Dietary Nitrate for Muscle Wasting

Overseen By Andrew R Coggan, PhD

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Male

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Indiana University

Must not be taking: Antibiotics, Viagra, Antacids, others

Disqualifiers: Clotting disorder, DVT, Epileptic, others

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 3

Duration: 2 weeks

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores whether drinking beetroot juice can prevent muscle wasting when muscles aren't used, such as when wearing a knee brace. Researchers aim to determine if the nitrates in beetroot juice improve muscle function and energy use. Participants will be divided into two groups: one will drink nitrate-rich beetroot juice, and the other will consume a nitrate-free version. The trial seeks men who are generally active but not extreme athletes, and who haven't had recent leg injuries or serious heart conditions. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants the chance to contribute to innovative research on muscle health and nutrition.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires that you stop taking certain medications, including antibiotics, phosphodiesterase inhibitors (like Viagra), proton pump inhibitors, antacids, xanthine oxidase inhibitors, hormonal contraceptives, or hormone replacement therapy. If you are on any of these, you would need to stop them to participate.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Research has shown that beetroot juice, rich in dietary nitrate, is safe for consumption. Studies have found that drinking beetroot juice can enhance muscle performance during exercise without causing harm.

Participants in these studies consumed the juice, and researchers checked their muscle function shortly after. No serious side effects were reported. Beetroot juice contains more nitrate than typically found in a regular diet, indicating it is safe to consume in larger amounts.

Overall, evidence suggests that most people tolerate beetroot juice well, making it a safe option for those considering participation in a trial involving dietary nitrate. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Most treatments for muscle wasting focus on exercise regimens and protein supplementation. But beetroot juice, rich in dietary nitrate, offers a unique approach by potentially enhancing blood flow and oxygen delivery to muscles. This mechanism may support muscle recovery and growth more effectively. Researchers are excited because beetroot juice could offer a natural, easily accessible alternative with fewer side effects compared to traditional treatments.

What evidence suggests that dietary nitrate might be an effective treatment for muscle wasting?

Studies have shown that beetroot juice can improve muscle performance. One study found that beetroot juice made muscles slightly stronger. Research also shows that nitrate, a substance in beetroot juice, boosts exercise performance, especially for short, intense activities. Additionally, beetroot juice, high in nitrate, has been reported to reduce muscle pain and aid faster recovery after exercise. In this trial, participants will receive either nitrate-rich beetroot juice or a nitrate-free placebo. These findings suggest that beetroot juice could help prevent muscle loss. ^{2 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Andrew R Coggan, PhD

Principal Investigator

Indiana University Indianapolis

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for young, healthy men who can safely consume beetroot juice. It's not suitable for those with conditions that could be worsened by nitrates or anyone unable to wear a knee brace for two weeks.

Inclusion Criteria

Above the minimum threshold of the IPAQ questionnaire

Below the maximum threshold of the IPAQ questionnaire

I am a man aged between 18 and 44.

Exclusion Criteria

Currently dieting or experiencing weight instability for the past 3 months

Known clotting disorder

Current smoker

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Immobilization

Participants wear a knee brace to induce muscle disuse for study purposes

2 weeks

1 visit (in-person) for brace fitting

Treatment

Participants receive either nitrate-rich or nitrate-free beetroot juice to assess effects on muscle function

2 weeks

2 visits (in-person) for assessments

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Beetroot Juice

Trial Overview The study tests if drinking beetroot juice, which is high in dietary nitrate, can help prevent muscle wasting when one leg is immobilized with a brace compared to a placebo without nitrate.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Nitrate Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Nitrate-rich beetroot juice

Group II: Placebo Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Nitrate-free beetroot juice

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Indiana University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,063

Recruited

1,182,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12195723/

Effects of Beetroot Juice on Physical Performance in ... Results: (1) Beetroot juice significantly improved muscle strength (SMD = 0.08, p < 0.001), but the effect size was negligible.

2. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07161973

Effect of Dietary Nitrate on Immobilization-induced ... The objective of this study is to investigate the potential benefits of dietary nitrate supplementation on immobilization-induced changes in ...

3. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831323000455

Factors that Moderate the Effect of Nitrate Ingestion on ... Nitrate, via beetroot juice or a high-nitrate diet, improved exercise performance, in particular, in sessions lasting between 2 and 10 min.

4. tandfonline.com tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19390211.2021.1939472

The Effect of Nitrate-Rich Beetroot Juice on Markers ... Two studies reported that nitrate-rich beetroot juice attenuated muscle pain and expedited the recovery of countermovement (CMJ) performance in ...

5. gssiweb.org gssiweb.org/en/sports-science-exchange/Article/dietary-nitrate-and-exercise-performance-new-strings-to-the-beetroot-bow

Dietary nitrate and exercise performance: new strings to ... In humans, however, Whitfield et al. (2017) found that beetroot juice supplementation increased force production at low-stimulation frequencies but without ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4008816/

Dietary Nitrate Supplementation and Exercise Performance Dietary nitrate reduces the oxygen cost of exercise, may enhance exercise tolerance, and can improve power output, potentially augmenting performance.

7. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022316622001560

Dietary Nitrate Intake Is Positively Associated with Muscle ... Nitrate supplements, such as concentrated beetroot juice, provide up to 12 times more nitrate than the median intake of a typical diet (e.g., 65 mg/d in the ...

8. ahajournals.org ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/circheartfailure.115.002141

Acute Dietary Nitrate Intake Improves Muscle Contractile ... After fasting overnight, subjects drank beetroot juice containing or devoid of 11.2 mmol of NO3−. Two hours later, muscle function was assessed using isokinetic ...

9. mdpi.com mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/12/1958

Effects of Beetroot Juice on Physical Performance in ... After beetroot juice supplementation, dietary nitrate is converted into NO in the body [18], potentially enhancing muscle strength via the following mechanisms: ...