Abstract
Purpose: Vasoactive ingredients in beetroot (BR) such as nitrate are known to induce vasodilation in temperate conditions. This study investigated the effect of BR ingestion on cold induced vasodilation (CIVD) and rewarming of finger skin temperature (Tfing) during and after hand immersion in cold water.
Methods: Twenty healthy males (mean ± SD; age 22.2±0.7 yrs, height 172.6±6.0 cm, body mass 61.3±11.7 kg) repeated a hand cold water immersion test twice with prior BR or water beverage ingestion (randomised order). They rested for two hours in thermoneutral conditions (27°C, 40% relative humidity) after consuming the beverage, then immersed their non-dominant hand in 8°C water for 30 min. They then rewarmed their hand in the ambient air for 20 min. Skin temperature at seven body sites, Tfing, finger skin blood flow (SkBFfing), and blood pressure were measured.
Results: During hand immersion parameters of CIVD (Tfing and SkBFfing) were not different between BR and water conditions although skin temperature gradient from proximal to distal body sites was significantly smaller with BR (PConclusion: BR accelerated rewarming in Tfing and SkBFfing after local cold stimulus, whereas, CIVD response during hand cold immersion was not affected by BR ingestion.
Conclusion: BR accelerated rewarming in Tfing and SkBFfing after local cold stimulus, whereas, CIVD response during hand cold immersion was not affected by BR ingestion.
Keywords: Nitrate; Nitric oxide; Red beet; Rewarming speed; Skin blood flow.
Methods: Twenty healthy males (mean ± SD; age 22.2±0.7 yrs, height 172.6±6.0 cm, body mass 61.3±11.7 kg) repeated a hand cold water immersion test twice with prior BR or water beverage ingestion (randomised order). They rested for two hours in thermoneutral conditions (27°C, 40% relative humidity) after consuming the beverage, then immersed their non-dominant hand in 8°C water for 30 min. They then rewarmed their hand in the ambient air for 20 min. Skin temperature at seven body sites, Tfing, finger skin blood flow (SkBFfing), and blood pressure were measured.
Results: During hand immersion parameters of CIVD (Tfing and SkBFfing) were not different between BR and water conditions although skin temperature gradient from proximal to distal body sites was significantly smaller with BR (PConclusion: BR accelerated rewarming in Tfing and SkBFfing after local cold stimulus, whereas, CIVD response during hand cold immersion was not affected by BR ingestion.
Conclusion: BR accelerated rewarming in Tfing and SkBFfing after local cold stimulus, whereas, CIVD response during hand cold immersion was not affected by BR ingestion.
Keywords: Nitrate; Nitric oxide; Red beet; Rewarming speed; Skin blood flow.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 495–507 |
| Journal | European Journal of Applied Physiology |
| Issue number | 123 |
| Early online date | 28 Oct 2022 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Mar 2023 |