced a significant increase in interest from the academic community over the past decade. Despite the extensive marketing of numerous nutritional products that claim to optimize athlete health, function, and performance, only a limited number of sports foods or dietary supplements have been supported by robust evidence for enhancing performance. Among these, caffeine, creatine, beetroot juice, β-alanine, and bicarbonate are notable for their validated efficacy, though the effectiveness of these supplements can vary based on the specific event, context of use, and the individual athlete's goals and responsiveness.

Beetroot juice, in particular, is a rich source of nitrate (NO3-), which serves as a precursor to nitric oxide (NO) through the NO3- to nitrite (NO2-) to NO conversion pathway. This pathway is believed to promote vasodilation and improve neuromuscular function, such as by increasing sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium release and re-uptake, leading to enhanced force output in type II muscle fibers and improved muscle contractile recruitment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of beetroot juice supplementation on muscle contractile properties, as assessed by tensiomyography, and neuromuscular performance in sprint-trained athletes. The goal was to gain a deeper understanding of the physiological effects induced by beetroot juice intake in short-distance track and field disciplines.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 12
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Spain
  • Madrid, Spain
    • Universidad Pontificia Comillas

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Between 18 to 40 years old.
• With a regular training practise in track and field disciplines > 5 years.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Intolerance to beetroot juice or NO3- derivatives
• Presence of any chronic pathology or injury within three months prior to the study-
• Use of medications or supplements (e.g., caffeine) during the study.
• Failure to attend all experimental sessions.
• Failure to adhere to the dietary guidelines established in the study

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Quadruple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Beetroot juice supplementation; One serving 70 mL of beetroot juice (6.4 mmol of NO3-; Beet-It-Pro Elite Shot, James White Drinks Ltd., Ipswich, UK) 2.5 h before initiating the testing session.	Dietary supplement: Beetroot Juice (Beet-It Stamina Shot) and Exercise Training; Player randomization was performed using an online tool (https://www.randomizer.org/). An independent researcher assigned alphanumeric codes to each sequence to ensure blinding of both sprint athletes and researchers during the trials. Each player participated in two identical experimental trials separated by one week to allow physical recovery between testing occasions and washout from the beetroot juice treatment.
Placebo Comparator: Placebo supplementation; One serving 70 mL of beetroot juice placebo (0.04 mmol of NO3-; Beet-It-Pro Elite Shot, James White Drinks Ltd., Ipswich, UK) 2.5 h before initiating the testing session.	Dietary supplement: Beetroot Juice (Beet-It Stamina Shot) and Exercise Training; Player randomization was performed using an online tool (https://www.randomizer.org/). An independent researcher assigned alphanumeric codes to each sequence to ensure blinding of both sprint athletes and researchers during the trials. Each player participated in two identical experimental trials separated by one week to allow physical recovery between testing occasions and washout from the beetroot juice treatment.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Tensiomyography changes (seconds): Delay time (Td) ; Contraction time (Tc) ; Sustain time (Ts) ; Relaxation time (Tr)	The measurement of the rectus femoris, biceps femoris, gastrocnemius lateralis, and gastrocnemius medialis muscles was conducted using tensiomyography. We analyzed different parameters such as selay time (Td) as a time between the electrical impulse and 10% of the contraction; Contraction time (Tc) as a time between 10% and 90% of the contraction; Sustain time (Ts) as a time between 50% of the contraction and 50% of the relaxation; Relaxation time (Tr) as a time between 90% and 50% of the relaxation.	1-week
Changes in 60-m and 100-m sprint test (seconds)	Time to complete 60-m and 100-m sprint test using photocell timing gates	1-week

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Changes in maximal countermovement and squat jump height (cm)	Maximal jump height using a contact platform	1-week.
Changes in nitrites and nitrates levels in saliva (μmol/L)	Using specific kit ELISA analysis	1-week
Changes in side effects questionnarie	Questionnarie based on side-effects related to beetroot juice ingestion (A scale consisting of nine items, each answered with "yes" or "no")	1-week
Changes in rate of perception effort	Using rate of perceived exertion scale (1-10 points)	1-week

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Universidad Pontificia Comillas
• Collaborators: Anglia Ruskin University; Universidad Francisco de Vitoria; Universidad Rey Juan Carlos; Universidad de León
• Investigators: Study Director: Alvaro López Samanes, PhD, Universidad Pontificia Comillas

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 17, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 24, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): March 31, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 27, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 4, 2024
• First Posted (Estimated): November 5, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): November 5, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 4, 2024
• Last Verified: August 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Nitrates; Athletes; Tensiomyography; Sport nutrition; Track and field
• Other Study ID Numbers: UPC_Comillas

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No