(NaturalNews)
Regular consumption of beet juice may boost athletic performance, increasing
endurance while lowering blood pressure and reducing fatigue, according to a
study conducted by researchers from the University of Exeter and published in
the
Journal of Applied Physiology.
On two separate occasions, the
researchers had the same group of eight men between the ages of 19 and 38 drink
500 milliliters of an unknown beverage for six consecutive days, then perform a
series of standardized tests on an exercise bicycle. On one occasion, the
beverage was 500 milliliters of organic beetroot
juice; on the other, it was a
placebo of blackcurrant
cordial.
The researchers found that men who drank the beetroot juice were
able to cycle for 16 percent longer (92 seconds) than those who drank the
placebo. This, in turn, would allow a cyclist to cover a set distance 2 percent
faster. Participants also had a lower resting
blood pressure after
drinking beetroot juice than they did after drinking the placebo.
The
beetroot juice apparently caused the body to burn
oxygen more slowly, thus
staving off tiredness longer.
"We were amazed by the effects of beetroot
juice on oxygen uptake, because these effects cannot be achieved by any other
known means, including training," said researcher Andy Jones. "I am sure
professional and amateur athletes will be interested in the results of this
research.
Jones
noted that the research might also lead to benefits for people who have diseases
related to lack of physical activity, such as metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular
disease and respiratory
diseases.
"I am also keen to explore the relevance of the findings to
those people who suffer from poor fitness and may be able to use dietary
supplements to help them go about their daily lives," he said.
The
researchers do not know why beets cause the observe effect, but they believe
that the nitrates in the
vegetables might slow the
body's oxygen uptake.
"Certainly, a
diet high in nitrate-rich fruits
and vegetables is good for your heart health and this study provides further
evidence of this," Jones said.
Sources for this story include:
news.bbc.co.uk.
Learn more:
http://www.naturalnews.com/028189_beet_juice_athletic_performance.html#ixzz1Tkb1XBPo
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