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A 2026 review combining 33 studies of 519 professional and amateur 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 dietitian interviewed by Fit&Well says dose and timing matter, but individual products vary in nitrate content and the findings do not guarantee a benefit for every athlete.
A 2026 review of 33 studies involving 519 professional and amateur athletes found that beet juice was associated with modest improvements in aerobic capacity and somewhat larger, though still modest, gains in high-intensity exercise performance and power. The findings suggest a possible performance benefit, not a guaranteed boost, and experts cited by Fit&Well say the amount of nitrate and when it is consumed may affect results.
The review pooled research across 33 studies and 519 athletes from a range of sports. According to Fit&Well’s report, the authors found a modest improvement in aerobic capacity and somewhat larger, but still modest, improvements in anaerobic performance and power output. The report says results were consistent between studies, though it does not provide details here about the size of the effects or the methods used to assess consistency.
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. She said nitric oxide can widen blood vessels and improve blood flow, potentially supporting muscle oxygen use and contraction and delaying fatigue. These are proposed mechanisms for the reported performance effects; the review findings do not mean every person will experience them.
Gentile said research commonly uses 5–9 millimoles of nitrate, equivalent to about 300–600 milligrams, while some newer evidence points to 8.3–16.4 millimoles, or 515–1,017 milligrams, for potentially greater benefits. She advised consuming beet juice about two to three hours before exercise, when nitrate-derived nitric oxide is expected to be near peak levels. Products differ, and a regular grocery-store juice or shot may not provide the same nitrate dose as a standardized sports product.
What the Results Mean for Training
The findings may interest athletes and recreational exercisers looking for nutrition strategies that could support performance, particularly in demanding efforts where power and high-intensity capacity matter. The reported effect was modest, however, and should not be interpreted as evidence that beet juice replaces training, sound nutrition or recovery. The review covered both professional and amateur athletes, but the supplied report does not establish which sports, fitness levels or individuals benefit most.
The practical issue is product consistency. Gentile told Fit&Well that sports-specific shots may provide a standardized nitrate dose, while ordinary beet juice and grocery-store shots can vary in nitrate content. That means the amount consumed by volume alone may not match the doses studied. Readers considering a product should check its stated nitrate content rather than assume every beet-based drink has the same potential effect.
Beet juice is also not the only way to eat dietary nitrate: Gentile named vegetables such as arugula and spinach. She said nitrate-rich foods may support blood-vessel function and modestly lower blood pressure, particularly in people with hypertension, while noting that more research is needed on long-term supplementation. Those possible cardiovascular effects are separate from the review’s exercise-performance findings and do not establish a treatment for high blood pressure.
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How Beet Nitrate Is Studied
The Fit&Well report places the review amid growing social-media attention to beetroot, but popularity is not evidence of effectiveness. Its scientific focus is dietary nitrate: after consumption, the body converts nitrate into nitric oxide, a molecule involved in blood-vessel function. Researchers have examined whether that process can affect exercise capacity and muscle performance.
The review described in the report included studies of professional and amateur athletes across multiple sports and assessed aerobic capacity as well as high-intensity performance and power. Aerobic activity includes steady efforts such as running, swimming or rowing; anaerobic efforts involve short, intense movements such as sprinting. The source material does not give the review title, journal, exact publication date, study-by-study results or detailed limitations, so those specifics cannot be assessed from the report alone.
Gentile said taking a dose two to three hours before an event is the most practical and consistently effective approach described in the research she discussed. She also cited studies in which participants took beet juice daily for at least three days before an event. That longer schedule may be relevant to race preparation, but the report presents it as evidence from some studies, not as a requirement or a settled recommendation for all athletes.
“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, speaking to Fit&Well
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Dose, Effects and Individual Response
The supplied report does not state the review’s exact effect sizes, how performance was measured across the studies, or whether researchers found differences by sport, age, sex or training level. Without those details, it is not possible to quantify how much faster, stronger or longer an athlete might perform. The reported improvements are described as modest, and the review does not support a promise of a noticeable gain for every user.
It is also unclear from the source material how much nitrate was present in each product studied or how closely ordinary retail beet juices match those formulations. Gentile said nitrate levels vary with the beets and processing, and that some grocery-store shots may not contain enough to produce the benefits seen in studies. The optimal long-term dose and any added benefit from routine supplementation beyond a vegetable-rich diet remain unsettled.
Beet juice may affect blood pressure, according to Gentile, but the report does not provide a clinical recommendation or establish who should use it for that purpose. The performance review should not be read as medical advice. People with health conditions or questions about supplements can seek guidance from a qualified health professional.
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What Athletes Can Check Next
The next useful step for readers is to consult the full review for its methods, effect sizes and limitations, details not included in the Fit&Well source material provided here. Further research could clarify which athletes are most likely to benefit, whether power gains are repeatable across sports, and how product nitrate content changes the results.
For anyone considering beet juice before a workout, Gentile’s reported guidance is to check the product’s nitrate amount and allow two to three hours before exercise. A daily dose for several days before an event has some research behind it, she said, but the acute pre-exercise dose appears to be the more practical and consistently effective strategy. Long-term cardiovascular effects and the best ongoing dose still need study.
Key Questions
What did the 2026 review find about beet juice and exercise?
The review pooled 33 studies involving 519 athletes and reported modest improvements in aerobic capacity, with somewhat larger but still modest gains in high-intensity performance and power. The source does not provide exact effect sizes.
How much beet juice should someone take?
Dietitian Theresa Gentile told Fit&Well that research commonly uses 5–9 millimoles of nitrate, about 300–600 milligrams. The amount of juice needed depends on the product’s nitrate content, which can vary; the report does not give a universal serving size.
When should beet juice be consumed before a workout?
Gentile said research suggests taking it two to three hours before exercise. Some studies have also examined daily intake for at least three days before an event, but the report does not present that as necessary for everyone.
Will every athlete get a performance boost?
No. The review reported modest group-level findings, not a guaranteed result for each person. The source does not identify which individuals or sports are most likely to benefit, and products can differ in nitrate content.
Can beet juice also lower blood pressure?
Gentile told Fit&Well that nitrate-rich foods may improve blood-vessel function and modestly lower blood pressure, particularly in people with hypertension. She said more research is needed on long-term doses and whether supplements add benefits beyond a healthy, vegetable-rich diet.
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