Mid Sweden University

Background: Dietary supplements such as caffeine and beetroot juice are used byathletes in an attempt to optimize performance and therefore gain an advantagein competition. Aim: To investigatethe individual and combined effects of caffeine and beetroot-juicesupplementation during submaximal and maximal treadmill running. Methods: Seven males (VO_2max:59.0 ± 2.9 mL/kg/min) and two females (VO_2max: 53.1 ± 11.4 mL/kg/min)performed a preliminary trial followed by four experimental test sessions,which consisted of two, 5-min submaximal running bouts (at ~ 70% and 80% of VO_2max) and a maximal 1-km time-trial (TT) in a laboratory. Participants ingested a 70-ml dose of concentrated beetroot juice containing either 7.3 mmol of nitrate (BR) or no nitrate (P_BR) 2.5 hours prior to each test session, theneither 4.8 ± 0.4 (4.3–5.6) mg/kg caffeine (C) or a caffeine placebo (P_C)45 minutes before each test session. The four test sessions (BR-C, BR-P_C,P_BR-C and P_BR-P_C) were presented in a counter-balancedand double-blind manner. Results: Nosignificant differences were identified between the four interventionsregarding relative VO₂, running economy, RER, heart rate (HR) or RPEat the two submaximal intensities (P > 0.05). Moreover, there were nosignificant differences in performance, maximum HR, peak blood lactateconcentration or RPE during the maximal TT when comparing the interventions (P> 0.05). Conclusion: No beneficialeffects of supplementing with typical doses of caffeine, beetroot juice or acombination of the two were observed for physiological, perceptual orperformance responses during submaximal or maximal treadmill running exercise.