ANTIoxidants & Athletic Performance: Part 2

ANTIoxidants & Athletic Performance: Part 2

Nitrates and polyphenols: two of the hottest supplements under observation for improving athletic performance. Strategic ingestion of foods rich in these compounds, such as beetroot juice and cherry juice (respectively), has been found to offer positive effects on performance. Let’s take a closer look at a summary of the research.

Nitrates
- Increase power performance
- Enhance maximal muscle power in trained athletes

VS.

- More effective for endurance exercise than for time trials

VS.

- Lower 02 consumption during moderate- and severe-intensity exercise

- Beet root juice may reduce 02 consumption to a greater extent than sodium nitrate
- Need further research!

Polyphenols
- Antioxidants noted to hinder training adaptations
- Conversely, increase mitochondrial biogenesis & improve vascular function
- Supplementation for >7 days increases performance by ~2%
- Over 21-day period, pomegranate juice shown to ↓ levels of oxidative stress markers & exercise-induced oxidative damage

- Polyphenols vs. Antioxidants (Great debate exists here because polyphenols have been shown to exert physiological effects that may improve performance. However, they are considered antioxidants- supplementation of which has been shown to hinder training adaptations.)

At this point, the most solid conclusion we may draw from existing research is that we need more of it. Who wants to step up to the plate?! 😊

References:

McMahon, N. F., Leveritt, M. D., & Pavey, T. G. (2016, September 06). The Effect of Dietary Nitrate Supplementation on Endurance Exercise Performance in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Retrieved June 08, 2017, from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-016-0617-7
Flueck, J. L., Bogdanova, A., Mettler, S., & Perret, C. (2016). Is beetroot juice more effective than sodium nitrate? The effects of equimolar nitrate dosages of nitrate-rich beetroot juice and sodium nitrate on oxygen consumption during exercise. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 41(4), 421-429. doi:10.1139/apnm-2015-0458
Rimer, E. G., Peterson, L. R., Coggan, A. R., & Martin, J. C. (2016). Increase in Maximal Cycling Power With Acute Dietary Nitrate Supplementation. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 11(6), 715-720. doi:10.1123/ijspp.2015-0533
Somerville, V., Bringans, C., & Braakhuis, A. (2017). Polyphenols and Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine. doi:10.1007/s40279-017-0702-6
Fuster-Muñoz, E., Roche, E., Funes, L., Martínez-Peinado, P., Sempere, J., & Vicente-Salar, N. (2016). Effects of pomegranate juice in circulating parameters, cytokines, and oxidative stress markers in endurance-based athletes: A randomized controlled trial. Nutrition, 32(5), 539-545. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2015.11.002
Braakhuis, A. J., & Hopkins, W. G. (2015). Impact of Dietary Antioxidants on Sport Performance: A Review. Sports Medicine, 45(7), 939-955. doi:10.1007/s40279-015-0323-x