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Updated: Oct 23, 2025
Induction and Assessment of Exertional Skeletal Muscle Damage in Humans
Published on: December 11, 2016
Effects of Beetroot Supplementation on Recovery After Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage: A Systematic Review
Daniel Rojano-Ortega1, José Peña Amaro2, Antonio J Berral-Aguilar3
1Department of Informatics and Sports, University Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain.
Context:
Beetroots have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which may help attenuate inflammation and oxidative stress, enhancing recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD).
Objective:
To evaluate the effects of beetroot supplementation on oxidative stress, inflammation, and recovery after EIMD.
Data Sources:
SPORTDiscus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were searched, and hand-searching was performed by looking to relevant studies that were cited in other studies.
Study Selection:
For a study to be included in this review, the following inclusion criteria had to be met: (1) research conducted with human participants, (2) original articles in peer-reviewed publications, (3) original studies that had investigated beetroot supplementation intervention on muscle damage and recovery, (4) research conducted with 1 control/placebo group, and (5) articles published from inception to October 2020.
Study Design:
Systematic review using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement.
Level Of Evidence:
Level 3.
Data Extraction:
Two of the 4 authors independently extracted data and assessed the methodological quality of the articles with the PEDro scale. All discrepancies were resolved through a consensus meeting.
Results:
A total of 9 studies were included in this review. The methodological quality of the included studies ranged from moderate to high. Most of the studies found a better recovery of functional variables and muscle soreness, but improvements in markers of muscle damage, inflammation, and oxidative stress were not reported.
Conclusion:
The existing evidence suggests that a short-term beetroot supplementation has the potential to accelerate recovery of functional measures and muscle soreness, but further research is needed to clarify if a longer supplementation period (with some days before exercise and some days after) could also promote recovery of markers of muscle damage, inflammation, and oxidative stress.
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