UKC

Ive just read John alcock's article stating the possible affects of beetroot juice . so who uses beetroot and is there a benefit to your climbing?



by - John Alcock on - 19 May 2010



I just received this from Exeter Uni. The obvious question is where can you get it?
Study shows how beetroot juice boosts stamina
Research from the University of Exeter shows how drinking beetroot juice can make exercise easier by boosting stamina. Published 13 May 2010, in the Journal of Applied Physiology, the study reveals how drinking beetroot juice reduces the energy expended by muscles.
The research builds on a previous study (published in the Journal of Applied Physiology), which showed for the first time that drinking beetroot juice can boost stamina, allowing an individual to exercise for up to 16% longer. The authors suspected that this was connected to the very high nitrate content of beetroot juice turning into nitric oxide in the body, leading to a reduction in oxygen uptake. This latest study confirms that initial finding and also reveals the processes in the muscles that make exercise less tiring.
For the study, seven healthy men completed a series of knee extension exercises, which work the quadriceps muscles in the thigh. The level of exertion was assessed using a custom-designed ergometer. An MRI scanner enabled the researchers to record the internal processes of the muscle. In addition, the volunteers’ oxygen uptake was monitored. The exercises were repeated several times, sometimes after the volunteers had drunk half a litre of organic beetroot juice a day over six days and sometimes after they had drunk a placebo of blackcurrant cordial.
Drinking beetroot juice doubled the amount of nitrate in the blood of the volunteers and reduced the rate of utilization of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the most immediate source of energy for muscles. This suggests that drinking beetroot juice enables muscles to complete the same work more efficiently. Furthermore, after drinking beetroot juice, oxygen uptake was reduced during both low-intensity and high-intensity exercise.
Corresponding author of the study, Professor Andy Jones of the University of Exeter’s School of Sport and Health Sciences, said: “We continue to be impressed by the physiological effects of increasing dietary nitrate consumption. While our previous research demonstrated the benefits of nitrate-rich beetroot juice on stamina, our latest work indicates that this is consequent to a reduced energy cost of muscle force production.
“Since our first study came out we have seen growing interest in the benefits of drinking beetroot juice in the world of professional sport and I expect this study to attract even more attention from athletes.”

In reply to silo:

Interesting. But rubbish non the less even by a lay person's viewpoint. Only seven healthy men took part in the study. A study with this number of participants wouldn't get you past 'A' level, let alone acceptance by scientific communities.
There are many, many other substances that cointain nitrates - including some regional water supplies!!

I'd stick to practice!

In reply to silo:
Wouldn't the placebo taste a little blackcurranty and not very erm.. Beetrooty?

In reply to Dave Perry:


People get unnecessarily obsessed with sample size when it is significance that is really of interest. Indeed, if they found a significant effect (as they appear to have done), then the fact that it is detectable with such a small sample is more, rather than less, impressive to me!

In reply to Dave Perry: Agreed practice makes perfect but if something as innocuous as beetroot can up one's stamina I would give it ago.This study was in 2010 there must be other studies that have been carried out by now!

In reply to silo:


"Effects," for god's sake; "effects"!!

Sorry, one of my pet peeves! (Oh, and "I've" please.)

In reply to stroppygob:

www.dictionaryslang.com/Grammar%20Nazi

In reply to stroppygob:

Shouldn't 'god' have a capital G?


Sentences require verbs I believe.

In reply to silo: Go ahead, try it. I tried some during a particularly crazy health food moment. If you can hold down more than two mouthfulls you're made of sterner stuff than I am. I'd rather swallow my own wee than drink a single sip of that stuff, even if it made me grow wings, glow in the dark and fire lazer beams out my eyes............Don't be under the illusion that mixing it with ribena will help either.

Strange thing is, I love beetroot, cooked and raw but beetroot juice just tastes like rotten beetroot.

In reply to CurlyStevo:

How does using the correct word make one a Nazi?

In reply to Markel:
So seven men took beetroot juice several times a day over six days and it was found that on an unknown number of occasions they could exercise up 16% longer.
Does this mean that on one occasion one individual managed 16% more exercise?
Or does this mean that one individual managed 16% and all the rest only managed 0% or perhaps the rest simply managed 1% improvement.

I rather go for a longer run and drink a beer.

In reply to Dave Perry:


Read the paper! The methods are described clearly enough. Comparisons are of means of experimental groups, and significance is from repeated measurement ANOVA.