“In the real world, an 11-second improvement in a 4 km time trial or a 45-second improvement in a 16 km bike race will make the difference between an athlete finishing on the podium or finishing in the middle of the pack.”
– DR. NILS P. REITHER
The effect of standardized beetroot extract on energy expenditure, oxygen uptake, and performance during 4 km and 16 km tempo cycling
The male cyclists were given 0.5 L of standardized beetroot extract or placebo 3 hours before the start of the session.
The athletes who received the standardized beetroot extract had a 6 mm Hg reduction in systolic blood pressure. Oxygen uptake was not significantly different between the athletes who received the beetroot extract and the placebo (note that Stamox user Thomas Elholm had significantly higher O2 uptake with Stamox).
However, those who received the standardized beetroot extract had an increased average power output (292 Watts vs. 279 Watts, respectively) in the 4 km cycle race, and (247 Watts vs. 243 Watts) in the 16 km time trial, compared to placebo. The beetroot extract thus improved performance by 2.8%, corresponding to 11 seconds in the 4 km cycle race, and by 2.7%, corresponding to 45 seconds in the 16 km cycle race (9).
Based on the time spent by the athletes on the cycle races, the results show that supplementation with this beetroot extract has the potential to improve direct performance in exercises lasting up to 30 minutes.
In addition, the effect of improved lung capacity and willingness to exercise is enhanced. Statistical analysis indicated that beetroot extract may have a practical and meaningful benefit in improving athletic performance. (9)
Conclusion
In the real world, an 11-second improvement in a 4 km time trial or a 45-second improvement in a 16 km bike race will make the difference between an athlete finishing on the podium or finishing in the middle of the pack.
References
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5295087/
