The scoop on Nitrates and athletic performance

Ryann Miller
Jun 19, 2018
2 min read

As the training for my triathlon approaches 5 weeks until race day, my thoughts of performance start to run through my head (pun intended). Am I training hard enough? Should I do more speed training? Should my brick workouts be smoother? As I dietitian I like to stay up to date on the latest research trends that can benefit my clients athletic performance. The most recent question I have been getting is about Nitrates and if it can enhance performance. This blog focuses on nitrates and performance, enjoy!

"How to be a triathlete: don't drown, don't crash, don't walk" - worrylessdesign

First of all, looking at nitrates in food and the effect on athletic performance is not a new idea. Research has been going on and we have seen supplementation in sports nutrition markets before 2013. What we are seeing is more of the science explaining the reasons behind the possible increased performance. Four years ago the May 2014 Sports Medicine Journal found "Dietary nitrate supplementation increases plasma nitrite concentration and reduces resting blood pressure. Intriguingly, nitrate supplementation also reduces the oxygen cost of submaximal exercise and can, in some circumstances, enhance exercise tolerance and performance." Wow, sounds promising.

Then, 3 years ago a research study published in the March 2015 issue of The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal helps explain how some nitrate supplements may work and why they may increase performance. What they found was that nitrates decrease the viscosity of blood, aiding in blood flow, while at the same time ensuring that tissue oxygen requirements are not compromised.

With these last few years there has been even more extensive research. So far this is what we know:

VEGGIES AND DIETARY NITRATES

• Dietary nitrates can help with: Regulation of blood flow Muscle contractility Glucose and calcium homeostasis Mitochondrial respiration and biogenesis

• Do this with food: Shredded beets or beet noodles/arugula salad Spinach/yogurt dip with celery for the dippers

If you are looking to increase your Nitrate intake via food, here is a favorite recipe created with Clinical Nutrition majors at UC Davis:

You can Beet them! Beet Salad recipe

Ingredients:

For the salad:

2 beets

1-2 sweet potatoes

4-5 cups arugula

Salt and pepper to taste

Feta cheese

1-2 cloves garlic

For the dressing:

1 cup olive oil

½ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

For the salad:

Preheat oven to 400
Chop Beets and Sweet Potato combine with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes.
Combine all other ingredients serve with dressing

For the dressing: Add all ingredients except for the olive oil to a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until thoroughly blended. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking to maintain a smooth emulsification.

References:

Van Der Avoort et al, Eur J clin Nutr (2018) Mar 20.