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Observational Study
. 2024 Feb 21;16(5):583.
doi: 10.3390/nu16050583.

Is There a Role of Beetroot Consumption on the Recovery of Oxidative Status and Muscle Damage in Ultra-Endurance Runners?

Eva Vilar  1 , Eladio Collado-Boira  2 , Carlos Guerrero  3 , Ana Folch-Ayora  2 , Pablo Salas-Medina  2 , Carlos Hernando  4 , Pablo Baliño  3 , María Muriach  3
Affiliations
Observational Study

Is There a Role of Beetroot Consumption on the Recovery of Oxidative Status and Muscle Damage in Ultra-Endurance Runners?

Eva Vilar et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

(1) Background: Ultra-endurance exercise involves a high physical impact, resulting in muscle damage, inflammatory response and production of free radicals that alter the body's oxidative state. Supplementation with antioxidants, such as beetroot, may improve recovery in ultra-endurance runners. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a correlation between beetroot intake and recovery of serum oxidative status, inflammatory response and muscle damage parameters after an ultra-endurance race. (2) Methods: An observational and longitudinal study was conducted by means of surveys and blood samples collected from 32 runners during the IX Penyagolosa Trails CSP®® race and the two following days. The variables C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), the activity of the antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) as well as the oxidative damage markers malondialdehyde (MDA), carbonyl groups (CG) and loss of muscle strength using the squat jump (SJ) test were analyzed to discriminate whether beetroot consumption can modulate the recovery of ultra-trail runners. (3) Results: Significant differences were observed between runners who ingested beetroot and those who did not, in terms of oxidative status, specifically in serum GPx activity at 24 and 48 h, muscle damage variables CK and LDH and regarding the SJ test results at the finish line. Therefore, the intake of supplements containing beetroot positively influences the recovery of serum oxidative status and muscle damage after ultra-endurance running.

Keywords: antioxidants; muscle damage; oxidative stress; ultra-endurance sport.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Effect of beetroot supplementation on GR and GPx activity. * p < 0.05 vs. no beetroot supplementation group.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effect of beetroot supplementation on CK and LDH. * p < 0.05 vs. beetroot supplementation group. (A). Blood Ck levels; (B). Blodd LDH levels; (C). Blood CK Delta values; (D). Blodd LDH Delta values.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Effect of beetroot supplementation on SJ performance. * p < 0.05 vs. baseline value.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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