Welcome to my weekly summary of the latest research from the world of sports science!
This week’s research offers fresh insights on familiar supplements: creatine is emerging as a powerful tool for healthy aging in women, beet juice may support cardiovascular recovery after strength training, and combining citrulline with bicarbonate might not deliver the performance boost you’d expect. Whether you’re chasing recovery, longevity, or sprint power—this week’s research has real-world implications for how you train and supplement—read on!
Creatine Helps Women Age Stronger
This study reviewed historical and recent research on creatine supplementation and its effects on aging in women. While creatine is best known for supporting muscle strength, the review highlights how it may also help preserve brain function, bone health, and metabolic rate—especially around menopause, when these systems start to decline. As women naturally have lower muscle creatine stores than men, supplementation could be even more beneficial. The review also reinforces that creatine has consistently shown safety across age groups and supports performance, brain function, and long-term health through the aging process.
My thoughts: Creatine is gaining speed as a general health supplement, especially for women as they age. It's great to see this excellent supplement being widely adopted by a population that previously stayed well clear largely through fear of gaining too much muscle. At Blonyx, we’ve long supported daily creatine use in our HMB+ Creatine formula, particularly for athletes looking to age well and stay strong.
Beet Juice Before Lifting May Speed Up Heart Recovery
This study explored whether drinking beet juice, which is rich in dietary nitrates, before strength training could support improved recovery afterward. A group of young men performed a demanding leg workout after drinking either beet juice or a placebo. The researchers found that the beet juice group showed better blood flow post-workout, suggesting their bodies were recovering more efficiently. Although the beet juice didn’t enhance performance or reduce how hard the session felt, it did help maintain greater blood vessel dilation after exercise, supporting the body’s ability to bounce back—especially in the cardiovascular system. For athletes stacking hard sessions or training frequently, this could be a simple way to recover smarter.
My thoughts: After training, your blood vessels stiffen up temporarily—a phenomenon known as impaired endothelial function. These researchers guessed that beet juice, with its nitrate content, might help blood vessels bounce back faster… It turns out they may be right! This study adds another layer to beet juice’s role: not just performance, but recovery. Beet It Sport Nitrate 400 contains nitrate-rich beet juice for exactly this kind of recovery boost—especially useful during hard training blocks.
Citrulline and Sodium Bicarbonate Perform Better Alone
This study tested whether combining two popular ergogenic aids—L-citrulline (to boost nitric oxide) and sodium bicarbonate (to buffer lactic acid)—would lead to better swim sprint performance than using them alone. Nineteen male water polo players performed swim sprints after taking either one of the supplements alone or both together. Surprisingly, though, combining them didn’t result in any added benefit. Researchers believe the two supplements may have worked through different mechanisms that don’t add up when combined, at least in this context.
My thoughts: What’s interesting here is that citrulline and sodium bicarbonate each improved athletic performance on their own—but together, they didn’t deliver anything extra. Citrulline works similarly to beet juice by boosting nitric oxide, while bicarb helps buffer lactic acid. I’m surprised that combining them didn't have even more of a positive impact, but it’s a reminder that more isn’t always better. It also reinforces that beet juice’s nitrate content, like that found in Beet It Sport Nitrate 400, is already pulling its weight in nitric oxide support. If you’re looking to buffer lactic acid in a different way, Beta Alanine is another proven option.
That’s all for this week! If you learned something new and are curious to know more, head over to the Blonyx Blog or my growing list of weekly research summaries where I help you further improve your athletic performance by keeping you up to date on the latest findings from the world of sports science.
– Train hard!
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