A new research study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology determined beetroot juice boosts exercise stamina up to 16% longer. The study, completed at the University of Exeter, looked at 8 men ages 19 to 38 to determine exercise endurance effects after ingesting 500 ml of beetroot juice.

The subjects were given 500 ml of beetroot juice for six consecutive days, while the control group was given a placebo. The results, after testing on an exercise bike with six days of beetroot juice in their systems, revealed a 16% increase in exercise stamina as compared to the control group.

The possible reason for such a dramatic result is from the nitrates contained in the beetroot. It is suggested that the juice leads to a reduction in oxygen uptake, making exercise less tiring. All sounds good, right?

The beetroot juice drinkers lasted on average 92 seconds longer on the bike compared to the placebo group. That 92 seconds translates into an approximately 2% reduction of time in an endurance event.

On another positive note, the beetroot juice group saw a decrease in overall blood pressure.

My opinion - First off, beetroot juice looks promising for exercise endurance. However, I was not thrilled with such a small study sample size. Eight men only! Let’s boost this study up to hundreds of men, and women.  Also, I would have preferred doing a pre-test on the guys prior to beginning the beetroot juice induced exercise program, and after the completion of the juice six weeks later. What kind of results would we have seen?

Overall, the research looks promising with a 16% increase in stamina. The scientists said a result like this beats anything, including training.

My suggestion is to test it yourself! 500 ml seems like a lot of juice. See if it helps your fitness performance, and also reduces your resting blood pressure. You will be seeing more beetroot juice studies in the future, and answers as to why nitrate rich foods influence stamina. Keep on the lookout!

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