Ever since I first had the pre workout Iron Pump which is no longer available on the market, I’ve been interested in beetroot as a potential training aid.
See, Iron Pump wasn’t your average pre workout…
It was Arnold schwartzeneggars “Arnold Series” pre workout… And that meant something to me.
Fast forward to today, and the whole Arnold Series is discontinued because the makers, Musclepharm, where busted for spiking their protein products.
To make matters worse, based on my research and personal testing, the actual amount of beetroot nitrates in Iron Pump were never enough to make any significant impact…
Big surprise coming from a product made by one of the largest supplement conglomerates, right?
But regardless, this put me on the path to figure out how Beetroot supplements can enhance athletic performance and health. My products of choice for this venture were the industry leaders: SuperBeets and BeetElite.
Here is what you can gain from taking Beetroot Supplements
While doing the research, I came across many “amazing 20 benefits of beetroot” articles… And I’ve got to caution you all, most of them are a stretch of the truth!
Here are the legitimate benefits to taking a beetroot powder supplement:
- Increased blood flow due to nitric oxide induced vasodilation.
- Increased stamina, thanks to increased blood flow.
- Improved brain health, memory, and performance – again due to increased blood flow.
- Improved red blood cell production due to beetroots iron-rich nature.
- Some anti-oxidant benefits.
And if you are a true realist and sceptic like I am, that is the reasonable limits of Beetroot powder supplements. It’s awesome by all means, but it is limited in actualized effects.
How Beetroot Specifically Benefits Athletes.
Beetroot supplements in theory have 4 significant benefits for athletes previously mentioned above. Beetroot will increase circulation which aids performance and cognition, increase red blood cell count, and provide anti-oxidant protection.
But additionally, Beetroot also provides a natural alternative to synthetic nitric oxide boosting supplements.
Now, were not saying they are horrible, but natural alternatives are always something to be admired. You can view our best ranked nitric oxide ingredients here.
What I Experienced Taking Beetroot Supplements
The thought of drinking beetroot powder seemed like a gross idea initially, however I was pleasantly surprised by how good SuperBeets and BeetElite tasted. They are mild, with a bit of cherry sweetness… Overall light, refreshing, and pleasant tasting.
Upon supplementation, you really don’t notice a whole lot.
You feel a bit better, more present, and healthier – but it isn’t like drinking a cup of coffee where the effects are instantaneous and obvious.
Beetroot Before Exercise
The real reason why I was experimenting with beetroot, was to enhance my athletic performance.
I tried taking both BeetElite and SuperBeets under several different conditions – on their own, with pre workout, during my workout, etc…
What I found, was that Beetroot products had the most profound impact when taken in addition to a pre workout supplement (good or bad).
Note: Not sure what a pre workout is? You can learn what pre workouts do here.
The Results
On days that I took Beetroot and only Beetroot – I found that my overall performance was still completely dictated by my mood or how much sleep I received the previous night. Yes, there was an added ‘pump’ sensation, most notably with the higher dosed BeetElite… But it wasn’t game changing for me, being the stim-junkie that I am.
But on days where I added Beetroot to my pre workout supplement, bigger changes occurred. Not only did the pre workout really get me going, but I could feel the extra Beetroot pump and endurance blast.
Basically, I was lasting longer than if I had only had pre workout, or Beetroot alone.
Pulling it all together on Beetroot Powder Supplements
Beetroot powder supplements like SuperBeets and BeetElite offer a healthy and nutritious way to increase nitric oxide, and its corresponding benefits.
For someone like me, who is used to more aggressive supplements – the benefits were not as prevalent.
However, for those who do not regularly take performance enhancing supplements – you will definitely notice the addition of beetroot to your diet and training protocol.
For the price, lack of risk, and clear-cut benefits – I’m a solid advocate of quality Beetroot supplements. More so I believe that it fits a wide age and use range making it family friendly.
Our Recommended Beetroot Supplements
As of now, the two HumanN products SuperBeets and BeetElite steal the winning medals. I really haven’t tried anything else, yet. Upon further supplementation I’ll make this into a top 5 or top 10 if the competition is relevant and distinctions need to be made for the good of our community.
