The Effect of Nitrate Supplementation by Beetroot Juice on Anaerobic Performance of Gymnasts Literature Review and Research Plan

Abstract

Research has been conducted to investigate dietary nitrate supplementation on improvements in athletic performance. Nitrate is a polyatomic ion obtained from diet that aids in vasodilation, vessel tone, and maintaining proper endothelial function. The first purpose of this thesis is to review the literature conducted on nitrate supplementation with a focus on anaerobic exercise performance. Nitrate supplementation has been shown to improve aspects of both aerobic and anaerobic performance due to the increased cardiovascular and metabolic demands of exercise, but results in anaerobic performance have been less consistent. The second purpose of this thesis is to propose a research design developed to investigate the use of beetroot juice on anaerobic performance of collegiate gymnasts. A randomized crossover design would have been used, including six days of supplementation with either beetroot juice or low-nitrate placebo, a gymnastics-specific anaerobic performance test, and a Wingate cycle ergometer test. Blood lactate levels would have been monitored during recovery after these tests to determine how nitrate supplementation impacts post-exercise blood lactate levels. This study was canceled due to COVID-19 research restrictions, but the literature review and experimental research design may provide insights to possible physiological benefits and mechanisms of nitrate supplementation.