Beetroot powder is one of the most researched natural ways to support nitric oxide production — the molecule responsible for healthy blood flow and oxygen delivery. In this science-backed guide, we explain how dietary nitrates from beetroot convert into nitric oxide, how this process may enhance endurance and exercise efficiency, and what the research says about dosing, timing, and cardiovascular benefits.
Content Outline
- What is nitric oxide, and why does it matter?
- How beetroot powder turns into nitric oxide
- Is beetroot a natural performance enhancer?
- Effect of nitric oxide on blood vessels
- What the research says about beetroot and athletic performance
- Beetroot can make workouts easier
- Enhanced tolerance to high-intensity exercise
- Improves time trial performance
- Improved muscle recovery
- How much beetroot do you need for better performance?
- How to maximize the benefits of beetroot powder
- Summary
What is nitric oxide, and why does it matter?
Nitric oxide (NO) is a small, gaseous molecule that your body makes from a nutrient called nitrate. It has important roles in many signalling pathways involved in several physiological processes, including inflammation, vasodilation, apoptosis, neurotransmission, and tumor growth [1].
In the cardiovascular system, nitric oxide helps to relax and widen blood vessels to improve blood flow, increase oxygen delivery, and facilitate nutrient transport [2]. That’s why NO is often called a “blood flow molecule”. The more effectively your body produces nitric oxide, the better it can support cardiovascular function and muscular performance during exercise.
The human body produces nitric oxide from amino acids that are found in nuts, meat, and watermelon, such as L-arginine or L-citrulline, but it can also be made from nitrates found in green leafy vegetables and beetroot.
How beetroot powder turns into nitric oxide
Beetroot is rich in inorganic nitrates, with around 250 mg/kg in the dried weight. Once you eat beetroot, it goes through a series of processes to convert it into nitric oxide, which can be used to widen your blood vessels and improve athletic performance.
▶ Learn more about how beetroot becomes nitric oxide in our “The Science of Beetroot” article.
Is beetroot a natural performance enhancer?
Before we can answer that, it’s important to understand some of the powerful properties of beetroot. This striking root vegetable is rich in nitrates, which, on their own, don’t really do much for the body, but once they are converted into nitrite and nitric oxide by the saliva in your mouth, they do good things, particularly for your cardiovascular system.
Effect of nitric oxide on blood vessels
Some research suggests that daily consumption of beetroot juice for 3-60 days can reduce systolic blood pressure in people with high blood pressure [3]. That’s because the enhanced production of nitric oxide from beetroot helps to support endothelial function. By supporting the cells that line the blood vessels, nitric oxide helps to widen them, improving blood flow and pressure, limiting inflammation, and preventing the formation of blood clots [4].
What the research says about beetroot and athletic performance
Because of its well-known cardiovascular benefits, beetroot juice and powders have been tested in many labs to better understand their potential for athletic performance. The ability of nitric oxide to widen your blood vessels, which increases blood flow and helps boost oxygen delivery, for athletes, beetroot could be the key to better, longer performance.
Here’s what science has to say.
Beetroot can make workouts easier
A review by Dominguez and colleagues found that beetroot juice supplements could boost power and performance during high-intensity workouts by helping muscles maintain phosphocreatine levels. Phosphocreatine is a high-energy compound that rapidly regenerates ATP (energy) from ADP to help fuel short bursts of high-intensity exercise [5].
By delaying the depletion of phosphocreatine, the body can work harder for longer before becoming fatigued. The review also found that beetroot supported faster muscle contraction by enhancing the release and utilisation of cellular calcium [6].
A 2018 study found that following supplementation with a 350ml nitrate-rich beetroot juice supplement, hill walking at steep gradients (15 to 20%) became easier. The beetroot supplement also reduced resting arterial pressure by 4.1% and improved arterial pressure both during and after exercise [7].
Enhanced tolerance to high-intensity exercise
Even over a short period of 6 days, beetroot supplementation can increase blood nitrite levels and reduce systolic blood pressure. It also increased time-to-exhaustion by 16%, suggesting that beetroot supplementation can enhance high-intensity exercise performance [8].
A further study involving obese adolescents concluded that 6 days of beetroot supplementation improved exercise tolerance and increased the time participants spent exercising [9].
Improves time trial performance
In elite kayakers, taking a beetroot juice supplement enhanced time trial performance by 1.7%. This demonstrates that commercially available supplements can improve exercise economy even in high-performing athletes [10].
In another trial involving 24 male cyclists, the effects of an isotonic sports drink 1 hour before completing a preloaded exercise, followed by a 10km cycling time trial, were compared with drinking an isotonic beetroot drink. The results showed that the beetroot drink improved time trial performance by 6.4%, cadence by 3.8%, and average load during the time trial by 5.3%. The results suggest that an isotonic beetroot drink can improve cycling time trial performance more than an isotonic sports drink because of the increased nitric oxide production [11].
Improved muscle recovery
Enhancing performance isn’t the only benefit of beetroot for athletes. There’s also some evidence demonstrating that it can improve muscle recovery.
One review suggested that the nitric oxide produced after beetroot consumption can reduce muscle inflammation and help repair and regenerate muscle, resulting in faster recovery from post-workout muscle soreness [12].
How much beetroot do you need for better performance?
One of the biggest challenges with beetroot supplements is that the different products available vary in the amount of nitrate they contain, and it’s nitrate that you need to transform into nitric acid. The amount of beetroot powder or juice used in scientific studies varies, but doses tend to range from 300 to 500 mg of nitrate, taken 2 to 3 hours before exercise.
Here’s a general guide:
|
Goal |
Strategy |
Timing |
|
Pre-workout support |
300 to 500mg of nitrates |
2 to 3 hours before exercise |
|
Endurance |
300 to 500mg of nitrate |
Daily for several days, last dose before the event |
|
Cardiovascular support |
Daily nitrate-rich foods/supplements |
Consistent daily intake |
Where can I get beetroot supplements?
Storing and preparing beetroots for daily consumption to help improve your athletic performance isn’t practical. By all means, add beetroot to your meals and snacks, but there’s a much easier way to increase your nitrate intake.
Our 2.5X Potent Beet contains the equivalent of one whole small beetroot in each stick pack, delivering 250% potency for enhanced blood pressure support and a natural energy kick.
Simply add 1 or 2 sticks to water 1 to 3 hours before your workout, and be amazed by the results!
How to maximize the benefits of beetroot powder
To get the most out of your 2.5X Potent Beet there are a few things you can do. They are:
-
Avoid antibacterial mouthwash – research shows that oral antibacterial mouthwash can suppress the reduction of nitrate into nitrite, directly impacting its beneficial effects, including reducing blood pressure [13].
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Get the timing right – ideally, take your beetroot supplement 1 to 3 hours before training or competition.
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Follow a healthy diet – dietary nitrates are also found in leafy greens, like spinach and arugula. So, incorporating plenty of healthy and nitrate-rich foods can help support your body’s natural nitric oxide production alongside supplements.
Summary
Beetroot isn’t a miracle vegetable that will have you winning marathons and lifting weights the second you consume it. Instead, well-researched supplements like 2.5X Potent Beet can help support your cardiovascular health and exercise performance, alongside a healthy lifestyle.
When used appropriately, beetroot supplements can:
-
support nitric oxide production
-
enhance endurance and exercise efficiency
-
have modest, but beneficial cardiovascular benefits
Ultimately, choosing a high-quality, third-party tested product and paying attention to actual nitrate content will help ensure you’re getting what you need.
Written by: Leanne Edermaniger, M.Sc. Leanne is a professional science writer who specializes in writing about human health and wellbeing. Her work focuses on translating complex medical science into evidence-based, practical health guidance.
