Beetroot Juice Supplementation and Aerobic Training Improve Antioxidant Capacity in Female Athletes

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether beetroot juice can alter total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in female soccer players.

In this randomized clinical trial, female soccer players (n=20) were selected randomly and assigned into two groups: experimental (beetroot juice, n= 10) and control (placebo, n = 10). Subjects did their soccer training for six weeks (3 sessions per week for 90 min) with a consumption of 200 ml juice 2 hours before they started their training. Blood samples were collected and transferred to the laboratory. After separating the serum from the plasma, serum was put on the total antioxidant capacity' kits and total antioxidant capacity was investigated in the pretest and posttest.

Findings showed that the experimental group had a significant increase in TAC after taking beetroot juice consumption (P<0.001) compared to baseline. Also, compared to the control group, there was a significant difference between experimental and control groups in TAC changes (P<0.001).

The present study provides evidence that 6 weeks of beetroot juice consumption positively affects TAC in female soccer players.