Beetroot extract
Beetroot extract supplies nitrate. The body converts it through nitrite into nitric oxide, which widens blood vessels and lowers the oxygen cost of exercise. A meta-analysis of 80 randomised studies found a small effect on exercise performance (d = 0.17) in recreationally active young men. In well-trained endurance athletes and in studies with women only, that effect was not detectable.
What the research shows
Shown, with a clear condition or a limited scope.
Senefeld (2020) pooled 80 randomised studies and arrived at a small effect (d = 0.17). In the six studies with women only and in the 26 studies with endurance athletes at a VO2max of 65 or higher, no effect was detectable. Dominguez (2017) described 23 beet juice studies and saw gains in endurance, with contradictory outcomes between studies. All of that work concerns nitrate doses that a serving with 1000 mg of extract comes nowhere near. The extract study by Ramos Junior (2026) ran 12 weeks in 20 postmenopausal women at 20 grams per day and was co-authored by an employee of an ingredient manufacturer.
Who it makes sense for: Recreationally active people doing endurance efforts from a few minutes up to about half an hour, who pick a product that states its nitrate content per serving on the label. In well-trained endurance athletes the research shows no effect.
How we weigh evidenceClinical dosage
Origin
NaturalIt comes from the root of the beet (Beta vulgaris). The active part is nitrate the plant takes up from the soil, so the content depends on soil and harvest. Rocket, spinach and celery often supply even more nitrate per portion. Supplements use it as dried juice, powder or extract.
Safety
People eat nitrate from vegetables all their lives and the safety profile is broad. Urine and stools can turn red, which is harmless. Larger volumes of beet juice give some people stomach and bowel complaints. Beet juice lowers blood pressure, so anyone on blood pressure medication or on nitrate medication for the heart should talk to a doctor first. Antibacterial mouthwash knocks out the oral bacteria that convert nitrate into nitrite, which removes most of the effect.
For comparison
The research doses nitrate and not extract weight. In the Wylie dose study, 70 ml of concentrated beet juice supplied 4.2 mmol nitrate (260 mg) with no measurable effect on exercise, while 140 ml with 8.4 mmol (521 mg) extended time to task failure by 14 percent. The one extract study that reports both weight and nitrate content used 20 grams of extract for 548 mg nitrate, roughly 2.7 percent. At that same ratio, 1000 mg of extract supplies around 27 mg nitrate, roughly an eleventh of the lowest dose that does anything in research.
Dosage by weight and gender
The dose does not scale with body weight. What counts is the nitrate per serving: from about 5 mmol (310 mg) performance improves in most people, and at 8.4 mmol (521 mg) that actually happened in dose-response research. Above 16.8 mmol nothing was added. Our range of 10 to 20 grams is that nitrate dose converted to extract using the 2.7 percent content from the only extract study that reports it. At a different content the conversion no longer holds, and most labels state no nitrate content at all. Gallardo and Coggan measured 24 beet products and found a 50-fold spread between the lowest and the highest, with five products consistently reaching 5 mmol per serving. Take it 2 to 3 hours before exercise, because that is when blood nitrite peaks.
Scientific sources
The clinical dosages on this page are based on peer-reviewed research.
- Ergogenic Effect of Nitrate Supplementation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysisSenefeld JW et al. (2020)
- Beetroot juice and exercise: pharmacodynamic and dose-response relationshipsWylie LJ et al. (2013)
- What's in Your Beet Juice? Nitrate and Nitrite Content of Beet Juice Products Marketed to AthletesGallardo EJ et al. (2019)Funded by: Auteurs verklaren geen relevante belangenverstrengeling; gefinancierd door NHLBI (NIH).
- Long-Term Beetroot Extract Supplementation Improves Morphological Muscle Quality and Rate of Force Development in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Clinical TrialRamos Junior OJF et al. (2026)Funded by: Een van de vier auteurs is werknemer van Sabinsa Corporation, producent van plantenextracten. De overige auteurs melden geen commerciele belangen.
- Effects of Beetroot Juice Supplementation on Cardiorespiratory Endurance in Athletes. A Systematic ReviewDomínguez R et al. (2017)Funded by: Auteurs verklaren geen belangenverstrengeling.
Pre-workouts with Beetroot extract
No products found with this ingredient
We keep the dosages and values on this page as accurate as possible based on selected studies. New research may change these values. Nothing on this page is medical advice. If you have any doubts, always consult a doctor.