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Also known as Beetroot juice, Beta vulgaris, Dietary nitrate, Inorganic nitrate
Beetroot juice and concentrated beetroot 'shots' are the main dietary source of inorganic nitrate, which the body turns into nitrite and nitric oxide, a signal that relaxes blood vessels. Meta-analyses of randomised trials find it lowers systolic (upper) blood pressure by about 3.5 to 5 mmHg. In exercise it lengthens time to exhaustion and raises power output a little, but pooled time-trial results show little or no benefit. The evidence on this page is about the nitrate effect; most trials used beetroot juice or nitrate salts.
We link to relevant studies and leave interpretation to you and your healthcare professional.
The large figures are what the studies reported for each thing they measured. Open a card for every result.
Associated conditions and community-reported outcomes, wrapped together on one page. Aggregates appear only once enough reports arrive.
How this compound is sold in the UK, and where our readers typically find it.
Retailer search links — we may earn commission on purchases at no cost to you. Commission never affects our evidence ratings.
No figure given: Exercise tolerance (reported a benefit); Time-trial performance (no clear benefit); Total work done (no clear benefit); VO2max (aerobic fitness) (no clear benefit); Perceived exertion (no clear benefit); Blood lactate (no clear benefit); Exercise economy (unclear).
No figure given: 24-hour blood pressure (no clear benefit); Blood pressure (general) (reported a benefit).
Every resultAudited published research for Beetroot (dietary nitrate) by condition. Drill into a pair page for the full breakdown.
Each bar counts published studies for this compound in that condition.
Where people report using it and what trials suggest
Common claims the trials do not support
Food-based nitrate source with a consistent, modest blood-pressure-lowering effect and a real but small exercise effect that is clearer in time-to-exhaustion tests than in time-trial races.
Safety notes: Harmless red or pink urine and stools (beeturia) are common. Not a replacement for blood-pressure medication; tell your doctor if you take nitrate heart medicines or erectile-dysfunction drugs, as both act on the same nitric-oxide pathway. Antibacterial mouthwash can blunt the nitrate-to-nitrite step. General information, not medical advice.
Evidence grades reflect study quality and consistency, not marketing claims.
Summaries of published trial results for this compound, grouped by condition. In these tables every number is exactly as the researchers published it. The headline figures above show a simple average where several studies measured the same thing in the same unit, and say so; nothing else is calculated or converted.
How to read this table
In short: benefit is what was observed; evidence is how much you should trust the observation. A “Benefit seen” tag on a weak study counts for far less than the same tag on a meta-analysis.
| Outcome measured | What trials found | Effect size | People studied | Duration | Type of evidence | Study |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood lactate levels | Dietary nitrate supplementation did not significantly improve Blood lactate levels compared with placebo; the difference versus placebo was not statistically established in 1061.No clear benefit | no number reported | 1061 | — | Meta-analysis · 2021 | PMID 34243756 |
| Distance travelled | Dietary nitrate supplementation improved Distance travelled (MD 163.7 m, P = 0.03) compared with placebo in 1061. (MD 163.7 m, P = 0.03)Benefit seen | no number reported | 1061 | — | Meta-analysis · 2021 | PMID 34243756 |
| Oxygen uptake (VO2) during exercise | Dietary nitrate supplementation showed an unclear effect on Oxygen uptake (VO2) during exercise (MD - 0.04 L/min, P < 0.00001) compared with placebo in 1061. (MD - 0.04 L/min, P < 0.00001)Unclear | no number reported | 1061 | — | Meta-analysis · 2021 | PMID 34243756 |
| Perceived exertion | Dietary nitrate supplementation did not significantly improve Perceived exertion compared with placebo; the difference versus placebo was not statistically established in 1061.No clear benefit | no number reported | 1061 | — | Meta-analysis · 2021 | PMID 34243756 |
| Power output | Dietary nitrate supplementation improved Power output (MD 4.6 watts, P < 0.0001) compared with placebo in 1061. (MD 4.6 watts, P < 0.0001)Benefit seen | no number reported | 1061 | — | Meta-analysis · 2021 | PMID 34243756 |
| Time to exhaustion | Dietary nitrate supplementation improved Time to exhaustion (MD 25.3 s, P < 0.00001) compared with placebo in 1061. (MD 25.3 s, P < 0.00001)Benefit seen | no number reported | 1061 | — | Meta-analysis · 2021 | PMID 34243756 |
| Time trial performance | Dietary nitrate supplementation did not significantly improve Time trial performance compared with placebo; the difference versus placebo was not statistically established in 1061.No clear benefit | no number reported | 1061 | — | Meta-analysis · 2021 | PMID 34243756 |
| VO2max | Dietary nitrate supplementation did not significantly improve VO2max compared with placebo; the difference versus placebo was not statistically established in 1061.No clear benefit | no number reported | 1061 | — | Meta-analysis · 2021 | PMID 34243756 |
| Work done | Dietary nitrate supplementation did not significantly improve Work done compared with placebo; the difference versus placebo was not statistically established in 1061.No clear benefit | no number reported | 1061 | — | Meta-analysis · 2021 | PMID 34243756 |
| graded-exercise test (GXT) performance | Dietary nitrate (NO3-) supplementation did not significantly improve graded-exercise test (GXT) performance (0.25; 95 % Cl = -0.06 to 0.56, p > 0.05) compared with placebo. (95 % Cl = -0.06 to 0.56, p > 0.05)No clear benefit | 0.25 | — | — | Meta-analysis · 2017 | PMID 27600147 |
| time to exhaustion (TTE) performance | Dietary nitrate (NO3-) supplementation improved time to exhaustion (TTE) performance (0.33; 95 % Cl = 0.15-0.50, p < 0.01) compared with placebo. (95 % Cl = 0.15-0.50, p < 0.01)Benefit seen | 0.33 | — | — | Meta-analysis · 2017 | PMID 27600147 |
| time trial (TT) performance | Dietary nitrate (NO3-) supplementation did not significantly improve time trial (TT) performance (-0.10; 95 % Cl = -0.27 to 0.06, p > 0.05) compared with placebo. (95 % Cl = -0.27 to 0.06, p > 0.05)No clear benefit | -0.10 | — | — | Meta-analysis · 2017 | PMID 27600147 |
| muscular endurance | Dietary nitrate (NO3-) supplementation improved muscular endurance (0.48; 95% CI 0.23-0.74) compared with placebo. (95% CI 0.23-0.74)Benefit seen | 0.48 | — | — | Systematic review · 2025 | PMID 40085422 |
| peak power output (PPO) | Dietary nitrate (NO3-) supplementation improved peak power output (PPO) (0.25; 95% CI 0.10 to 0.39) compared with placebo. (95% CI 0.10 to 0.39)Benefit seen | 0.25 | — | — | Systematic review · 2025 | PMID 40085422 |
| time to PPO | Dietary nitrate (NO3-) supplementation improved time to PPO (-0.76; 95% CI - 1.18, - 0.33) compared with placebo. (95% CI - 1.18, - 0.33)Benefit seen | -0.76 | — | — | Systematic review · 2025 | PMID 40085422 |
| time-to-exhaustion tasks | Dietary nitrate (NO3-) supplementation improved time-to-exhaustion tasks (0.33; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.19-0.47) compared with placebo. (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.19-0.47)Benefit seen | 0.33 | — | — | Systematic review · 2025 | PMID 40085422 |
| total distance covered | Dietary nitrate (NO3-) supplementation improved total distance covered (0.42; 95% CI 0.09-0.76) compared with placebo. (95% CI 0.09-0.76)Benefit seen | 0.42 | — | — | Systematic review · 2025 | PMID 40085422 |
| Endurance performance in trained cyclic-sport athletes (significant in 8 of 27 studies) | Dietary nitrate showed an unclear effect on Endurance performance in trained cyclic-sport athletes (significant in 8 of 27 studies) with no comparator reported.Unclear | no number reported | — | — | Systematic review · 2020 | PMID 32560317 |
| Exercise economy | Dietary nitrate showed an unclear effect on Exercise economy with no comparator reported.Unclear | no number reported | — | — | Systematic review · 2020 | PMID 32560317 |
| Exercise tolerance | Dietary nitrate improved Exercise tolerance with no comparator reported.Benefit seen | no number reported | — | — | Systematic review · 2020 | PMID 32560317 |
| Cardiorespiratory endurance in athletes (efficiency, time to exhaustion at submaximal intensity) | Beetroot juice improved Cardiorespiratory endurance in athletes (efficiency, time to exhaustion at submaximal intensity) with no comparator reported.Benefit seen | no number reported | — | — | Systematic review · 2017 | PMID 28067808 |
| Performance at anaerobic-threshold intensity and VO2max | Beetroot juice showed an unclear effect on Performance at anaerobic-threshold intensity and VO2max with no comparator reported.Unclear | no number reported | — | — | Systematic review · 2017 | PMID 28067808 |
| Outcome measured | What trials found | Effect size | People studied | Duration | Type of evidence | Study |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) | Inorganic nitrate supplementation improved Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (-2.62 mmHg; 95% confidence interval: -3.86 to -1.37; P < 0.005) with no comparator reported. (95% confidence interval: -3.86 to -1.37; P < 0.005)Benefit seen | -2.62 mmHg | — | — | Meta-analysis · 2021 | PMID 33905826 |
| Systolic blood pressure (SBP) | Inorganic nitrate supplementation improved Systolic blood pressure (SBP) (-3.90 mmHg; 95% confidence interval: -5.23 to -2.57; P < 0.001) with no comparator reported. (95% confidence interval: -5.23 to -2.57; P < 0.001)Benefit seen | -3.90 mmHg | — | — | Meta-analysis · 2021 | PMID 33905826 |
| Resting diastolic blood pressure | Beetroot juice improved Resting diastolic blood pressure (-1.32 mm Hg; 95% CI: -1.97, -0.68 mm Hg) compared with placebo. (95% CI: -1.97, -0.68 mm Hg)Benefit seen | -1.32 mm Hg | — | — | Meta-analysis · 2017 | PMID 29141968 |
| Resting systolic blood pressure | Beetroot juice improved Resting systolic blood pressure (-3.55 mm Hg; 95% CI: -4.55, -2.54 mm Hg) compared with placebo. (95% CI: -4.55, -2.54 mm Hg)Benefit seen | -3.55 mm Hg | — | — | Meta-analysis · 2017 | PMID 29141968 |
| Systolic blood pressure, studies of 14 days or longer vs shorter studies | Beetroot juice improved Systolic blood pressure, studies of 14 days or longer vs shorter studies (-5.11 compared with -2.67 mm Hg) compared with placebo. |
| -5.11 compared with -2.67 mm Hg |
| — |
| — |
| Meta-analysis · 2017 |
| PMID 29141968 |
| diastolic BP | Inorganic nitrate and beetroot juice supplementation improved diastolic BP (-1.1 mm Hg; (95% CI: -2.2, 0.1); P = 0.06) compared with placebo in 254 (2 h to 15 d). ((95% CI: -2.2, 0.1); P = 0.06)Benefit seen | -1.1 mm Hg | 254 | 2 h to 15 d | Meta-analysis · 2013 | PMID 23596162 |
| systolic BP | Inorganic nitrate and beetroot juice supplementation improved systolic BP (-4.4 mm Hg; (95% CI: -5.9, -2.8); P < 0.001) compared with placebo in 254 (2 h to 15 d). ((95% CI: -5.9, -2.8); P < 0.001)Benefit seen | -4.4 mm Hg | 254 | 2 h to 15 d | Meta-analysis · 2013 | PMID 23596162 |
| 24-h BP outcomes | Beetroot juice did not significantly improve 24-h BP outcomes compared with placebo; the difference versus placebo was not statistically established in 349.No clear benefit | no number reported | 349 | — | Systematic review · 2024 | PMID 39069465 |
| clinical diastolic BP | Beetroot juice did not significantly improve clinical diastolic BP compared with placebo; the difference versus placebo was not statistically established in 349.No clear benefit | no number reported | 349 | — | Systematic review · 2024 | PMID 39069465 |
| clinical systolic BP | Beetroot juice improved clinical systolic BP (-5.31 mmHg; 95% CI -7.46, -3.16) compared with placebo in 349. (95% CI -7.46, -3.16)Benefit seen | -5.31 mmHg | 349 | — | Systematic review · 2024 | PMID 39069465 |
| Blood pressure (11 RCTs, narrative synthesis) | Beetroot juice improved Blood pressure (11 RCTs, narrative synthesis) with no comparator reported.Benefit seen | no number reported | — | — | Systematic review · 2018 | PMID 30400267 |