Relationship between dietary intake of inorganic nitrate and performance response to its supplementation during a 4-km cycling time trial

• Grant number: 23/14515-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2024
• End date: December 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physical Education
• Principal Investigator: Bryan Saunders
• Grantee: Heloísa Gomes Ramos
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

There is good evidence that nitrate can improve exercise performance and capacity.However, to date, the possible influence of habitual nitrate intake on the performanceresponse to supplementation has not been investigated, as nitrate intake can increase itsconcentration in skeletal muscle and this appears to be correlated with physicalperformance. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate whether dietary nitrateconsumption, through the intake of vegetables rich in this compound, can influence theperformance response to its supplementation. To this end, 34 trained cyclists (17 menand 17 women using monophasic combined oral contraceptives) will perform 4-kmcycling time trial tests, in a crossover, counterbalanced and randomized model, two anda half hours after receiving in a double-blind manner: 70 ml of concentrated beetrootjuice containing 6.2 mmol nitrate (NIT), 70 ml of concentrated nitrate-free beetrootjuice (PLA) or a non-placebo control (CON). Furthermore, habitual and pre-exerciseconsumption of dietary nitrate will be analyzed. This study will be the first to directlyinvestigate the influence of habitual nitrate intake on performance response to nitratesupplementation. The results of this study will be of great relevance to athletes who arelooking for strategies to improve sports performance and to advance knowledge in thestudy of nitrate as an ergogenic resource.