What happens to your training performance when you drink beet juice

Beet juice has gained popularity among athletes as a pre-training drink rich in antioxidants, some saying that it improves endurance and performance. Emerging research shows that beet juice can improve cardiovascular function and endurance, making it a good training drink before running or lifting weights.

What research on beet juice says

A new little study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that beet juice improved endurance and lower body power in mountain climbers.

In the study, 27 experienced climbers consumed 70 milliliters of beet juice, water or a placebo. Two and a half hours later, they finished an ascent in the mountains, undergoing fitness tests and went down. Those who have drank beet juice have shown slightly faster muscle recovery than other groups.

Another recent study revealed that endurance athletes who drank 50 milliliters of beet juice 150 minutes before exercising saw an increase of almost 5% of Max VO2 or maximum oxygen consumption – a measurement of aerobic capacity.

How could beet juice improve sports performance?

Beet juice contains inorganic nitrate, which the body converts into nitric oxide into the intestine. This compound improves blood circulation, improves gas exchange and strengthens muscle contractions, according to Sue -llen Anderson-Haynes, MS, RDN, a dietitian recorded at 360 Girls & Women and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

“He is compared to the” secret sauce of an athlete “, I would say, because he feeds cardiorepiratory endurance,” said Anderson-Haynes.

Drink beet juice 90 minutes before exercising

Small studies suggest that beet juice can benefit athletes in various sports, including volleyball, race, boxing and weightlifting.

“This can vary from one person to another, and if it is consumed on an empty stomach or empty. In general, it is ideal to consume beets or beet juice about 60 to 90 minutes before the event or training because the nitrate will cultivate in the 2 to 3 hours after the consumption of beets”, Joel Ramdial, EDD, RD, LD, a Nutrition Department in the department From all Missouri State University, told very well in an email.

For those looking to use beet juice as a natural performance exhausor, fresh juice is preferable to supplements.

Anderson-Haynes recommends drinking about 3 ounces of pure beet juice before a sporting event. To help hide the strong beet taste, you can mix lemon or carrot juice.

Expect pink stools or urine

Beet juice can cause temporary changes in the color of urine or stool.

“You may notice that pink urine or red stool a day or two after having drunk it, depending on the speed with which your digestive system treats food,” she added.

These changes are harmless, but because beet juice can lower blood pressure, people taking blood pressure medicines should consult a health care provider before using it regularly.

Things to consider before drinking beet juice

Drinking too much beet juice without staying hydrated can cause gastrointestinal discomfort, said Anderson-Haynes.

And if you have a major race or event, avoid trying the beet juice for the first time that day.

“For any athlete using food or product to improve performance, always test it during a day of low challenges,” said Ramdial. “Do not wait until the day of an event to try a new food or a new complement in case it causes gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea.”