Dietary nitrate supplementation does not improve cycling time-trial performance in the heat |
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| Authors: | Georgina L Kent Brian Dawson Gregory R Cox Louise M Burke Annette Eastwood Kevin D Croft |
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| Institution: | 1. Sport Science, Exercise and Health, School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia;2. Sports Nutrition, Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, Australia;3. Department of Physiology, Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, Australia;4. School of Medicine and Pharmacology Royal Perth Hospital Unit, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia |
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| Abstract: | This investigation examined the effect of beetroot juice (BR) supplementation, a source of dietary nitrate (NO3?), on cycling time-trial (TT) performance and thermoregulation in the heat. In a double-blind, repeated-measures design, 12 male cyclists (age 26.6 ± 4.4 years, VO2peak 65.8 ± 5.5 mL.kg?1.min?1) completed four cycling TTs (14 kJ.kg?1) in hot (35°C, 48% relative humidity) and euthermic (21°C, 52%) conditions, following 3 days supplementation with BR (6.5 mmol NO3? for 2 days and 13 mmol NO3? on the final day), or NO3–depleted placebo (PLA). Salivary NO3? and nitrite, core (Tc) and mean skin temperature (Tsk) were measured. Salivary NO3? and nitrite increased significantly post-BR supplementation (p < 0.001). Average TT completion time (mm:ss) in hot conditions was 56:50 ± 05:08 with BR, compared with 58:30 ± 04:48 with PLA (p = 0.178). In euthermic conditions, average completion time was 53:09 ± 04:35 with BR, compared with 54:01 ± 04:05 with PLA (p = 0.380). The TT performance decreased (p < 0.001), and Tc (p < 0.001) and Tsk (p < 0.001) were higher in hot compared with euthermic conditions. In summary, BR supplementation has no significant effect on cycling TT performance in the heat. |
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| Keywords: | Beetroot juice thermoregulation endurance |
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