Effect of Vitamin C and Protein Supplementation on Plasma Nitrate and Nitrite Response following Consumption of Beetroot Juice

Beetroot juice is a food high in nitrate and is associated with cardiometabolic health benefits and enhanced exercise performance through the production of nitric oxide in the nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway. Since various food components influence this pathway, the aim of this trial was to study the effect of beetroot juice alone and in conjunction with vitamin C or protein on the acute response to plasma nitrate and nitrite levels in healthy middle- to older-aged adults. In this cross-over trial, each participant received, in a randomized order, a single dose of Beet It Sport (R) alone; Beet It Sport (R), plus a 200 mg vitamin C supplement; and Beet It Sport (R) plus 15 g of whey protein. Plasma levels of nitrate and nitrite were determined prior to and at 1 and 3 h after intervention. Log plasma nitrate and nitrite was calculated to obtain data that were normally distributed, and these data were analyzed using two-way within-factors ANOVA, with time and treatment as the independent factors. There were no statistically significant differences for log plasma nitrate (p = 0.308) or log plasma nitrite (p = 0.391) values across treatments. Log plasma nitrate increased significantly from pre-consumption levels after 1 h (p < 0.001) and 3 h (p < 0.001), but plasma nitrate was lower at 3 h than 1 h (p < 0.001). Log plasma nitrite increased from pre to 1 h (p < 0.001) and 3 h (p < 0.001) with log values at 3 h higher than at 1 h (p = 0.003). In this cohort, we observed no differences in log plasma nitrate and nitrite at 1 h and 3 h after co-ingesting beetroot juice with vitamin C or a whey protein supplement compared to beetroot juice alone. Further research needs to be undertaken to expand the blood-sampling time-frame and to examine factors that may influence the kinetics of the plasma nitrate to nitrite efficacy, such as differences in fluid volume and osmolarity between treatments employed.