Betalain-rich concentrate supplementation improves exercise performance and recovery in competitive triathletes
Abstract
We aimed to determine the effects of a betalain-rich concentrate (BRC) of beetroots, containing no sugars or nitrates, on exercise performance and recovery. Twenty-two (9 men and 13 women) triathletes (age, 38 ± 11 years) completed 2 double-blind, crossover, randomized trials (BRC and placebo) starting 7 days apart. Each trial was preceded by 6 days of supplementation with 100 mg·day −1 of BRC or placebo. On the 7th day of supplementation, exercise trials commenced 120 min after ingestion of 50 mg BRC or placebo and consisted of 40 min of cycling (75 ± 5% maximal oxygen consumption) followed by a 10-km running time trial (TT). Subjects returned 24 h later to complete a 5-km running TT to assess recovery. Ten-kilometer TT duration (49.5 ± 8.9 vs. 50.8 ± 10.3 min, p = 0.03) was faster with the BRC treatment. Despite running faster, average heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion were not different between treatments. Five-kilometer TT duration (23.2 ± 4.4 vs 23.9 ± 4.7 min, p = 0.003), 24 h after the 10-km TT, was faster in 17 of the 22 subjects with the BRC treatment. Creatine kinase, a muscle damage marker, increased less (40.5 ± 22.5 vs. 49.7 ± 21.5 U·L −1 , p = 0.02) from baseline to after the 10-km TT and subjective fatigue increased less (–0.05 ± 6.1 vs. 3.23 ± 6.1, p = 0.05) from baseline to 24 h after the 10-km TT with BRC. In conclusion, BRC supplementation improved 10-km TT performance in competitive male and female triathletes. Improved 5-km TT performances 24 h after the 10-km TT and the attenuated increase of creatine kinase and fatigue suggest an increase in recovery while taking BRC.
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A betalain-rich concentrate of beetroots improves performance in competitive male and female triathletes and attenuates the increase of CK and fatigue, suggesting an increase in recovery.
“Interestingly, a betalain-rich concentrate of beetroots has shown to improve performance in competitive male and female triathletes and attenuated the increase of CK and fatigue suggesting an increase in recovery [115].”
From The 4R’s Framework of Nutritional Strategies for Post-Exercise Recovery: A Review with Emphasis on New Generation of Carbohydrates (2020) · cites this paper as [115]
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- Authors
- Montenegro, C. F., Kwong, D. A., Minow, Z. A., Davis, B. A., Lozada, C. F., & Casazza, G. A.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Davis (US)
- University of California Davis Medical Center (US)
- Venue
- Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism
- Publisher
- Canadian Science Publishing
- Published
- 2017-02
- Volume
- 42
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 166-172
- ISSN
- 1715-5312 (ISSN-L)
- 1715-5320
- OpenAlex
- W2530884703
- Cited by
- 58
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 3.59
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- University of California, Davis
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Exercise and Physiological Responses
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Keywords
- beetroot, exercise performance, post-exercise recovery, triathletes, creatine kinase, muscle damage, fatigue, cycling, dietary supplementation
- MeSH terms
- Fruit and Vegetable Juices, Adult, Bicycling, Double-Blind Method, Physical Exertion, Fatigue, Female, Food Handling, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Oxygen Consumption, Running, Swimming, Plant Roots, Cross-Over Studies, Muscle Fatigue, Beta vulgaris, Betalains, Athletic Performance, Athletes, Sports Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
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