Research from the University of Exeter has found that a dietary supplement to boost nitric oxide in the body can significantly boost stamina during high-intensity exercise.

The study suggest that taking the supplement can allow people to exercise up to 20% longer and could produce a 1-2% improvement in race times. This comes on the back of previous research from Exeter which showed that the high nitrate content of beetroot juice, which also boosts nitric oxide in the body, has a similar effect on performance.

Professor Andrew Jones, from the University’s School of Sport and Health Sciences, said: “The research found that when the dietary supplement was used there was a striking increase in performance by altering the use of oxygen during exercise.

The study found that taking the supplement:

• - Improves severe-intensity exercise endurance by 20%
• - Significantly reduces systolic blood pressure
• - Reduces the oxygen cost of exercise

For the research, nine healthy males were put through several different physical challenges on a cycling ergometer to measure their performance under different levels of exercise intensity. Participants were randomly assigned to take either a blackcurrant cordial placebo drink or the genuine supplement, which was Ark 1 from Arkworld International Limited – which contains the L-arginine amino acid which enhances the production of nitric oxide in the body.

Source
University of Exeter