A new research has discovered that the juice of beetroot can increase men's stamina by making their muscles more fuel-efficient.

The study, which focused on males aged between 19 to 38 cycling on exercise bikes, disclosed that drinking half a litre of beetroot juice on a daily basis for a week allowed them to cycle 16% longer before getting fatigued.

The study researchers found that having beetroot juice increased the amount of nitrate in the blood of volunteers by two-fold and decreased the rate at which muscles used their major energy source.

The study results also revealed that beetroot juice helped muscles work in an efficient manner and lowered their oxygen uptake.

Professor Andy Jones from the University of Exeter's School of Sport and Health Sciences who led the study, said. "Since our first study came out we have seen growing interest in the benefits of drinking beetroot juice in the world of professional sport. I expect this study to attract even more attention from athletes." (With Inputs from Agencies)