Most of us have experienced moments of stress in life when we have to meet a deadline or get things done. When the human body experiences stress, more than one thousand five hundred biochemical reactions are triggered in the body, which include activation of certain neurotransmitters like endorphins and release of certain hormones like cortisol. When we experience this kind of stress on persistent basis, it can make us vulnerable to high blood pressure, increased muscle tension and heart disease.

When beetroot juice is taken as regular dietary supplement, it improves muscle oxygenation especially during moderate exercise activity and results in building better endurance. This is now proven by latest medical research conducted by Dr. Stephen Bailey and colleagues at the University of Exeter, United Kingdom. This study has been published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

Dr. Stephen Bailey and colleagues conducted a double-blind, crossover study on random sample group of 8 male human participants in the age group 19 to 38 years with normal blood pressure and active lifestyle. This random sample group was non-smoker and did not use any dietary supplements. This random sample group was divided into 2 sub-groups as below:

1. Participants of first group were made to drink 500ml of organic beetroot juice each day for six consecutive days.
2. Participants of second group were made to drink 500ml of blackcurrant cordial drink each day for six consecutive days.

All participants of both sub-groups were made to complete a series of moderate-intensity and severe-intensity exercise tests involving cycling on an exercise bicycle. The researchers found that the first sub-group which was made to drink organic beetroot juice was able to do moderate-intensity exercise for 16% longer time, while being less exhausted. It was also found by this research that the participants of first sub-group which were made to drink organic beetroot juice showed 96% increase in level of nitrate in their blood. The participants of first sub-group showed significant reduction in systolic blood pressure after beetroot juice consumption compared to participants of second sub-group which were made to drink blackcurrant cordial. The participants of first sub-group showed 19% reduction in uptake of oxygen by muscles during moderate-intensity cycling workout following beetroot juice consumption as compared to the participants of second control sub-group who were made to drink blackcurrant cordial.

It can be concluded therefore that the high nitrate content present in beetroot juice causes muscle to use oxygen in different manner during moderately severe exercise. This results in increased muscle endurance. This increased muscle endurance after consumption of beetroot juice can not be achieved by any kind of muscle training or exercise. Beetroot juice can lower the blood pressure by better differential use of oxygen by muscle.

Reference:
Bailey et al. Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans. Journal of Applied Physiology.2009; 0: 00722.2009v1