TL;DR
Get comfort and recovery gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
A 2026 review of 33 studies involving 519 athletes found beet juice was associated with modest improvements in aerobic capacity and somewhat larger, though still modest, gains in high-intensity performance and power. A registered dietitian says dose and timing matter, but the findings do not mean every beet drink provides an effective nitrate dose.
A 2026 review of 33 studies found that beet juice was associated with modest improvements in aerobic capacity and somewhat larger, still modest gains in high-intensity performance and power among 519 professional and amateur athletes. The results suggest nitrate-rich beet products may support exercise performance, but the reported benefits depend on dose and timing and are not a guarantee that any ordinary beet juice will help.
The review brought together research involving 519 athletes across different sports and levels of competition. Its authors reported that beet juice modestly improved aerobic capacity, while improvements in anaerobic performance and power output were somewhat larger but remained modest. The results were described as consistent across the studies included in the review; that does not mean every participant or sport saw the same effect.
Registered dietitian nutritionist Theresa Gentile, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told Fit&Well that beet juice contains dietary nitrate, which the body converts into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide widens blood vessels and can affect blood flow and muscle oxygen use. Gentile said this process may help muscles use oxygen more efficiently and may delay fatigue, but those mechanisms do not establish that beet juice will noticeably improve every person’s workout.
For a potentially effective amount, Gentile cited research using about 5–9 millimoles of nitrate, equivalent to roughly 300–600 milligrams. She said some newer evidence points to 8.3–16.4 millimoles, or about 515–1,017 milligrams, for greater performance benefits. She recommended checking nitrate content rather than assuming a product has a standard dose: sports-specific shots may provide a standardized amount, while grocery-store shots and ordinary juice can vary. Research commonly times intake two to three hours before exercise; some studies have also examined daily use for at least three days before an event.
Where the Reported Gains Occur
The findings may interest people planning races or high-intensity training because the review points to potential effects in both sustained exercise and short, intense efforts. The reported power result is relevant to activities requiring bursts of effort, but the review characterizes the gains as modest, not a substitute for training or a promise of a measurable personal improvement.
The report also highlights a practical issue for consumers: a bottle labeled as beet juice does not necessarily deliver the nitrate amount used in research. Product nitrate content varies, according to Gentile, so shoppers cannot infer a study-level dose from the drink’s name or volume alone. The review supports cautious interest in beet products, rather than a broad claim that all beet juice boosts performance.
Gentile also noted possible cardiovascular effects from nitrate-rich foods, including improved blood-vessel function and modestly lower blood pressure, particularly among people with hypertension. She said further research is needed to establish the best long-term dose and whether supplementation adds benefits beyond a healthy, vegetable-rich diet. People with health conditions or who take medication should seek advice from a health professional before starting a concentrated supplement.
standardized nitrate beetroot shots for athletes
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Nitrate, Timing and Study Scope
Beets are one source of dietary nitrate. The body converts nitrate into nitric oxide, a molecule involved in widening blood vessels. That pathway provides a biological explanation researchers study when examining exercise performance, but a plausible mechanism alone does not prove the size or reliability of a real-world benefit.
The review’s evidence comes from 33 studies across multiple sports, combining results from professional and amateur athletes. Aerobic exercise relies mainly on oxygen to supply energy, as in steady running or swimming. Anaerobic efforts use a different energy system for short, intense movements such as sprinting. The review reported modest effects in both categories, with somewhat larger findings for high-intensity performance and power.
Fit&Well’s report distinguishes sports-specific beet shots from regular juice because the former may list a standardized nitrate dose. Gentile said ordinary products can vary with the beets and processing. She also described taking a dose two to three hours before exercise as the most practical and consistently effective strategy in the research she cited, while noting studies of use over several days before an event. Those are research patterns, not a universal prescription.
“Beet juice is rich in dietary nitrate, which is converted in the body into nitric oxide.”
— Theresa Gentile, registered dietitian nutritionist and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokesperson, as quoted by Fit&Well
beetroot juice powder with nitrate content listed
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Limits of the Evidence and Dose
The source report does not provide the review’s title, journal, publication date beyond 2026, or detailed methods, so those details cannot be independently summarized here. It also does not give effect sizes for individual sports, explain how results varied by athlete, or establish that a particular product will reproduce the review’s findings. The reported improvements are described as modest, and individual responses may differ.
The amount of nitrate in many retail beet drinks is not standardized, according to Gentile, making it difficult to know whether a product supplies the quantities examined in research without reliable labeling or testing. The best long-term supplementation dose and any extra benefit over a vegetable-rich diet remain unsettled. The source does not establish that beet juice is appropriate for everyone or that it improves health outcomes beyond the effects described.
nitrate test strips for beetroot juice
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
What Athletes Should Check
Readers considering beet juice can first check whether a product states its nitrate content and compare that amount with the ranges Gentile cited, rather than relying on serving size alone. The research timing described in the report is two to three hours before exercise; studies have also tested daily intake for at least three days before an event. Neither approach guarantees a performance benefit, and the report does not provide a single dose that applies to every athlete.
Further research would need to clarify which athletes and activities benefit most, how meaningful the effects are in real training and competition, and whether routine use offers advantages beyond a healthy diet. People with existing medical conditions or concerns about concentrated supplements should consult a qualified health professional before using them. For now, the review offers evidence of modest potential gains, alongside unresolved questions about product dose and longer-term use.
Key Questions
What did the 2026 beet juice review find?
It pooled 33 studies involving 519 athletes and reported modest improvements in aerobic capacity, with somewhat larger but still modest improvements in high-intensity performance and power output.
How much nitrate did the report say research has tested?
Dietitian Theresa Gentile cited a commonly studied range of 5–9 millimoles of nitrate, or about 300–600 milligrams. She also noted newer evidence examining 8.3–16.4 millimoles, about 515–1,017 milligrams. These are ranges discussed in the report, not individualized medical advice.
When should someone take beet juice before a workout?
Gentile said research suggests taking it two to three hours before exercise. Some studies also examined daily use for at least three days before an event, but the source describes the pre-exercise dose as the more practical and consistently effective strategy.
Will any beet juice provide the same effect?
Not necessarily. Gentile said nitrate levels vary among ordinary beet juices and grocery-store shots. Sports-specific products may provide a standardized amount, so checking the product’s stated nitrate content is more useful than assuming all beet drinks contain the same dose.
Does the review prove beet juice improves everyone’s workout?
No. The findings indicate modest potential benefits across the studies reviewed, not a guaranteed result for every person or sport. Individual effects, product dose and long-term benefits remain unclear.
Source: rss
Fall Picks
fall essentials
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
