UKH

I just received this from Exeter Uni. The obvious question is where can you get it?
Study shows how beetroot juice boosts stamina
Research from the University of Exeter shows how drinking beetroot juice can make exercise easier by boosting stamina. Published 13 May 2010, in the Journal of Applied Physiology, the study reveals how drinking beetroot juice reduces the energy expended by muscles.
The research builds on a previous study (published in the Journal of Applied Physiology), which showed for the first time that drinking beetroot juice can boost stamina, allowing an individual to exercise for up to 16% longer. The authors suspected that this was connected to the very high nitrate content of beetroot juice turning into nitric oxide in the body, leading to a reduction in oxygen uptake. This latest study confirms that initial finding and also reveals the processes in the muscles that make exercise less tiring.
For the study, seven healthy men completed a series of knee extension exercises, which work the quadriceps muscles in the thigh. The level of exertion was assessed using a custom-designed ergometer. An MRI scanner enabled the researchers to record the internal processes of the muscle. In addition, the volunteers’ oxygen uptake was monitored. The exercises were repeated several times, sometimes after the volunteers had drunk half a litre of organic beetroot juice a day over six days and sometimes after they had drunk a placebo of blackcurrant cordial.
Drinking beetroot juice doubled the amount of nitrate in the blood of the volunteers and reduced the rate of utilization of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the most immediate source of energy for muscles. This suggests that drinking beetroot juice enables muscles to complete the same work more efficiently. Furthermore, after drinking beetroot juice, oxygen uptake was reduced during both low-intensity and high-intensity exercise.
Corresponding author of the study, Professor Andy Jones of the University of Exeter’s School of Sport and Health Sciences, said: “We continue to be impressed by the physiological effects of increasing dietary nitrate consumption. While our previous research demonstrated the benefits of nitrate-rich beetroot juice on stamina, our latest work indicates that this is consequent to a reduced energy cost of muscle force production.
“Since our first study came out we have seen growing interest in the benefits of drinking beetroot juice in the world of professional sport and I expect this study to attract even more attention from athletes.”

In reply to John Alcock:

It also turns your turds purple...

In reply to John Alcock:
A placebo of blackcurrant cordial? Maybe it is best part of 4 years of taste testing and flavour development but I can tell the difference

In reply to Reach>Talent:

Maybe the headline should have been: Blackcurrant cordial reduces your athletic performance by up to 16%

In reply to john arran:
As an employee of a company that manufactures a well known blackcurrant based drink I'm not going to comment

In reply to John Alcock: A few years ago my son had ME which was not generally recognised by the medical profession at that time. We went to a herbalist who prescribed lactose free beetroot juice which helped considerably.

Interesting research which seems to suggest that the scientific, medical establishment are a bit behind when it comes to homeopathic cures. Our Doctor back then was very dismissive and suggested it was merely a placebo affect.

Al

In reply to tradlad:

Surely there's a diffrence between herbal and homeopathic? Beetroot juice would fall under the herbal category i think.

You can probably get beetroot juice from beetroot.

I suspect the doctor was right.

Nothing wrong with a placebo effect.

Homeopathic = water. It's not a cure. It's a placebo. In factwhatdo they use as a placebo in a homeopathic trial?

What you used was an alternative medicine. These are usually less effective that refined drugs, but perhaps the body objects to some drugs. Either way, if you had a condition the medical profession didn't accept existed and treated it with vegetable juice and it went away, he's likely to just not believe it in the first place.

In reply to es: You are of course quite right. The trouble with forums is that it's easy to get your foot in your mouth before speaking.

With regard to other replies I would have thought that the article suggests that it is not a placebo affect.

Al

In reply to es:

unless it was diluted till there are no traces of beetroot left and the water has a vague recollection of it, yes its herbal not homeop(i cant bring myself to finish it!)

In reply to tradlad:

What is homeopathic about beetroot juice?

In reply to tradlad:

the trial was obviously not double blind but they are suggesting a mechanism - but its seems a huge gain to me. remind me of 'super foods' fads a while back

In reply to Removed User:

If it catches on with elite athletes, I guess it'll make life a bit more colourful for the folk who collect urine samples and do drug testing too. Bet they're glad its beetroot and not asparagus.

In reply to lowersharpnose: Nothing. I've already said I was wrong but I'm sure John doesn't want this to turn into a discussion about alternative cures.

Al

In reply to tradlad:

I missed your previous correction, sorry.

What do you call homeopathic beer?

Lager.

In reply to John Alcock: What I forgot to mention was that we bought lactose free beetroot juice, by the crate load, directly from the herbalist who, as it happens, lives down your part of the world in Wells Somerset (assuming you still live in Bristol. I haven't seen you for several years since I moved to Cheltenham). I seem to recall that her name was Mrs Jeffs.

Al

In reply to John Alcock:
To answer my own question, I've discovered that Sainsbury sell organic beetroot juice.
I presume it doesn't have the same diuretic effects as caffeine.

In reply to es:

yes herbal medicine treats a condition with an unknown quantitiy of an unknown agent in a poorly controlled preperation with unknown quantities of unknown impurities where as homeophathy treats a patient by performing a ritual manipulation of distilled water which is then dropped on to sugar pills which are then used to treat the patient. Its a big difference herbal medicine will probably kill you before what its trying to cure, homeopaths can't be bothered with anything that effective.

I love the idea of 'lactose-free' beetroot juice.

In reply to Eric the Red:

Its possibly the one true statement in the whole story. Mind you it is a bit like boasting you have an elephant free garden....

In reply to tradlad: How much extra did she charge for not adulterating your beatroot juice with lactose?

Phillias T Barnham had it right...

In reply to davidwright:

I have an elephant-free garden. Mostly due to the special daffodils.

In reply to Philip: To Eric the Red, David Wright and Philip. It might be wise to think about what you are writing in future as I find your remarks a little offensive.

Al

In reply to tradlad:

No offence intended and none written.
"I suspect the doctor was right. Nothing wrong with a placebo effect.
I love the idea of 'lactose-free' beetroot juice. "

I'm sure your son had ME and I'm sure he got better. I just doubt that beetroot juice had anything to do with it, other than as a placebo, as your doctor said. You should not be offended by the suggestion that he got over a disease by using a placebo. People have open surgery with placebo anaesthetics after all.

As for the lactose free beetroot juice, that is funny. It's like a beef-free apple or a nut-free tuna steak. But you shouldn't be offended by that either.

Either way, apologies. I wasn't intending to mock you or your family.

In reply to John Alcock:

I read the earlier reports of this someplace last year, so decided to give it a go. The problem with beetroot juice is that it tastes like beetroot. Which just happens to be one of those things that is quite nice to eat but completely wrong and not a little gag worthy as a drink. And when you are meant to be drinking several glasses worth a day every day for the effect, it's a)expensive b)unpleasant.

I'm sure it was healthy, but I didn't notice any fitness boost. Interesting though. Can't they just put it in a pill?

In reply to tradlad:

Steady on.

Given that lactose is found in milk and milk products, not in vegetables, you can understand the amusement.

In reply to tradlad:

Can you please explain why you think that milk sugar is a major component of beetroot juice?

In reply to Eric the Red: Apology accepted. I wasn't offended by the inference that it was the placebo affect that worked. It may have been, I have no idea but the post was turning into 2 or 3 of you making it a joke about me being taken in in some way.


Al

In reply to davidwright:

I really have no idea if it is and I don't really care. What I do know is that "conventional" medicine dismissed my sons symptoms totally out of hand. I understand that many of those same doctors now acknowledge ME. The herbalist did not and suggested beetroot juice and was adamant that we got lactose free. I hadn't thought much about it then or since but lactose free beetroot juice is available so we bought some and after several weeks we saw distinct improvements and eventually no symptoms at all.

Are you a Doctor on the defense? My understanding is that the benefits of beetroot juice on blood pressure for example are well known and documented.

In reply to lowersharpnose:
"not in vegetables" ??

Sauerkraut?, well lactic acid anyway

In reply to tradlad:

Well known? I can find 3 very small studies at Pubmed, all stating that the study was too small to draw a definitive conclusion, but that further work may be of interest.

In reply to lowersharpnose: But lactose is used as an additive in food products and some beers so the amusement is misguided. I don't know specifically that it is used in beetroot but the fact that you can buy lactose free beetroot suggests that it might be.

Al

In reply to Kid Spatula: Probably referring to this. NHS choices seems to be a very useful website to hunt down the truth behind these stories

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2007/January08/Pages/Beetrootandbloodpressure.aspx

Promising, but not a wonder drug just yet.

In reply to John Alcock:

Wouldn't like to drink that much beetroot juice in one sitting - or I'll be spending a lot of time in the loo!

Does eating pickled beetroot count? If so, my lunchtime salad should reap rewards at the running club tonight.

In reply to tradlad:

I am laughing because I find the idea of lactose free beetroot juice as amusing as beetroot free milk.

I have never seen lactose as an additive in fruit or vegetable juices, can you find a link to any?

ps Many years ago, did you have big fall on Cenotaph Corner?

In reply to lowersharpnose:


I've seen several refrences to fermenting the beetroot juice with various 'lactose sounding' things, but all on the kind of hippy riddled website that can't be trusted for accuracy

In reply to tradlad:

Sorry you are offended about my elephant-free garden. But feel free to come and see it.

In reply to John Alcock:

I should be surprised at researchers drawing such conclusions on the basis of what sounds a very small n(7) open label trial, perhaps with participants acting as their own controls.

But I'm not.

I'm curious to learn what conflicts of interst were declared by the authors: does anyone know? I should hasten to add that I'm not questioning their integrity / expertise.

I'd be reluctant to add beetroot juice (lactose free or not) to my diet on the basis of such "trials".

Perhaps I should instead invest in companies that market beetroot juice.

In reply to lowersharpnose: I don't recall where I read it. It has something to do with preserving the aroma of foodstuffs and beers.

Yes over 40 years ago. I take it we have met?

Al

In reply to tradlad:

So somebody sold you some overly expensive elephant free beetroot juice in order to treat an illness of with a large psychosomatic component, if not entirely psychosomatic in origin, and it got better? hmm the major part of this I believe to be self delusional is all of it. psychosomatic illnesses respond very well to placebo treatments and the more a quack rips you of for when prescribing the placebo the better it works.

You may very well find the odd piece of "evidence" for beetroot juice treating something or other but it is almost certainly as valid as the rest of this nutritionalist nonsense i.e. not.

In reply to Anonymous:

That's milk acid which has no baring at all on the prescence or abscence of milk sugar, being a product of the anerobic metabalism of all sugars by some bacteria. It is the main preserving agent in sour milk and yought hence the name. -ate is very different from -ose chemicals that sound similar in comon names are often very different in structure.

In reply to Anonymous:

Lactose is a di-saccharide; chemical formula C12 H22 O11 (not that that tells you an awful lot!) it consists of two C6 sugar rings joined by a bridging oxygen atom

Lactic acid is a simple organic acid; chemical formula C3 H6 O3 and a by-product normal metabolic processes.

In reply to davidwright: So, the hints I gave about finding your responses offensive fell on deaf ears then???