Acute Beetroot Juice Supplementation Attenuates Morning-Associated Decrements in Supramaximal Exercise Performance in Trained Sprinters

Abstract

Diurnal fluctuations in power output have been well established with power loss typically occurring in morning (AM) times. Beetroot juice (BRJ) is a source of dietary nitrate that possess ergogenic properties, but it is unknown if ingestion can mitigate performance decrements in the morning. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of acute BRJ supplementation on diurnal fluctuations in anaerobic performance in trained sprinters. Male Division 1 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sprinters (n = 10) participated. In a double-blinded crossover study design, participants completed three counterbalanced exercise trials under different conditions: Morning–placebo (8:00 HR, AM-PL), Morning–BRJ (8:00 HR, AM-BRJ), and Afternoon–no supplement (15:00 HR, PM). For each trial, participants completed 3 × 15 s Wingate anaerobic tests separated by 2 min of rest. Each trial was separated by a 72 h washout period. Mean power output (p = 0.043), anaerobic capacity (p = 0.023), and total work (p = 0.026) were significantly lower with the AM-PL condition compared to PM. However, BRJ supplementation prevented AM losses of mean power output (p = 0.994), anaerobic capacity (p = 0.941), and total work (p = 0.933) in the AM-BRJ compared to the PM condition. Rate of perceived exertion was not significantly different between any conditions (p = 0.516). Heart rate was significantly lower during the AM-BRJ condition compared to AM-PL (p = 0.030) and PM (p < 0.001). Findings suggest anaerobic capacity suffers during AM versus PM times in trained sprinters, but BRJ ingestion abolishes AM-associated decrements in performance.