Does Acute Beetroot Juice Supplementation Improve Neuromuscular Performance and Match Activity in Young Basketball Players? A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study.

Álvaro López-Samanes,Victor Moreno-Pérez,Aarón Gómez Parra,Javier Courel-Ibáñez

doi:10.3390/nu12010188

Álvaro López-Samanes, Victor Moreno-Pérez + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12010188

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Abstract

Whereas beetroot juice (BJ) supplementation is shown to increase physical performance in endurance activities, its benefits in team sports has been barely studied. In this randomized placebo-controlled study, we investigated the effects of BJ acute supplementation in improving neuromuscular performance and physical match activity in basketball. Ten young male competitive basketball players aged 15–16 years received 140 mL of BJ or placebo (PLA) on two separated days in a balanced cross-over design. Testing sessions comprised a neuromuscular test battery consisting of a countermovement jump (CMJ), isometric handgrip strength, 10-m/20-m sprint and agility T-test, followed by a 40-minute simulated basketball match. Physical match activity (distances, speeds, accelerations, and decelerations) was monitored using an inertial tracking system (Wimu ProTM) Results revealed no significant effects of BJ on CMJ (p = 0.304, ES = 0.13), isometric handgrip strength (p = 0.777, ES = 0.06), 10-m (p = 0.820, ES = 0.10), and 20-m sprint (p = 0.540, ES = 0.13), agility T-test (p = 0.979, ES ≤ 0.01) and any physical match demands (p > 0.151, ES = 0.13–0.48). Acute moderate doses of BJ (12.8 mmol of NO3−) was not effective in improving neuromuscular performance (jump height, isometric handgrip strength, sprint, and agility) or physical match requirements in young trained basketball players the day of the competition.

Highlights

Team sports competitions like basketball are becoming increasingly intense, characterized by stronger athletes, explosive demands, and repeated high-intensity intermittent efforts at early stages [1,2]
The use of nutritional supplements and ergogenic aids to directly or indirectly enhance performance is increasing in popularity among stop-and-go intermittent exercise [3], but only a few have good evidence of benefits [4,5], such as caffeine, creatine, sodium bicarbonate, beta-alanine, and nitrate (NO3 − )
While previous studies in basketball have tested the ergogenic effects of caffeine [6,7,8], creatine [9], and sodium bicarbonate [10], the efficacy of NO3 − supplementation to positively impact physiology and performance is still unknown

Summary

Introduction

Team sports competitions like basketball are becoming increasingly intense, characterized by stronger athletes, explosive demands, and repeated high-intensity intermittent efforts at early stages [1,2]. The use of nutritional supplements and ergogenic aids to directly or indirectly enhance performance is increasing in popularity among stop-and-go intermittent exercise [3], but only a few have good evidence of benefits [4,5], such as caffeine, creatine, sodium bicarbonate, beta-alanine, and nitrate (NO3 − ). While previous studies in basketball have tested the ergogenic effects of caffeine [6,7,8], creatine [9], and sodium bicarbonate [10], the efficacy of NO3 − supplementation to positively impact physiology and performance is still unknown. Dietary NO3 − supplementation though beetroot juice (BJ) has experienced a boom since 2009 and it is nowadays one of the most popular ergogenic aids in endurance training [11] and health-related. NO3 − supplementation improves vasodilation and increases blood flow in muscle [14,15]

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