Year: 2019
Type: article
Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial
Abstract: Background: Previously, beetroot and tart cherry supplementations have been investigated for their effects on exercise performance and recovery separately. Beetroot containing nitrate has been used to improve blood flow to enhance exercise tolerance. Tart cherry extract containing anthocyanins has been shown to lower inflammation and improve recovery time in exercise performance. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate a possible synergistic effect of nitrate and anthocyanins on exercise performance in healthy individuals. Design: This was a double-blind, randomized crossover study with a duration of twenty-nine days. Inclusion criteria included healthy individuals, able to exercise on a stationary bike, and willing to abstain from caffeine, mouthwash, and high antioxidant foods. Exclusion criteria included orthopedic injuries, use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), known allergy to tart cherry and/or beetroot, and pregnant or breastfeeding. Participants: Healthy men (n=6) and women (n=23), ranging between 19 and 35 years of age. Participants were recruited from Loma Linda University and surrounding cities. Intervention: Participants were randomized into two groups after baseline. Treatment A was supplemented with 5.05g (3.62 mmol) of beetroot powder and placebo. Treatment B was supplemented with 5.05g (3.62 mmol) of beetroot powder and 480 mg tart cherry capsule for seven-days, followed by a seven-day washout period. Treatment was alternated at the end of the 14-day period. Main outcomes: exercise performance (heart rate, speed, and distance) Secondary outcomes: serum lactate and allantoin Statistics: A mixed model analysis was used to measure changes in continuous variables. Mean and standard deviation were calculated for treatment A and treatment B. Results: During the first five seconds of the 30 second sprint, heart rate of treatment A was significantly lower than treatment B. Difference in heart rate ranged from 1.6 to 2.7 BPM. Participants in treatment B pedaled five meters farther, than treatment A. This outcome was not statistically significant. No significant differences were observed between both treatments on rpm, blood pressure, lactate, and allantoin. Conclusion: Supplementation with beetroot powder and tart cherry for seven days may synergistically improve anaerobic exercise performance by maximizing potential heart rate and energy output.
Authors: Yun Huang, A Sánchez, Paul Tsai
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology (medical)
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3199029262