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J Appl Physiol 107: 1144-1155, 2009. First published August 6, 2009; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00722.2009
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Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans

Stephen J. Bailey,1 Paul Winyard,2 Anni Vanhatalo,1 Jamie R. Blackwell,1 Fred J. DiMenna,1 Daryl P. Wilkerson,1 Joanna Tarr,2 Nigel Benjamin,2 and Andrew M. Jones1

1School of Sport and Health Sciences and ; 2Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom

Submitted 6 July 2009 ; accepted in final form 3 August 2009

Pharmacological sodium nitrate supplementation has been reported to reduce the O2 cost of submaximal exercise in humans. In this study, we hypothesized that dietary supplementation with inorganic nitrate in the form of beetroot juice (BR) would reduce the O2 cost of submaximal exercise and enhance the tolerance to high-intensity exercise. In a double-blind, placebo (PL)-controlled, crossover study, eight men (aged 19–38 yr) consumed 500 ml/day of either BR (containing 11.2 ± 0.6 mM of nitrate) or blackcurrant cordial (as a PL, with negligible nitrate content) for 6 consecutive days and completed a series of "step" moderate-intensity and severe-intensity exercise tests on the last 3 days. On days 4–6, plasma nitrite concentration was significantly greater following dietary nitrate supplementation compared with PL (BR: 273 ± 44 vs. PL: 140 ± 50 nM; P < 0.05), and systolic blood pressure was significantly reduced (BR: 124 ± 2 vs. PL: 132 ± 5 mmHg; P < 0.01). During moderate exercise, nitrate supplementation reduced muscle fractional O2 extraction (as estimated using near-infrared spectroscopy). The gain of the increase in pulmonary O2 uptake following the onset of moderate exercise was reduced by 19% in the BR condition (BR: 8.6 ± 0.7 vs. PL: 10.8 ± 1.6 ml·min–1·W–1; P < 0.05). During severe exercise, the O2 uptake slow component was reduced (BR: 0.57 ± 0.20 vs. PL: 0.74 ± 0.24 l/min; P < 0.05), and the time-to-exhaustion was extended (BR: 675 ± 203 vs. PL: 583 ± 145 s; P < 0.05). The reduced O2 cost of exercise following increased dietary nitrate intake has important implications for our understanding of the factors that regulate mitochondrial respiration and muscle contractile energetics in humans.

exercise economy; muscle efficiency; O2 uptake; exercise performance; fatigue


Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: A. M. Jones Professor of Applied Physiology, Exeter Univ., Sport and Health Sciences, St. Luke's Campus, Heavitree Rd., Exeter, EX1 2LU UK (e-mail: a.m.jones{at}exeter.ac.uk).






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