Why Is Beetroot So Amazing?
Want to boost your athletic performance and muscle power naturally, without changing your workout routine? Beetroot extract can do just that! This humble root vegetable has taken the athletic world by storm, becoming a go-to for everyone from endurance runners to weekend warriors. Why? Because it’s packed with nitrates that can increase oxygen flow to your muscles, allowing you to train harder and recover faster.
Antidote founder Reese Hanneman used beetroot extensively during his 10 year professional athletic career, and found it an important part of his training for the Olympics.Â
Let’s break down why beetroot is the unsung hero of athletic nutrition—and how you can harness its power to push your limits.
The Benefits of Beetroot for Athletes: More Than Just a Trend
Beetroot isn’t just a trendy superfood—it’s a game-changer for athletes looking for a natural edge. The key lies in its high nitrate content, which your body converts into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide helps improve blood flow, lowers blood pressure, and makes oxygen delivery more efficient. The result? Enhanced endurance, better recovery, and even sharper cognitive function during your workouts.
Boost Endurance and Stamina
One of the most well-accepted benefits of beetroot is its ability to improve endurance. Some studies suggest that beetroot juice can increase time to exhaustion during high-intensity exercise by up to 25%. This means you can push yourself harder for longer, whether you're on the track, in the pool, or cycling up a hill.
How does it work? The nitrates in beetroot help your body use oxygen more efficiently, reducing the amount of oxygen needed for exercise. In endurance sports, where every breath matters, that extra efficiency can make a world of difference.
Actionable Tip: For the best results, consume beetroot juice before a workout. Aim for 500 ml (liquid beet juice) or 500mg (concentrated beet root extract, like in Antidote), to provide the maximum nitrate benefit.
Speed Up Recovery
Beetroot doesn’t just help you during your workout—it can also speed up recovery after the fact. The anti-inflammatory properties of beets, combined with their rich antioxidant content, help reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery times. This means fewer aches and pains after intense sessions, allowing you to get back to training faster and stronger.
Actionable Tip: Incorporate beetroot juice or a beetroot supplement into your post-workout routine to reduce muscle soreness. Pair it with a protein shake for a one-two punch of recovery nutrition. By consuming your beetroot in an all natural, chemical free pre-workout with no artificial ingredients, you’ve given your body a jump-start on the recovery process for after your workout.Â
Enhance Oxygen Flow
When you're pushing your body to its limits, every drop of oxygen counts. The nitrates in beetroot work to dilate your blood vessels, allowing for better blood flow and oxygen delivery to your muscles. This can help you sustain high-intensity efforts for longer without hitting that dreaded "wall."
It’s believed that athletes consuming beetroot experience improved oxygen efficiency during exercise, particularly during high-intensity, short bursts of activity. This makes beetroot an excellent choice for sprinters, CrossFit athletes, and anyone whose sport relies on repeated bursts of power.
Actionable Tip: Try consuming beetroot in different forms, such as powders or capsules, if you find beet juice a little too earthy for your taste. We worked hard to create the Antidote blend that delivers the jolt of beetroot goodness, with a smooth, naturally sweet flavor.
Improves Cognitive Function During Exercise
Ever notice how you get mentally foggy as you tire out physically? Beetroot can help with that too. Research suggests that increased nitric oxide production also supports cognitive function, helping you stay focused and sharp during your workouts. This is crucial for athletes who need to maintain strategy and concentration—like when you're in the last mile of a marathon or at the tail end of a grueling HIIT session.
Actionable Tip: To boost both physical and mental performance, consider taking beetroot before competitions where mental acuity is key, like team sports or long endurance races. Antidote pre-workout naturally provides this for you!
Natural and Clean Energy Source
One of the most appealing aspects of beetroot is that it provides a natural, clean source of energy. Unlike many performance-enhancing supplements loaded with artificial ingredients and chemicals, beetroot is as close to nature as it gets. It’s not only packed with nitrates but also loaded with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that benefit overall health.
Actionable Tip: If you're looking for a natural way to enhance performance, skip the synthetic pre-workouts and reach for Antidote, with its beetroot-laden blend instead. It’s a clean, effective way to fuel your body without unnecessary additives.
In Summary:
Boost Endurance: Beetroot helps your body use oxygen more efficiently, improving stamina and increasing time to exhaustion.
Faster Recovery: Beetroot's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties help reduce muscle soreness and speed up recovery.
Enhanced Oxygen Flow: Nitrates improve blood flow and oxygen delivery, helping sustain high-intensity efforts longer.
Cognitive Benefits: Beetroot improves focus and mental clarity during strenuous workouts or competitions.
Natural Energy Source: A clean, natural way to boost performance without synthetic ingredients.
Harness the power of beetroot, and you’ll not only feel the difference in your workouts—you’ll see it in your results. Want to take your performance to the next level? It might be time to add a splash of all-natural Antidote pre-workout to your routine.