Amaranth Nitrate Sport: The science behind improved aerobic capacity
TL;DR. Amaranth contains 9-11% inorganic nitrate, four to five times more than red beetroot (approximately 2%). Nitrate is converted in your body into nitric oxide, allowing your muscles to perform the same work with less oxygen. An RCT in active athletes (Liubertas, JISSN 2020) showed a significant increase in VO2max, peak power, and aerobic threshold after six days of supplementation with ±400 mg nitrate. I use amaranth in the fruit energy bar as a clean nitrate source. Functional. No extract. No supplement.
Amaranth nitrate is not a marketing term. It is a mechanism. Nitrate from the amaranth plant activates a pathway that improves the oxygen efficiency of your working muscles. I incorporate amaranth into the fruit energy bar for cycling as a plant-based nitrate source. No artificials. No powders. An ingredient with a proven effect, supported by a direct RCT in cyclists on an ergometer.
What is amaranth as a nitrate source?
Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) is a plant with leaves and seeds. Not to be confused with the pseudograin found in granola. The plant itself is one of the richest plant-based sources of inorganic nitrate (NO3⁻): 9 to 11% nitrate concentration, four to five times higher than red beetroot, which reaches about 2%.
I consciously choose amaranth as a nitrate carrier. Not as a superfood. Not as a wellness ingredient. As a plant-based source with a measurable mechanism relevant for endurance athletes who need aerobic efficiency during exercise.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) assessed inorganic nitrate from plant sources as safe within normal dietary amounts. The acceptable daily intake is 3.7 mg per kg body weight, approximately 260 mg for a 70 kg athlete. Sport performance dosages between 300 and 600 mg per intake fall within the meaningful range for occasional use during exercise.
How does nitrate work in your body?
The pathway is clear. Nitrate (NO3⁻) is converted into nitrite (NO2⁻) in your saliva. Subsequently, nitrite, especially when oxygen is scarce (precisely during strenuous exercise), is reduced to nitric oxide (NO). Nitric oxide relaxes your blood vessels and more efficiently manages energy production in your muscle cells.
The result is twofold. One: better blood flow and oxygen delivery to your working muscles. Two: lower oxygen cost per movement. Your muscles perform the same work with less oxygen. In science, this is called improved oxygen efficiency.
For cyclists, runners, and triathletes, this means in practice: at the same heart rate and breathing, your muscles can continue longer and harder before you reach your aerobic limit. Not because your lungs can do more. But because your muscles handle incoming oxygen more intelligently.
What does the research in cyclists specifically show?
In 2020, Liubertas et al. published a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Thirteen physically active men received ±400 mg of nitrate from amaranth concentrate per intake, both acutely and for six days. Afterwards, they performed standardized exercise tests on a cycling ergometer (incremental cycling exercise protocol).
The figures after six days of supplementation:
| Outcome Measure | Before | After 6 days Amaranth | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peak Power (W/kg) | 4.44 | 4.55 | p < 0.05 |
| VO2max (mL/kg/min) | 37.7 | 41.2 | p < 0.05 |
| Aerobic Threshold (W) | 178.6 | 188.6 | p < 0.05 |
The control group showed no significant changes. Three measurable effects on the three metrics that matter most to an endurance athlete. No overclaim, no medical promise. An honest reference to a published RCT. Amaranth nitrate showed results in a direct study on active athletes on precisely the physiological markers that are crucial for endurance sports.
Why amaranth and not red beetroot?
Red beetroot is the best-known plant-based nitrate source in sports. The science around it is solid. But as an ingredient in a fruit energy bar, beetroot has practical problems. The taste is earthy and heavy. The color turns everything dark red. The oxalate content is high. The profile does not suit fruit.
Amaranth has 9 to 11% nitrate, beetroot about 2%. This means: a comparable functional dose with significantly less ingredient volume. In addition, amaranth has a more neutral taste and color profile. No added sugars. Lower oxalate content. This allows me to functionally integrate amaranth into every flavor variant without the ingredient dominating the experience. Functional must also be workable on the plate and in production.
Amaranth fits the clean profile: vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free, without artificials. A plant-based source in the fruit performance bars category, where fruit and functional ingredients together deliver an effect during exercise. No gel. No brick. Fuel.
How does this fit into your fueling during exercise?
One bar doesn't make a race. Your fueling strategy does. The basis for efforts from 60 minutes onwards is sports drink with 6-8% carbs (500-800 ml per hour, good for 30-60g) as the main source. On top of that, I take 1 to 2 fruit energy bars per hour. Possibly a gel in the final when intensity peaks. Read why I combine bars and gels instead of just gels.
The fruit energy bar provides about 80g of carbohydrates per 100g in a 2:1 glucose/fructose ratio. This ratio uses two separate transport channels in your gut simultaneously, allowing you to absorb up to 90g of carbs per hour without your stomach protesting. The amaranth nitrate is included as an extra layer on top of that fuel delivery.
Two mechanisms that do not interfere with each other. The carbs feed your muscles. The nitrate ensures that these muscles convert the fuel into power more efficiently. That's not a coincidence, that's product design based on physiology.
For whom is this most relevant?
The nitrate mechanism works strongest in disciplines where oxygen efficiency is the limiting factor. Cycling uphill or time trial. Running at pace in a half or full marathon. Triathlon, where you need to preserve reserves for the run. MTB, with its intervals between high efforts. Read about the switch of cyclists to clean-label fueling if you want to delve deeper into this.
| Discipline | Moment of Relevance |
|---|---|
| Cycling | Maintaining power on climbs or time trials, respecting aerobic threshold |
| Running | Pace management in the second half of a half or full marathon |
| Triathlon | Efficient cycling component, reserves for the run |
| MTB / XC | Recovery between intensive sectors, maintaining steady power |
Level plays a role. Highly trained athletes already have a high VO2max, but the relative gain via nitrate remains present, even in well-trained recreational athletes. The Liubertas study worked with physically active men on a standardized cycling protocol. This is directly relevant for my target group.
What amaranth nitrate is not
Not a miracle cure. Not a substitute for training, sleep, or carbs. Not a quick fix that saves a bad fueling strategy. Anyone cycling for 90 minutes without a sports drink and without enough carbohydrates will not have a good day from any plant extract.
It is, however, a layer on top of good fueling. An extra leverage in a product I built for exercise. Not candy with a sports label. A functional ingredient that has a measurable effect according to a published RCT on precisely the markers that matter to an endurance athlete: VO2max, peak power, aerobic threshold.
Scientific basis
Liubertas T, Kairaitis R, Stasiule L, Capkauskiene S, Stasiulis A, Viskelis P, Viskelis J, Urbonaviciene D. (2020). The influence of amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) dietary nitrates on the aerobic capacity of physically active young persons. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 17(37).
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. n=13 physically active men. Supplementation with ±400 mg NO3⁻ from amaranth concentrate, both acutely and for six days. Significant improvement (p < 0.05) in VO2max (37.7 → 41.2 mL/kg/min), peak power (4.44 → 4.55 W/kg), and aerobic threshold (178.6 → 188.6 W). Consistent with the nitrate-nitrite-NO mechanism for improved oxygen efficiency.
Sources
- Liubertas T. et al. (2020). The influence of amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) dietary nitrates on the aerobic capacity of physically active young persons. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 17(37). doi:10.1186/s12970-020-00366-5
Frequently Asked Questions
What is amaranth nitrate and why is it relevant for athletes?
Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) is a plant containing 9 to 11% inorganic nitrate, four to five times more than red beetroot (approximately 2%). Your body converts nitrate into nitric oxide, which improves oxygen efficiency in your working muscles. For endurance athletes, this is a plant-based lever on aerobic capacity, without synthetic ingredients.
What results did the research by Liubertas et al. (2020) show?
The study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled RCT in thirteen physically active men, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (17:37). After six days of supplementation with ±400 mg nitrate from amaranth, VO2max (37.7 → 41.2 mL/kg/min), peak power (4.44 → 4.55 W/kg), and aerobic threshold (178.6 → 188.6 W) increased significantly (p < 0.05). The control group showed no significant changes.
How does amaranth nitrate differ from beetroot?
Beetroot contains approximately 2% inorganic nitrate. Amaranth contains 9 to 11%, four to five times more. Practical advantage for a fruit energy bar: an effective dose with less volume, a more neutral taste and color, and no high oxalate levels. Functionally comparable, sensorially superior in a fruit formulation.
How do I use the fruit energy bar during exercise?
The basis is a sports drink (6-8% carbs, 500-800 ml per hour). On top of that, I consume 1 to 2 fruit energy bars per hour. Optionally, a gel in the final stages. Together, you get 60 to 90g of carbohydrates per hour. The amaranth nitrate is baked into the bar itself, so you automatically benefit from the mechanism during your ride or run.
Why amaranth and not another nitrate source?
Amaranth combines the highest nitrate density among relevant plant sources (9-11%) with a clean profile: vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free, without artificials. It fits sensorially into a fruit performance bar without taking over the taste or color. Functionally, it does what nitrate should do. Sensorially, it doesn't interfere with anything. That's why amaranth.
