How to take nitrates in endurance sports, by Crown Sport Nutrition

It is known that the consumption of nitrates It has a direct impact on improved performance thanks to its metabolization to nitric oxide, which is the signaling molecule, which will produce the benefits already known in sports performance, both in strength sports and endurance sports.

It is known that the consumption of nitrates to improve performance can be done both acutely and chronically, that is:

• Acute nitrate consumption: Take the nitrate dose between 1,5-2 hours before the sporting event. The acute or daily dose of nitrates should be more than 370 mg, although there appears to be no greater benefit from consuming more than 740 mg.
• Chronic nitrate consumption: Intakes from 3 to 7 days before the event may be useful.

What interests us is: How could we use nitrates in endurance sports?

Although we know that a specific intake prior to a competition will provide us with ergogenic help, recent studies suggest that skeletal muscle could be an “active” reservoir of nitrates, so we are going to detail different chronic consumption protocols.

Basic protocol:
Between 5-7 days before the sporting event, consume 600 mg of nitrates once a day. Taking a previous intake 1,5-2 hours before the competition.

Protocol adaptations:

1.  Tests lasting less than 2 hours: We will carry out the previous intake 2 hours before the competition.
2.  Tests lasting between 3-4 hours. It would be convenient to analyze the type of competitions, it could be considered to carry out
   intake up to 45-60' before so that the effect of the nitrate is more intense in the 2nd part of the test
   where the requirements and demands are usually greater.
3. Tests lasting between 5-6 hours. In this type of competitions in which we seek that effect vasodilator is maintained in the final part of the test, we would have the option of consuming the nitrate between the first 60-90' of the test. 

What happens with ultra-endurance tests, such as the UTMB, a mountain trail with 171 km and more than 10.000 meters of accumulated elevation gain?

We find world-class athletes who will carry out the test in 20 or 21 p.m. while many athletes will have a forecast of more than 46 hours.
We will maintain the usual loading protocol, but with some examples of adaptation for this type of special tests:

1. World level and up to 24 hours: We will maintain the usual intake by carrying out the “last” intake of the loading protocol about 2-3 hours before the event and we would introduce 2 intakes during the test after 8 hours and 16 hours. Obviously it would be necessary to test, evaluate and analyze this strategy with the athlete. It would not be a general recommendation, but we like to teach how you can work with the elite, keep in mind that not all of us drive rally or Formula 1 cars, our cars run on gasoline…. but not exactly the same.
2.  When a “popular” athlete sets himself the challenge of performing an ultra-distance test for several days, we can design a supplementation plan with nitrates to in addition to taking an intake every 2-3 hours before the start of the competition, maintaining an intake of nitrates every 12 hours. We should previously test this protocol in some of the training sessions.

What happens in stage events, such as a cycling event?

In addition to the classic loading protocol, we would maintain a nitrate intake in the hours before the start of the stages, adjusting the time of intake to the duration of the test, even considering the possibility of taking the nitrate in the first part of the stage in days lasting more than 5-6 hours.

Author Ruben Cuenca Arce
Graduate in Pharmacy and Sports Nutritionist for High Performance Athletes
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