Effect of beetroot juice and sodium bicarbonate supplementation on 4 km cycling time trial time to completion in well-trained male cyclists

INTERVENTION: There are 3 interventions for this research project that aims to examine the isolated and combined effects of the treatments: Arm 1: Sodium bicarbonate + placebo beetroot juice. 0.3 g/kg body mass sodium bicarbonate consumed in capsule form orally with water, 80 g (20 g per day) of nitrate‐free beetroot powder consumed orally with water for 4 days. Arm 2: Placebo sodium bicarbonate + beetroot juice. 0.3 g/kg body mass maltodextrin consumed in capsule form orally with water, 80 g (20 g per day) of beetroot juice crystals consumed orally for 4 days with water. Arm 3: Sodium bicarbonate + beetroot juice. 0.3 g/kg body mass sodium bicarbonate consumed in capsule form orally with water, 80 g (20 g per day) of beetroot juice crystals consumed orally for 4 days with water. Sodium bicarbonate is administered 2.5 hours prior to the commencement of each 4 km time trial. Beetroot juice crystals/placebo is administered once nightly in the 3 days prior to a 4 km trial and again 1 hour prior to the commencement of each 4 km time trial. The wash‐out period is 3 days between each arm of the study. CONDITION: Cycling performance in healthy trained athletes PRIMARY OUTCOME: Time to completion of each 4 km cycling time trial (performance) SECONDARY OUTCOME: Plasma bicarbonate concentrations Plasma nitrate / nitrite concentrations INCLUSION CRITERIA: VO2 max > 65 ml.kg.min, > 2 years competitive cycling experience