In recent years there has been a growing interest in the biological activity of red beetroot (Beta vulgaris rubra) and its potential utility as a health promoting and disease preventing functional food. As a source of nitrate, beetroot ingestion provides a natural means of increasing in vivo nitric oxide (NO) availability and has emerged as a potential strategy to prevent and manage pathologies associated with diminished NO bioavailability, notably hypertension and endothelial function. Beetroot is also being considered as a promising therapeutic treatment in a range of clinical pathologies associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. Its constituents, most notably the betalain pigments, display potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and chemo-preventive activity in vitro and in vivo. The purpose of this review is to discuss beetroot’s biological activity and to evaluate evidence from studies that specifically investigated the effect of beetroot supplementation on inflammation, oxidative stress, cognition and endothelial function.

Background: Tart cherries contain numerous polyphenolic compounds that could potentially improve endothelial function and reduce cardiovascular disease risk. Objective: We sought to examine the acute effects of Montmorency tart cherry (MC) juice on vascular function in subjects with early hypertension. Design: A placebo-controlled, blinded, crossover, randomized Latin square design study with a washout period of $14 d was conducted. Fifteen men with early hypertension [systolic blood pressure (SBP) $130 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure $80 mm Hg, or both] received either a 60-mL dose of MC concentrate or placebo. Microvascular reactivity (laser Doppler imaging with iontophoresis), arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity and analysis), blood pressure, and phenolic acid absorption were assessed at baseline and at 1, 2, 3, 5, and 8 h postconsumption. Results: MC consumption significantly lowered SBP (P , 0.05) over a period of 3 h, with peak reductions of mean 6 SEM 7 6 3 mm Hg 2 h after MC consumption relative to the placebo. Improvements in cardiovascular disease risk factors were closely linked to increases in circulating protocatechuic and vanillic acid at 1-2 h. Conclusions: MC intake acutely reduces SBP in men with early hypertension. These benefits may be mechanistically linked to the actions of circulating phenolic acids. This study provides information on a new application of MCs in health maintenance, particularly in positively modulating SBP. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02234648.Am J Clin Nutr 2016;103:1531-9.

This study examined the effects of beetroot juice (BTJ) on recovery between two repeated-sprint tests. In an independent groups design, 20 male, team-sports players were randomized to receive either BTJ or a placebo (PLA) (2 × 250 mL) for 3 days after an initial repeated sprint test (20 × 30 m; RST1) and after a second repeated sprint test (RST2), performed 72 h later. Maximal isometric voluntary contractions (MIVC), countermovement jumps (CMJ), reactive strength index (RI), pressure-pain threshold (PPT), creatine kinase (CK), C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), protein carbonyls (PC), lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) and the ascorbyl free radical (A•−) were measured before, after, and at set times between RST1 and RST2. CMJ and RI recovered quicker in BTJ compared to PLA after RST1: at 72 h post, CMJ and RI were 7.6% and 13.8% higher in BTJ vs. PLA, respectively (p < 0.05). PPT was 10.4% higher in BTJ compared to PLA 24 h post RST2 (p = 0.012) but similar at other time points. No group differences were detected for mean and fastest sprint time or fatigue index. MIVC, or the biochemical markers measured (p > 0.05). BTJ reduced the decrement in CMJ and RI following and RST but had no effect on sprint performance or oxidative stress.

Acute beetroot juice supplementation attenuated muscle soreness and decrements in CMJ performance induced by eccentric exercise; further research on the anti-inflammatory effects of beetroot juice are required to elucidate the precise mechanisms.

DisclaimerThe University of Gloucestershire has obtained warranties from all depositors as to their title in the material deposited and as to their right to deposit such material.The University of Gloucestershire makes no representation or warranties of commercial utility, title, or fitness for a particular purpose or any other warranty, express or implied in respect of any material deposited.The University of Gloucestershire makes no representation that the use of the materials will not infringe any patent, copyright, trademark or other property or proprietary rights.The University of Gloucestershire accepts no liability for any infringement of intellectual property rights in any material deposited but will remove such material from public view pending investigation in the event of an allegation of any such infringement. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR TEXT. Minimal muscle damage after a marathon and no influence of beetroot juice on inflammation and recovery AbstractThis study examined whether beetroot juice (BTJ) would attenuate inflammation and muscle damage following a marathon. Using a double blind, independent group's design, 34 runners (~16 previous marathons completed) consumed either BTJ or an isocaloric placebo (PLA) for 3 days following a marathon. Maximal isometric voluntary contractions (MIVC), countermovement jumps (CMJ), muscle soreness, serum cytokines, leucocytosis, creatine kinase (CK), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured pre, post, and on the 2 days after the marathon. CMJ and MIVC were reduced after the marathon (P<0.05) but no group differences were observed (P>0.05).Muscle soreness was increased in the day after the marathon (BTJ; 45±48 vs. PLA; 46±39 mm) and had returned to baseline by day 2, irrespective of supplementation (P=0.694).Cytokines (Interleukin-6; IL-6, interleukin-8, tumour necrosis factor-α) were increased immediately post-marathon but apart from IL-6 had returned to baseline values by day 1 post.No interaction effects were evident for IL-6 (P=0.213). Leucocytes increased 1.7 fold after the race and remained elevated 2 days post, irrespective of supplement (P<0.0001). CK peaked at 1 day post marathon (BTJ: 965±967 & PLA: 1141±979 IU·L -1 ) and like AST and hs-CRP, was still elevated 2 days after the marathon (P<0.05); however, no group differences were present for these variables. Beetroot juice did not attenuate inflammation or reduce muscle damage following a marathon, possibly because most of these indices were not markedly different from baseline values in the days after the marathon.

The findings show that, controlling for expectancy bias and variability in baseline levels, IODs significantly increase patient satisfaction, dental function and quality of life over and above those achieved with good quality CCDs.

and Loots, Du Toit (2018) The altered human serum metabolome induced by a marathon. Metabolomics, 14 (11). p. 150.

Purpose Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is a pattern of eating characterized by a pathological fixation on restricting foods based on their perceived health. Like many eating disorders, ON is thought to be more prevalent in athletes. This was a preliminary study to explore the prevalence of ON in University students to determine whether those who compete in University sports have higher orthorexic tendencies. Methods 116 male and female student athletes (age 21 ± 1 years) and 99 non-athlete controls (21 ± 2) from Universities in the North East of the UK completed the ORTO-15 test (≤ 40 being the cutoff) used to screen individuals for ON. Results ON symptoms were high in all students (76%); there was no difference in ORTO-15 scores between the athletes (36.6 ± 3.9) and non-athlete controls (37.2 ± 3.8; P = 0.279). There was a difference in scores between those who completed ≥ 10 h of exercise per week (36.65 ± 4.38) and those who do ≤ 10 h a week (37.38 ± 3.65) ( P = 0.008; ES = 0.43). ORTO-15 scores were not higher in athletes competing in aesthetic and weight dependent sports ( P > 0.05). Conclusions Being a student athlete for a University sports team did not affect ON prevalence; however, there appears to be a greater risk for students in general, and for athletes who undertake high volumes of exercise. Nonetheless, the high prevalence of ON symptoms may be attributed to flaws in the ORTO-15 questionnaire, and therefore, future studies should focus on developing a more valid method for ON diagnosis. Level of evidence III, case-control study.