Pre-Workout Beetroot Juice Improves Fitness Gains in Late Postmenopausal Women, reports research

For the study, 24 postmenopausal volunteers completed supervised, circuit-based exercise training three times per week for eight weeks. Half of the participants drank 140 milliliters (about half a glass) of beetroot juice two to three hours before each workout. Before and after the training period, all participants underwent physical fitness assessments, including a six-minute walk test and maximal knee extensor strength test.

Participants who drank the beetroot juice prior to exercise showed greater improvements in several aspects of physical function such as aerobic capacity and recovery compared to those who did not consume beetroot juice. Specifically, those who drank beetroot juice increased their distance in the six-minute walk test by 40 meters, while the exercise-only group improved by just eight meters.

These gains were reflected in an increase in aerobic capacity of 1.5 milliliters per kilogram per minute among beetroot juice consumers compared to just 0.3 milliliters per kilogram per minute in the exercise-only group. Heart rate recovery also improved, with a 10 beats-per-minute decrease after the six-minute walk test for the beetroot juice group compared to a one beat-per-minute decrease for the exercise-only group.

According to the researchers, the study results provide compelling preliminary evidence that consuming beetroot juice before exercise could be uniquely beneficial for late postmenopausal women. These findings could inform new, targeted, non-pharmacologic interventions to help sustain mobility independence and quality of life in this population.