Welcome to my weekly summary of the latest research from the world of sports science!
Performance isn’t just about what you take—it depends on what you do, too. In this roundup, we look at a study showing protein alone won’t build muscle without resistance training, a major review confirming beet juice improves both endurance and strength, and a deep dive into the supplements that actually work for wrestlers—and all athletes—including creatine, HMB, and beetroot juice—read on.
Protein Only Helps If You’re Training
This study tested whether post-workout whey protein supplements enhance strength, lean body mass, or growth-related hormone levels. Twenty-seven untrained, pre-menopausal women completed 12 weeks of combined upper-body resistance training and high-intensity interval cycling, consuming either a whey protein shake or a calorie-matched placebo after each session.
Both groups significantly improved strength and lean mass, and IGF‑1 levels didn’t change in either group. The results show that training was likely the key driver, and adding protein didn’t provide an extra benefit in already-healthy women meeting their normal protein needs.
My thoughts: Whey protein is touted as being a supplement that builds muscle. I have always found it difficult to buy into the thought that simply eating more protein means more muscle. There MUST be a stimulus—such as weight training—and then any protein will help. This study shows simply that strength training builds strength and muscle. Nothing new there. It also shows that post-menopausal women don't benefit from over-eating protein. That being said, as we get older, less protein is absorbed by the stomach, and there are some athletes, especially endurance athletes, that under-consume protein. For me, protein supplements have always been about convenience, and I suggest searching for a shake that undergoes as little processing as possible—such as Blonyx Egg White Protein Isolate.
Beet Juice Increase Both Strength and Endurance
This umbrella review of 15 meta-analyses analyzed how beetroot juice affects performance. While it’s already well-known for boosting endurance—especially in sports like cycling and running—this review also found that it may slightly improve strength, particularly in trained athletes. Interestingly, beet juice seemed to help endurance more in recreational athletes, mainly by improving VO₂ max and how long they could go before exhaustion. It also appeared to support lactate tolerance overall, with the most benefit seen when taken 2–3 hours before training.
My thoughts: Yet another review covering the use of beet juice in athletes. Where its efficacy isn't in doubt anymore, this review suggests an impact on both strength and endurance. To help you get your nitrates in and improve your performance, we offer Beet It Sport Nitrate 400.
The Best-Studied Supplements for Wrestlers (And All Athletes)
This review looked at 24 studies on dietary supplements used in competitive wrestlers—who face unique demands like frequent weigh-ins, high-intensity bursts, and multiple matches in a day. Creatine was shown to improve strength, power, endurance, and even agility; HMB aided in reducing muscle damage and speeding up recovery; and beetroot juice showed promise in supporting balance and upper-body strength. Other supplements like beta-alanine, caffeine, and sodium bicarbonate showed benefits for repeated high-effort bouts, while results for things like BCAAs, spirulina, and iron were mixed.
My thoughts: This study narrowed their research down to supplements tested on the wrestling community. Overall, the strongest evidence supports creatine, HMB, and beetroot juice as useful tools for the kind of stress wrestlers put their bodies through. However, these benefits certainly carry over to other types of athletes.
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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