Beetroot Plus Vitamin C for Performance and Recovery: Protocol of a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Crossover Trial in Semi-Professional Wrestlers.

INTRODUCTION: In competitive sports, minor performance enhancements can significantly impact outcomes, driving athletes to utilize nutritional supplements, though many lack robust scientific evidence. Inorganic nitrate (NO₃⁻) stands out as a well-supported ergogenic aid, particularly for high-intensity activities, enhancing both performance metrics and psychological factors like perceived exertion. Wrestling, characterized by short, intense bursts of activity, necessitates efficient energy metabolism and recovery strategies. This protocol describes a trial to evaluate the acute effects of vitamin C-enriched beetroot supplementation on the performance of semi-professional wrestlers, assessed through upper and lower body Wingate tests.

METHOD: This study will conduct a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial involving 28 semi-professional wrestlers. Participants will be assigned to receive either a beetroot juice containing 8.4 mmol of nitrate and 90 mg of vitamin C or a placebo. Randomization will be facilitated through a web-based tool, ensuring blinding with placebo drinks. The primary outcome will be maximal anaerobic power, while secondary outcomes will include mean anaerobic power, fatigue index, time to exhaustion, and metabolic markers associated with muscle damage, such as creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase. The trial is registered at IRCT20240407061440N1.

RESULTS: Not applicable (study protocol).

CONCLUSION: This protocol describes a rigorous trial to evaluate potential ergogenic and recovery benefits of vitamin C-enriched beetroot in wrestling-specific anaerobic performance, addressing gaps in multi-muscle group testing.