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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07106489

Effect of Beetroot Nitrates on Different Physical Skills in Colombian Rugby Athletes

Beetroot is a source of nitrates, which have demonstrated various positive effects in sports, with little evidence in intermittent sports such as ball sports (including rugby). Therefore, the study's hypothesis is that it may also have an effect in these sports. For this purpose, a beetroot extract was used, a product approved by the Colombian institution in charge of product approval and registration in Colombia, the National Institute for Food and Drug Surveillance (INVIMA). This was done to determine whether it has any effect on various physical abilities required for rugby, such as speed, acceleration, strength, and fatigue perception.

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Key information

Conditions

Athletic Performance

Age range

18 year–40 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Bogotá, Colombia

About this study

Currently, nitrates (from beet juices or extracts) have gained relevance due to their vasodilatory effect, which has contributed to improving athletic performance. Their use has been studied mainly in continuous sports such as swimming, cycling, athletics, etc. However, research in intermittent sports (such as ball or combat sports) is limited and inconclusive, so further research is needed on their use and effect in these sports. Therefore, the study seeks to investigate the effect of administering beet extract for three consecutive days in rugby athletes, evaluating its effect on various physical capacities required for the specific sport, such as acceleration, speed, strength, and fitness. Due to the small number of participants, a randomization process is not possible. A representative sample of 44 is required, but only 10 are interested in participating. Therefore, the sample will be selected based on the number of people willing to participate (convenience sampling) and meeting the defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Each athlete is subsequently characterized and evaluated by the nutritionist, who provides instructions on how to avoid consuming foods or substances that could affect the study. They will be provided with the necessary substrates three days before the physical tests, with one group receiving the beetroot substrate and the other a placebo. The following week, the groups will be double-blinded. The physical tests will be performed by a professional physiotherapist, who will apply the test protocol and use a Borg scale to assess perceived exertion. Finally, a descriptive and exploratory analysis will be performed on the collected data, using univariate tests for the mean (Student's t-test) or Wilcoxon tests, depending on the type of variable (continuous or ordinal), with a 95% confidence level. To measure the magnitude of the treatment effect on each measured variable, Cohen's d statistic will be used for those variables that required a t-test.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Belong to one of the two Rugby Clubs invited to participate
  • Legal age
  • Have trained/played rugby for more than 6 months.

Exclusion criteria

  • Have had a sports injury in the last 6 months or during the study
  • Use of nutritional supplements during the study.
  • Use of mouthwash during the study.
  • Have health conditions that require specific medical treatment.

Treatment and study plan

beetroot juice - Placebo

Other

Participants receive the beetroot and placebo in the form of waffles to ensure the study is blinded, as the 6 mmol of nitrates used require a high concentration of beetroot, which is masked by the waffle ingredients and food coloring.

40 meters sprint

Other

The participant performs a race at maximum speed with two attempts, times are taken at 10, 30 and 40 meters, to evaluate acceleration and speed, the attempt with the shortest times is the one taken for the research.

Fitness test by bronco test

Other

The participant runs a distance of 20, 40, and 60 meters, back and forth, 5 times at maximum speed. The variable to be measured is the total time taken to complete the test.

Maximal strength

Other

Each participant performs squats and bench press to evaluate lower-body and upper-body maximal strength, thus identifying their maximum strength taken per kilogram lifted.

Borg scale

Other

At the end of the tests, each participant is asked to evaluate their perception of fatigue by giving a number between 1 and 10, with 1 being the lowest level of fatigue and 10 being the highest.

Primary outcomes

  1. Results Obtained in the Physical Tests to Evaluate Impact on Acceleration

    Time frame: First and second physical tests weeks

    Physical tests are performed over two different weeks. Initially, the 40-meter sprint test is performed with two attempts, with the attempt with the shortest execution time being considered. Distances from 0 to 10 meters are used to evaluate acceleration in meters per second squared (m/s^2)

  2. Speed Results Over Distance From 0 to 30 Meters in 40 Meters Sprint Test

    Time frame: First and second physical tests weeks

    In the 40-meter speed test, the time taken to travel from the start to the 30 meters is measured in meters per second (m/s)

  3. Maximum Speed Results With the Distance of 30 to 40 Meters in the 40-meter Sprint Test

    Time frame: First and second physical tests weeks

    In the 40-meter sprint test, the time to cover from a distance of 30 meters to 40 meters is measured in meters per second (m/s)

  4. Speed Given by Distance From 0 to 40 Meters Sprint

    Time frame: First and second physical tests weeks

    Time to cover the distance from 0 to 40 meters sprint at maximum speed in meters per second (m/s)

  5. Fitness Results From the Bronco Test

    Time frame: First and second physical tests weeks

    Fitness is assessed by the time it takes to cover the 1.2 km Bronco test segmented into distances of 20, 40, and 60 meters, which are covered 5 times.

  6. Maximum Strength in the Lower-body Given by Squat

    Time frame: First and second physical tests weeks

    Squats are performed technically until reaching 1 repetition maximum (1RM) meeting technical requirements.

  7. Maximum Upper-body Strength Given by Bench Press Test

    Time frame: First and second physical tests weeks

    Maximum weight lifted in 1 maximum repetition in a technically correct manner in the bench press exercise

  8. Perception of Fatigue Given by the Borg Scale

    Time frame: First and second weeks at the end of the physical tests

    According to a score of 1 to 10, with 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest level of fatigue, participants evaluated their perception at the end of the physical tests.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Effect of Beetroot Extract Supplementation on the Athletic Performance of Trained Rugby Athletes

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Aug 6, 2025
Registry last updated
Dec 12, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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