Amaranth Nitrate Sport: The science behind improved aerobic capacity
TL;DR. Amaranth contains 9-11% inorganic nitrate, four to five times more than beetroot (approx. 2%). In your body, nitrate is converted into nitric oxide via a pathway that is studied in sports science. Studies investigate how this mechanism may be relevant to oxygen efficiency in endurance athletes. I use amaranth in the fruit energy bar as a botanical nitrate source. Functional. No extract. No supplement.
Amaranth nitrate is not a marketing term. It is an ingredient with a scientifically studied mechanism. Nitrate from the amaranth plant is converted via a pathway that is linked in research to oxygen efficiency. I incorporate amaranth into the fruit energy bar for cycling as a plant-based nitrate source. No artificials. No powders. A botanical ingredient for which studies report on its efficacy.
What is amaranth as a nitrate source?
Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) is a plant with both leaves and seeds. Not to be confused with the pseudocereal you find in granola. The plant itself is one of the richest plant-based sources of inorganic nitrate (NO3⁻): a 9 to 11% nitrate concentration, four to five times higher than 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 whose mechanism is being researched in sports science in relation to endurance athletes who need aerobic efficiency during exertion.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) deemed inorganic nitrate from plant sources safe within normal dietary amounts. The acceptable daily intake is 3.7 mg per kg of body weight, approximately 260 mg for a 70 kg athlete. Research dosages for nitrate fall between 300 and 600 mg per intake, used in studies on sports performance.
How does nitrate work in your body?
The biochemical pathway is clear. Nitrate (NO3⁻) is converted into nitrite (NO2⁻) in your saliva. Subsequently, nitrite is reduced to nitric oxide (NO), especially when there is little oxygen available (exactly during heavy exertion). Nitric oxide relaxes blood vessels and regulates energy processes in cells.
Studies examine why this may be relevant for sports in two ways. One: potentially better blood flow and oxygen delivery. Two: potentially lower oxygen cost per movement. In science, this is studied as oxygen efficiency.
For cyclists, runners, and triathletes, studies are investigating whether this mechanism means that muscles can work more efficiently at the same level of exertion. This is a subject of ongoing sports research.
What does the research on nitrate and sports 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 were given ±400 mg of nitrate from amaranth concentrate per intake, both as a single dose and over six days. They then performed standardized exertion tests on a cycle ergometer (incremental cycling exercise protocol).
The measurements after six days of intake:
| Metric | 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. The study documents these three measurements on the three factors that can be relevant for an endurance athlete. This research was a targeted RCT among active athletes regarding nitrate from amaranth and specific physiological parameters.
Why amaranth and not beetroot?
Beetroot is the most well-known plant-based nitrate source that is researched. The science surrounding it has been reported. But as an ingredient in a fruit energy bar, beet has practical problems. The taste is earthy and heavy. The color turns everything dark red. The oxalate content is high. The profile does not fit well with fruit.
Amaranth is at 9 to 11% nitrate, beet at about 2%. This means: comparable ingredient quality with significantly less volume. Furthermore, amaranth has a more neutral taste and color profile. No added sugars. Lower oxalate content. This allows me to incorporate amaranth functionally into every flavor variant without the ingredient overpowering the experience. Functional must also be workable on the plate and in production.
Amaranth fits within the clean profile: vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free, without artificials. A plant-based source in the category of fruit performance bars, where fruit and botanical ingredients work together as fuel during exertion. No gel. No brick. Fuel.
How does this fit into your fueling during exertion?
One bar does not make a race. Your fueling strategy does. The foundation 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. Perhaps a gel in the final when the intensity peaks. Read why I combine bars and gels instead of only gels.
The fruit energy bar provides about 80g of carbohydrates per 100g in a 2:1 glucose/fructose ratio. That 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 is included as a botanical layer alongside that fuel supply.
Two ingredients that together form nutrition and a studied botanical component. The carbs fuel your muscles. The amaranth contains nitrate, for which studies report the mechanism for oxygen use. That is product design based on nutritional science.
For whom is this most relevant?
The nitrate mechanism is studied primarily in disciplines where oxygen efficiency plays a role. Cycling on a climb or time trial. Running at pace in a half or full marathon. Triathlon, where you need to save reserves for the run. MTB, with its intervals between high efforts. Read the switch of cyclists to clean-label fueling if you want to delve deeper into this.
| Discipline | Moment of relevance |
|---|---|
| Cycling | Maintaining power on climb or time trial, respecting aerobic threshold |
| Running | Pace management in the second half of a half or full marathon |
| Triathlon | Completing the cycling component efficiently, reserves for the run |
| MTB / XC | Recovery between intensive sections, keeping power flat |
Level plays a role. Highly trained athletes are studied in research, as well as well-trained recreational athletes. The Liubertas study worked with physically active men on a standardized cycling protocol. For my target group, that is relevant research material.
What amaranth nitrate is not
Not a miracle cure. Not a replacement for training, sleep, or carbs. Not a quick fix that saves a bad fueling strategy. Anyone who goes for 90 minutes on the bike without sports drink and without sufficient carbohydrates will not have a good day from any plant extract.
It is a layer as part of your nutrition. An ingredient in a product that I have built for exertion. Not candy with a sports label. A botanical ingredient for which research into the mechanism exists, examined in studies on exactly the markers that are relevant for an endurance athlete.
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. Intake of ±400 mg NO3⁻ from amaranth concentrate, both single and six-day dose. Measurements of VO2max (37.7 to 41.2 mL/kg/min), peak power (4.44 to 4.55 W/kg), and aerobic threshold (178.6 to 188.6 W) showed significant differences (p < 0.05). Consistent with the nitrate-nitrite-NO mechanism that is researched in sports science.
References
- 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 how is it researched in sports science?
Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) is a plant with 9 to 11% inorganic nitrate, four to five times more than beetroot (approx. 2%). Your body converts nitrate into nitric oxide via a biochemical pathway. Sports science researches how this mechanism can contribute to oxygen use in endurance athletes. For me, it is a plant-based component without synthetic ingredients.
What does the research of Liubertas et al. (2020) show?
The study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled RCT among thirteen physically active men, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (17:37). Measurements after six days of intake of ±400 mg nitrate from amaranth showed changes in VO2max (37.7 to 41.2 mL/kg/min), peak power (4.44 to 4.55 W/kg), and aerobic threshold (178.6 to 188.6 W) with p < 0.05. The control group showed no significant changes.
How does amaranth nitrate differ from beetroot?
Beetroot contains approx. 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. Both are plant-based nitrate sources. Amaranth works better in the product formulation.
How do I use the fruit energy bar during exertion?
The foundation is sports drink (6-8% carbs, 500-800 ml per hour). On top of that, I take 1 to 2 fruit energy bars per hour. Possibly a gel in the final. Together you reach 60 to 90g of carbohydrates per hour. The amaranth is baked into the bar itself as a botanical component.
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 overpowering the taste or color. Practically and nutritionally a good choice.
