Concentrated beetroot juice boosts muscle power relevant to rugby players – new research suggests
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New independent research from Spain strongly supports the notion that drinking two concentrated beetroot juice shots before training, can significantly enhance muscle power, relevant to power-based sports such as rugby.
In a random, double-blind placebo-controlled test, 18 physically active males (average age 23) consumed just two 7cl Beet It Sport Nitrate 400 (nitrate-rich beetroot) shots, or placebo (nitrate-depleted) shots, 2.5 hours before training. Testing sessions comprised of four sets of eight maximal half-squat repetitions, with muscle power tested during concentric and eccentric muscle contractions.
Results showed that compared to placebo shots, those who consumed Beet It improved their muscle power production by a staggering 15-25%. Such findings are particularly relevant to rugby players, who require high levels of strength and power to dominate in areas such as the breakdown, winning collisions and breaking the gain-line – all of which are critical for successful performance in rugby.
Jonathan Cartwright, Beet It Sport specialist, commented: “Rugby players would typically train for 6-7 weeks to achieve a 25-30% improvement in muscle power output, so it is remarkable that a similar improvement can be achieved from drinking just two of our little Nitrate 400 shots 2.5hrs before training – they say you can’t buy more power, but you can now!” he continued: “This new evidence is explains further why elite domestic and international rugby teams have been purchasing Beet It Sport shots for so many years”.
Beet It Sport shots are used by leading research teams worldwide investigating the performance benefits of using beetroot juice as a natural source of nitrate supplementation. This is because they deliver a consistent standard dose of 400mg naturally derived nitrate and because Beet It can also supply a nitrate depleted “placebo” to enable high quality double blind research to be achieved.
Further information on Beet It Sport can be found at www.beet-it.com
Rodríguez-Fernández et al (2020). Beetroot juice supplementation increases concentric and eccentric muscle power output. Original Investigation. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. University Isabel I, Burgos, Spain
www.jsams.org/article/S1440-2440(20)30090-6/pdf
