The Science behind SiS’s GO Nitrates Shot

Background of the Shot

Whether you’re chasing a new personal best or looking to power through your workouts more easily, the search for new ways to boost performance never stops.
One promising breakthrough is that nutrition and nitrate supplements have captured significant attention in recent years, particularly the SiS GO Nitrates Shot.

What does the research say?

The growing interest in nitrates stems from a series of studies highlighting their potential to enhance exercise efficiency and endurance^(3,4,5,6,7). How efficiently your body works during moderate-intensity exercise is a key factor in endurance performance^(1,2). Researchers have found that nitrate supplementation may reduce the oxygen cost of exercise at a given workload⁽³⁾, effectively helping the body “do more with less”. In other words, by using oxygen more efficiently, athletes can sustain effort longer and perform better.

When consumed through dietary sources (such as beetroot, spinach, and other leafy green vegetables) or supplements, nitrates are converted in the body to nitrite and subsequently nitric oxide (NO)⁽²⁾, a molecule crucial for blood flow regulation, mitochondrial efficiency (energy production of your cells), and muscle contraction. While the body naturally produces nitrates and nitrites as byproducts of NOS-mediated nitric oxide synthesis, obtaining additional amounts via your diet can significantly elevate these internal reserves, especially under conditions where oxygen availability is limited (like during exercise), or NOS (nitric oxide synthase) activity is impaired⁽²⁾.

After ingestion of nitrate-rich foods or supplements, plasma nitrate levels typically peak within 1-2 hours, and plasma nitrate concentrations follow within 2-3 hours⁽²⁾. Studies show that acute or chronic nitrate supplementation at doses exceeding 370 mg of nitrates can lower oxygen consumption during submaximal exercise by around 3-5%, indicating improved muscle efficiency and endurance capacity^{(3,4,5,6,7,8)}.

But the benefits of nitrate supplements may extend beyond endurance exercise. Emerging research suggests that nitrates could also play a performance-enhancing role in high-intensity exercise and sprint-based activities^(9,10). The nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway is particularly active in low-oxygen (hypoxic) and acidic conditions – precisely the environments experienced during intense, anaerobic exercise. In these scenarios, enhanced NO availability may improve blood flow and muscle contractile function, especially in type II (fast-twitch) muscle fibres that drive explosive movements⁽¹²⁾.

Therefore, whether it’s long-distance running, high-intensity interval training, hybrid workouts, gym sessions, or team sports like football, hockey, or rugby, nitrate supplementation may help improve muscle power and speed^(9,10,11). Evidence suggests nitrate supplementation can enhance the amount of force muscles produce, the rate at which they contract, and your power output during both single and repeated sprints^(9,10,11,12). These effects are believed to result from nitrate-mediated improvements in calcium handling and sensitivity within muscle cells.

The GO Nitrates Shot

The GO Nitrates Shot is scientifically formulated to deliver an effective dose of nitrates, supporting both short- and long-duration exercise, and performance across a range of intensities, from submaximal to maximal exertion. It:

• Provides 500mg nitrates per shot 
• Formulated from Beetroot Juice Concentrate and Amaranthus Leaf Extract  
• Comes in a delicious strawberry flavour

When to use

To optimise the ergogenic effects of nitrates on exercise performance, implement a combined loading and acute dosing strategy. This involves consuming one GO Nitrates shots per day in the loading phase, for 1 to 3 days before competition. Additionally, ingest a single acute dose of one GO Nitrate shot 2-3 hours before the event to maximise bioavailability and enhance performance outcomes.

For prolonged endurance events, consuming an additional GO Nitrate shot during exercise may help sustain elevated plasma nitrite concentrations, thereby prolonging the associated physiological benefits.

Take Home Messages

• Enhanced exercise efficiency: Dietary nitrate supplementation has been proven to improve exercise efficiency by reducing the oxygen cost of submaximal exercise, thereby enhancing running economy and cycling efficiency.
• Performance gains through loading: Sustained nitrate loading, typically around 1000 mg per day for 2-7 days before competition, can lead to more pronounced improvements in endurance performance compared to acute, single-dose supplementation strategies.
• Sustained physiological effects: For longer endurance events, taking an additional GO Nitrate Shot during exercise may help keep plasma nitrite levels high, supporting nitric oxide-related benefits like better muscle oxygenation, blood vessel dilation, and exercise efficiency.
• Benefits for high-intensity and sprint efforts: Newer research suggests nitrate supplementation can also enhance performance in high-power and sprint-based activities, improving muscle contractile function, power output, and repeated sprint performance. These effects are particularly evident under hypoxic and acidic conditions typical of intense exercise, where nitric oxide production via the nitrate–nitrite–NO pathway is most active.
• Mechanistic insights: The performance benefits of nitrate supplementation are likely mediated through improved calcium handling and sensitivity within skeletal muscle, increased blood flow to type II (fast-twitch) fibres, and enhanced mitochondrial efficiency, collectively supporting greater force production and fatigue resistance.