Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34861868›Full record

ReviewJournal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition2021

Beetroot juice - a suitable post-marathon metabolic recovery supplement?

Zinandré Stander, Laneke Luies, Mari van Reenen, Glyn Howatson, Karen M Keane, Tom Clifford, Emma J Stevenson, Du Toit Loots

Open access · goldAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 19% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Effectiveness of Nitrate Intake on Recovery from Exercise-Related Fatigue: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
    Pooled it
  2. Molecular profiling ofFrontiers in plant science · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 3 institutions in 4 countries.

Zinandré StanderHuman Metabolomics, North-West University, Potchefstroom, 2531, South Africa. 25098365@nwu.ac.za.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8281-5112
Laneke LuiesHuman Metabolomics, North-West University, Potchefstroom, 2531, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4920-4090
Mari van ReenenHuman Metabolomics, North-West University, Potchefstroom, 2531, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5856-3258
Glyn HowatsonFaculty of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8494-2043
Karen M KeaneSchool of Science and computing, Department of Sport Exercise and Nutrition, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, Galway, Republic of Ireland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1572-9211
Tom CliffordHuman Nutrition Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, England.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0484-2953
Emma J StevensonSchool of Science and computing, Department of Sport Exercise and Nutrition, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, Galway, Republic of Ireland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9388-3903
Du Toit LootsHuman Metabolomics, North-West University, Potchefstroom, 2531, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0339-6237
North-West University · ZAGalway-Mayo Institute of Technology · IELoughborough University · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRed beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) is a multifunctional functional food that reportedly exhibits potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, vasodilation, and cellular regulatory properties. This vegetable has gained a fair amount of scientific attention as a possible cost-effective supplement to enhance performance and expedite recovery after physical exercise. To date, no study has investigated the effects of incremental beetroot juice ingestion on the metabolic recovery of athletes after an endurance race. Considering this, as well as the beneficial glucose and insulin regulatory roles of beetroot, this study investigated the effects of beetroot juice supplementation on the metabolic recovery trend of athletes within 48 h after completing a marathon.

methodsBy employing an untargeted two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry approach, serum samples (collected pre-, post-, 24 h post-, and 48 h post-marathon) of 31 marathon athletes that ingested a series (n = 7; 250 ml) of either beetroot juice (n = 15 athletes) or isocaloric placebo (n = 16 athletes) supplements within 48 h post-marathon, were analysed and statistically compared.

resultsThe metabolic profiles of the beetroot-ingesting cohort recovered to a pre-marathon-related state within 48 h post-marathon, mimicking the metabolic recovery trend observed in the placebo cohort. Since random inter-individual variation was observed immediately post-marathon, only metabolites with large practical significance (p-value ≤0.05 and d-value ≥0.5) within 24 h and 48 h post-marathon were considered representative of the effects of beetroot juice on metabolic recovery. These (n = 4) mainly included carbohydrates (arabitol and xylose) and odd-chain fatty acids (nonanoate and undecanoate). The majority of these were attributed to beetroot content and possible microbial fermentation thereof.

conclusionApart from the global metabolic recovery trends of the two opposing cohorts, it appears that beetroot ingestion did not expedite metabolic recovery in athletes within 48 h post-marathon.

Indexed as

AntioxidantsDietary SupplementsMarathon RunningAthletesBeta vulgarisFruit and Vegetable JuicesHumansSportsAntioxidantsBeetroot juiceBeta vulgaris L.Endurance runningFunctional foodsMetabolismRecovery

Identifiers

PMID34861868
PMCPMC8642879
OpenAlexW3215940869

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.