DOES BEETROOT JUICE SUPPLEMENTATION AFFECT TO SPORT PERFORMANCE IN HIGH PERFORMANCE FEMALE VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS?

Abstract

It has been suggested that the response to beetroot juice supplementation (BRJ) may be mediated by sex, but research is limited on studies focused on the effect of this supplement on explosive efforts in female athletes. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the effect of BRJ on sports performance in female volleyball players. Twelve female (22.9 ± 3.6 years) high-performance volleyball players (Spain Superliga 2) randomly ingested an enriched nitrate BRJ (12.8 mmol NO3-) or a depleted NO3- placebo (PLA) in two experimental sessions. In each experimental session, participants performed different sports performance tests such as countermovement jump (CMJ), block jump (BJ), attack jump (AJ), a modified T-test, and a 5-0-5 test. The results reported a statistically significant enhancement in CMJ after BRJ compared to PLA (BRJ: 31.89 ± 2.84 cm vs. PLA: 31.48 ± 2.37 cm; p=0.044; d=0.66), but no significant differences were reported for the other tests used. The results of this study suggest that competitive female volleyball players could benefit from BRJ ingestion, resulting in enhanced neuromuscular function of the lower limbs. However, enhancements in specific volleyball actions (i.e., BJ and AJ), agility, and acceleration were not accompanied by significant statistical improvements.