STACKTracker
All compounds
Performance supplementSupplementOral

Beet root

Also known as: beetroot, Beta vulgaris, dietary nitrate

Sign up to track this

Beet root is a nitrate-rich vegetable taken (often as juice or powder) to support exercise performance and healthy blood pressure by boosting the body's nitric oxide.

What it is

A root vegetable (Beta vulgaris) high in inorganic nitrate. Through the nitrate→nitrite→nitric oxide pathway, it raises nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels and may improve oxygen efficiency during exercise.1

Commonly used for

Blood pressure: a systematic review found inorganic nitrate/beetroot juice reduces blood pressure in adults.2

Exercise performance: nitrate supplementation reduces the oxygen cost of submaximal exercise and may extend time to exhaustion — though responses vary between individuals.13

Typical dosing

Studies commonly use beetroot juice providing ~5–8 mmol nitrate per dose (roughly 300–600 mg nitrate), taken ~2–3 hours before exercise for acute effects, or daily for blood-pressure benefits. Powders/concentrates are typically standardized to nitrate content.3

Route of administration

Oral, as juice, concentrated shots, powder, or capsules.

Storage & handling

Store at room temperature, away from heat, light, and moisture; refrigerate juice after opening.

Common considerations

Harmless red discoloration of urine/stool (beeturia) is common. Naturally high in sugars in juice form. Effects depend partly on oral bacteria, so antibacterial mouthwash can blunt the response.

References

  1. 1. Jones AM — Dietary Nitrate Supplementation and Exercise Performance (Sports Medicine, PMC) Review
  2. 2. Siervo M, et al. — Inorganic nitrate and beetroot juice supplementation reduces blood pressure in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis (J Nutr) Systematic review
  3. 3. Bailey SJ, et al. — Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise (J Appl Physiol) Clinical trial

The information on this page is provided for general educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not a substitute for consultation with a qualified healthcare provider. Individual needs, contraindications, and responses to supplementation vary, and decisions about starting, stopping, or modifying any supplement or medication should be made in consultation with a physician, pharmacist, or other appropriate professional. References are provided to authoritative sources; STACK Tracker does not endorse any specific product or brand.