Beets and endurance

thegreenhand

thegreenhand

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So I have read often of endurance athletes using beet juice to improve their performance. I cant seem to find much reliable info on just eating raw beets (like from a can). Can i still get the same benefits on my runs eating them as if i used juice or a supplement powder? How much would I need to eat?
 
I've no anecdotal experience - I mean, I eat beetroots as part of a healthy diet, but I've never specifically used them for nitrates or the various other micronutrients. There's a fair bit about beetroot supplementation on Ergolog worth having a gander at though - take a read here: https://ergo-log.com/beetroot-archives.html

I've seen allsorts of amounts of raw or cooked or juiced beetroot used - from 50g-200g (2-7oz) raw or cooked and 50-500ml of concentrate juice. I personally tend to gorge the stuff when I have it as I really like the taste, but I'm not an endurance runner and have never really bothered timing myself or comparing relative exertion over time.
 
Thanks for the link. I love the taste too so I have no problem eating a lot of them haha. It seems like you don’t have to eat any extraordinary amount of them to reap the benefits and that eating them every day is the most effective. Today I threw some in a smoothie along with some greens, peanut butter, banana, and almondmilk. Yummy!
 
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I did ran a study on nitrate supplementation and submaximal exercise back in my undergrad. We used a concentrated beetroot juice drink called "Beat It", its pretty decent and you can get it in shot (50ml) form or in litre bottles. May be slightly easier/cheaper to get it into the diet that way?

If you're interested I've found some papers on its effects for endurance running.

The effects of beetroot juice supplementation on exercise economy, rating of perceived exertion and running mechanics in elite distance runners: A double-blinded, randomized study - PMC

Nitrate-rich beetroot juice supplementation has been extensively used to increase exercise economy in different populations. However, its use in elite distance runners, and its potential effects on biomechanical aspects of running have not been ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
link.springer.com

Effects of chronic beetroot juice supplementation on maximum oxygen uptake, velocity associated with maximum oxygen uptake, and peak velocity in recreational runners: a double-blinded, randomized and crossover study

Purpose This study investigated the effects of chronic 3-day beetroot juice (BRJ) supplementation on maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max), velocity associated with VO2max(vVO2max), and peak velocity (Vpeak) in recreational runners. Methods Thirteen male recreational runners (age 28.2 ± 3.0 years...
link.springer.com link.springer.com

There seems to be a bit of an argument if nitrate supplementation does actually help elite level runners, but even if it does at a placebo level it's still pretty cool, even if your pee does go purple.
 
Ohhh, I used to carry beet juice shots when running marathons. It really did help I think, definitely gave me a boost.
 
MsDiz said:
Ohhh, I used to carry beet juice shots when running marathons. It really did help I think, definitely gave me a boost.
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definitely not just a placebo, in my experience. my swimmer friend used beetroot powder during swim meets i know too

i have no idea if it would do anything for strength work but cardio absolutely
 
thegreenhand said:
definitely not just a placebo, in my experience. my swimmer friend used beetroot powder during swim meets i know too

i have no idea if it would do anything for strength work but cardio absolutely
Click to expand...
Was bloody disgusting and I had like red teeth and mouth like some sort of vampire but it actually is so good for endurance.
 
MsDiz said:
Was bloody disgusting and I had like red teeth and mouth like some sort of vampire but it actually is so good for endurance.
Click to expand...
lol i love the taste of fresh beets so i've never bothered trying juice shots or powder, but they definitely dont sound good lol 🥴
 
I've never tried the beets or the extract for distance running, but I always use a supplement with L-arginine and L-citrulline and also a Cordyceps Sinensis extract. They work quite well together.
 
I definitely used to drink beet juice and definitely noticed some benefits like increased endurance during work (my work is physical all day).

I miss it cuz the stuff I used to get went off the shelf and I’ve yet see any again at the stores I shop. I’d buy it again if I saw it.

-GC
 
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