Move over Lucosade! The humble British beetroot has been scientifically proven to boost stamina through a high concentration of nitrates which makes exercise less tiring.

The discovery was made by a team from the University of Exeter who found that the nitrate contained in the vegetable leads to an reduction in oxygen usage during training.

The researchers believe their findings could help people with cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic diseases as well as endurance athletes.

They focused on eight men aged 19-38, who were given 500ml per day of organic beetroot juice for six consecutive days before completing a series of tests, involving cycling on an exercise bike.

On another occasion, they were given a placebo of blackcurrant cordial for six consecutive days before completing the same cycling tests.

After drinking beetroot juice the group was able to cycle for an average of 11.25 minutes – 92 seconds longer than when they were given the placebo.

This would translate into an approximate 2% reduction in the time taken to cover a set distance. The group that had consumed the beetroot juice also had lower resting blood pressure.

While researchers are not yet sure of the exact mechanism that causes the nitrate in the beetroot juice to boost stamina, they suspect it could be a result of the nitrate turning into nitric oxide in the body, reducing how much oxygen is burned up by exercise.

Professor John Brewer, an expert on sports science at the University of Bedfordshire, said: “These findings are potentially exciting for many people involved in sport and exercise, but will almost certainly require further more extensive studies before the exact benefits and mechanisms are understood.

“We must also remember that exercise and training and a sensible diet will always remain as the essential ingredients for a balanced and healthy lifestyle.”

As a result of this news, many runners are contemplating a glass of beetroot juice before their run.

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