Beta vulgaris (root)

Beetroot (juice and powder)

Beetroot juice has moderate evidence for exercise performance: meta-analyses find a small to moderate gain in time to exhaustion and sprint work, though not in every test. For blood pressure the effect is about 4 to 5 mmHg off the systolic reading in clinic, but it was not seen on 24-hour monitors and the certainty is low. The one caution is oxalate, which matters if you form kidney stones; red urine (beeturia) is harmless.

Almost all trials used juice, so the evidence for powder depends on its nitrate content, which varies by product.

Written by

Healthy and Herbal editorial team

Reviewed by

Healthy and Herbal editors

Updated

10 October 2026

Fresh beetroot beside a glass of beetroot juice and a bowl of powder

At a glance

Last reviewed 10 October 2026

Evidence

Moderate

Best for

Exercise performance

Typical form & use

Juice, 300–600 mg nitrate

Onset

2–3 days

Safety

High in oxalate if you form kidney stones. No interactions in our data.

Check with your medications →

What it's used for

Evidence is rated per use. The same ingredient can be strong for one thing and traditional for another.

Use	Evidence	What the research shows
Exercise performanceCompare remedies for energy and fatigue →	Moderate	A meta-analysis of 17 controlled studies (nitrate 300 to 600 mg, from beetroot juice or sodium nitrate) found a moderate benefit for time to exhaustion (effect size 0.79, 95% CI 0.23 to 1.35) but no significant effect on time trials or graded tests. A 2026 meta-analysis of 33 studies of beetroot juice found small gains in sprint performance (SMD 0.38), mean power (0.43) and VO2max (0.30) with low heterogeneity. Benefits were more common in less-trained people. A separate meta-analysis of nine training trials found that nitrate added to training did not improve VO2peak or time to exhaustion beyond training alone.^1,2,3
Blood pressureCompare remedies for heart health →	Limited	A meta-analysis of 11 trials (349 people with hypertension) found beetroot juice lowered clinic systolic pressure by 5.3 mmHg (95% CI 3.2 to 7.5) but not diastolic or 24-hour pressure; the authors rated the certainty of evidence low. An earlier meta-analysis of 13 trials (1 to 6 weeks) found falls of 4.1 mmHg systolic and 2.0 mmHg diastolic, but only in the clinic, not on 24-hour or home monitoring. A 2026 meta-analysis of six trials in older adults (181 people) using sodium nitrate, not juice, found no significant reduction. Clinic-only effects that vanish on ambulatory monitoring cap this at 2.^4,5,6
Red or pink urine after eating beetroot (beeturia)	Traditional	This is an effect rather than a remedy, included because it is a top search. It is reported in about 10 to 14% of people, is more common with iron deficiency or malabsorption, and is caused by beetroot pigments (betacyanins) passing into the urine. In a study of 100 people, 4 passed visibly red urine. It is harmless in itself, though red urine that follows no beetroot should be checked by a doctor.⁷

Use

Evidence

What the research shows

Exercise performanceCompare remedies for energy and fatigue →

Moderate

A meta-analysis of 17 controlled studies (nitrate 300 to 600 mg, from beetroot juice or sodium nitrate) found a moderate benefit for time to exhaustion (effect size 0.79, 95% CI 0.23 to 1.35) but no significant effect on time trials or graded tests.

A 2026 meta-analysis of 33 studies of beetroot juice found small gains in sprint performance (SMD 0.38), mean power (0.43) and VO2max (0.30) with low heterogeneity. Benefits were more common in less-trained people. A separate meta-analysis of nine training trials found that nitrate added to training did not improve VO2peak or time to exhaustion beyond training alone.^1,2,3

Blood pressureCompare remedies for heart health →

Limited

A meta-analysis of 11 trials (349 people with hypertension) found beetroot juice lowered clinic systolic pressure by 5.3 mmHg (95% CI 3.2 to 7.5) but not diastolic or 24-hour pressure; the authors rated the certainty of evidence low.

An earlier meta-analysis of 13 trials (1 to 6 weeks) found falls of 4.1 mmHg systolic and 2.0 mmHg diastolic, but only in the clinic, not on 24-hour or home monitoring. A 2026 meta-analysis of six trials in older adults (181 people) using sodium nitrate, not juice, found no significant reduction. Clinic-only effects that vanish on ambulatory monitoring cap this at 2.^4,5,6

Red or pink urine after eating beetroot (beeturia)

Traditional

This is an effect rather than a remedy, included because it is a top search. It is reported in about 10 to 14% of people, is more common with iron deficiency or malabsorption, and is caused by beetroot pigments (betacyanins) passing into the urine. In a study of 100 people, 4 passed visibly red urine. It is harmless in itself, though red urine that follows no beetroot should be checked by a doctor.⁷

How much

Ranges below are what studies used and what supplements commonly contain. They are not a recommendation for you. Start at the low end.

Studied range for exercise

300 to 600 mg nitrate^1,8

The range in the 17-study meta-analysis, given as a single dose or loaded over up to 15 days. Raw beetroot in a Polish survey averaged about 1.3 g nitrate per kg, so 250 g of raw beetroot is roughly 315 mg; juices and powders vary widely and labels often do not state nitrate.

Studied range for blood pressure

200 to 800 mg nitrate a day⁴

Daily intake from beetroot juice in the hypertension meta-analysis, with no sign of tolerance developing over the trial periods.

Nitrate in beetroot (Poland, 2012 to 2019)

Median 1,260 mg per kg⁸

95th percentile was 3,222 mg per kg, so levels vary a lot. Beetroot preserves were lower (median 1,030 mg per kg). The authors said eating beetroot can exceed the acceptable daily intake for nitrate, especially in young children.

Timing · Trials used a single dose or daily dosing for up to about 15 days before exercise. The meta-analysis suggested benefits were more often seen with several days of loading.With food? · Not established in the studies we read.How long to trial · For exercise, test it in training for a week before an event. For blood pressure, use home monitoring, because the trial effects were seen in clinic but not on 24-hour monitors.

How people take it

Juice (shot or bottle)About 300 to 600 mg nitrateThe form used in most trials. Check the label for nitrate content.

Whole beetroot, cooked or rawAbout 250 g for roughly 300 mg nitrateRaw beetroot averaged about 1.3 g nitrate per kg in a Polish survey, but content varies widely.

Powder or capsulesFollow label; nitrate content variesNot the form tested in most trials. We found no source for typical nitrate content in powders, so compare products by stated nitrate per serving.

Safety

Who should avoid

History of calcium oxalate kidney stones — beetroot raised urinary oxalate
Infants — vegetable nitrate can cause methaemoglobinaemia in babies under 3 months
Young children — beetroot may exceed the acceptable daily nitrate intake

Known interactions

No interactions in our data. Absence of a flag is not clearance.

Questions people ask

What are the benefits of beetroot powder?

The best-supported use is exercise performance, where meta-analyses show a small to moderate gain in time to exhaustion and sprint work. Clinic blood pressure falls by about 4 to 5 mmHg in some meta-analyses, but not on 24-hour monitoring. Most trials used juice, not powder.

Why does beetroot turn urine red, and is it harmful?

Beetroot pigments called betacyanins pass into urine in about 10 to 14% of people, a harmless effect called beeturia. It is more common in iron deficiency and malabsorption. Red urine with no beetroot eaten should be looked at by a doctor.

Does beetroot cause kidney stones?

Beetroot is one of eight foods shown to raise urinary oxalate significantly in a review of the literature, and oxalate restriction is used for people with calcium oxalate stones. The rise is not proportional to the oxalate in the food, and higher calcium intake may reduce urinary oxalate.

Anyone who forms stones should ask their doctor before using concentrated beetroot juice or powder.

Is beetroot high in nitrate, and is that a problem?

Yes: a Polish survey found a median of about 1,260 mg per kg. For most adults the trials used 200 to 800 mg nitrate a day without reported problems in the abstracts we read. The survey authors warned that beetroot can exceed the acceptable daily intake for young children, and vegetable nitrate is a risk for infants under 3 months.

Make it yourself

DIY guides that use beetroot (juice and powder), with quantities, safety notes and an honest word on what they do.

Blue, yellow, orange and pink naturally dyed Easter eggs in a wooden bowl beside red cabbage, turmeric and onion skins

Natural Easter Egg Dyes from Kitchen IngredientsEasy · 40 min hands-on

Sources (10)

Reader notes

Experiences and questions from readers, read by an editor before they appear. They are personal accounts, not evidence, and are not medical advice.

Last reviewed 10 October 2026 · Next review April 2027 · How we rate evidence

Beetroot (juice and powder)

At a glance

What it's used for

How much

How people take it

Safety

Who should avoid

Known interactions

Questions people ask

What are the benefits of beetroot powder?

Why does beetroot turn urine red, and is it harmful?

Does beetroot cause kidney stones?

Is beetroot high in nitrate, and is that a problem?

Make it yourself

Sources (10)

Reader notes

Used it? Share how it went, or ask a question.