Nitrate Supplementation; Duration (NO-how)

Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC)

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 4

Conditions: Time-trial Performance; Nitrite; Submaximal Exercise Performance; Nitrate

Treatments: Dietary Supplement: Sodium Nitrate; Dietary Supplement: Sodium Chloride

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02115893

METC13-3-059

Details and patient eligibility

About

The main aim of the current study will be to find the optimal duration of supplementation to enhance sports performance.

Full description

Oral ingestion of nitrate (NO3-) in the form of both nitrate salts and beetroot juice has been shown to significantly lower blood pressure at rest and to also lower pulmonary oxygen uptake during exercise, in addition to improving exercise performance during cycle time trial. However, there has been no consensus on the optimal supplementation protocols, in terms of duration of supplementation to see these metabolic effects. Furthermore, a positive exercise performance effect of nitrate ingestion has primarily been observed in recreational athletes. The potentially ergogenic effects of nitrate in well-trained or elite athletes therefore remain to be fully established. Based on the gaps in current literature, our main goal will be to gain further insight into different aspects of nitrate supplementation to enhance (elite) sports performance. This will be investigated in this study by assessing the effect of an acute vs. chronic supplementation period of sodium nitrate (NaNO3-) on exercise performance.

Enrollment: 20 patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 18 to 35 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 18.5 < BMI < 25 kg/m2
• Endurance trained cyclists/triathletes (with at least 1 year of competitive cycling experience)
• VO2max ≥ 55 mL/kg/min

Exclusion criteria

• Use of medication
• Injury prohibiting them from performing the exercise protocol effectively
• Smoking
• Currently supplementing diet with nitrate
• Lactose intolerance

Trial design

20 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Sodium Nitrate

Active Comparator group

Description:

Dietary Supplement: Sodium nitrate 800 mg of nitrate in sodium nitrate added with water to get a 140 mL solution (BASF, Ludwigshafen, Germany)

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: Sodium Nitrate

Sodium Cloride

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Dietary Supplement: Sodium chloride 800 mg of sodium chloride added with water to get a 140 mL solution (Frisia Zout BV, Harlingen, The Netherlands)

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: Sodium Chloride