Beetroot juice

What it is

Beetroot juice is a natural source of dietary nitrate. Your body converts that nitrate to nitrite and then to nitric oxide, a molecule that relaxes blood vessels and improves how efficiently working muscles use oxygen. The active ingredient is the nitrate, not the beetroot itself — which is why concentrated "shots" standardised for nitrate are used in research rather than a splash of beetroot in a blend.

What the evidence shows

Endurance and exercise economy. Well-supported· human data Dietary nitrate is one of the better-evidenced endurance aids. Across human trials it can modestly improve exercise economy and time to exhaustion, especially in recreational athletes. Highly-trained athletes tend to respond less, and individual response varies a lot.

Short, high-intensity and team-sport efforts. Preliminary· human data There is earlier evidence for benefits to repeated sprints and high-intensity efforts, but it is less consistent than the endurance data.

Who it suits

Endurance and recreational athletes chasing a small, legal edge — particularly those who aren't already highly trained. It is a food-based option with a good safety record for most people.

Practical notes

Studies usually dose it a couple of hours before exercise, since blood nitrite peaks with a delay. Avoid antibacterial mouthwash around that window — it kills the mouth bacteria needed to activate the nitrate. Harmless red or pink urine is normal. Test it in training before relying on it, and pair it with sensible pacing using our heart-rate zone calculator.

Sources

PubMed: dietary nitrate / beetroot juice supplementation and endurance-exercise performance (reviews and trials)

Frequently asked questions

Does beetroot juice actually improve performance?

For endurance, often yes. The dietary nitrate it contains raises nitric oxide, which can modestly improve exercise economy and time to exhaustion — one of the better-evidenced endurance aids. The benefit is clearest in recreational athletes; highly-trained athletes tend to respond less.

Is it the beetroot or the nitrate?

The active ingredient is the nitrate, which is why concentrated 'shots' standardised for nitrate are used in studies rather than a token amount of beetroot in a blend. Other nitrate-rich vegetables like rocket and spinach provide it too.

When should I take it?

Studies typically dose it a couple of hours before exercise, because blood nitrite peaks with a delay. Some protocols load it over several days. Individual response varies a lot, so it's worth testing in training before relying on it.

Why does it turn my urine red?

That's beeturia — a harmless pigment effect from the beetroot, not blood. It's completely benign and simply means you've had a good dose of beetroot.