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Beetroot powder benefits come almost entirely from one thing: dietary nitrate, which your body can turn into nitric oxide, a molecule that helps blood vessels relax. In short-term trials, nitrate-rich beetroot juice lowered systolic blood pressure by a few points and gave small exercise gains, mostly in people who are not highly trained. The catch is that nitrate content varies enormously between products, and powder labels rarely say how much they contain. Here is how the nitrate pathway works, what the research shows, what changes when beets are dried into powder, and the side effects worth knowing, from pink urine to kidney stone concerns.
Peptide Labs sells supplements that list beet ingredients, but this article does not recommend any of them. It is general information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- Beets are rich in nitrate, which mouth bacteria and the body convert to nitrite and then nitric oxide.
- Antiseptic mouthwash blunted this conversion in small studies.
- Meta-analyses found a few points lower systolic blood pressure in short trials, mostly in clinic readings.
- Exercise benefits are small and largely absent in well-trained endurance athletes.
- Nitrate varies about 50-fold between beet juice products, and most powders do not state their nitrate.
How beetroot works: from nitrate to nitric oxide
Most of the nitrate in a typical diet, about 80% according to a 2009 review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, comes from vegetables, and beets are among the richest sources. Your body makes nitric oxide from the amino acid L-arginine, but researchers at the Karolinska Institute showed that nitrate offers a second route: nitrate is concentrated in saliva, bacteria in the mouth reduce it to nitrite, and nitrite is converted to nitric oxide in the body.
That makes your mouth part of the process. In a 2008 Swedish study of seven volunteers, an antibacterial chlorhexidine mouthwash nearly abolished the conversion of nitrate to nitrite in saliva and sharply reduced the rise in blood nitrite. A 2013 London study of 19 healthy adults found that a week of antiseptic mouthwash cut blood nitrite by 25% and nudged blood pressure up by 2 to 3.5 points. Both studies were small, but they explain why researchers ask participants to avoid such mouthwash.
Beetroot powder benefits: what the research shows
| Study | Who took part | Result | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 meta-analysis | 16 crossover trials, 254 people | Systolic pressure about 4.4 points lower | Trials lasted 2 hours to 15 days; diastolic change not significant |
| 2015 London trial | 68 adults with high blood pressure, 4 weeks | About 8 points lower systolic pressure vs nitrate-free beet juice | One phase 2 trial |
| 2017 meta-analysis | 13 trials of 1 to 6 weeks, 325 people | Lower pressure in the clinic only | No change with 24-hour or home monitoring |
| 2020 meta-analysis | 80 exercise studies in young adults | Small performance gain | No effect in well-trained athletes; few studies in women |
| 2020 Dutch trial | 18 men with abdominal obesity | No significant change in blood vessel function after a high-fat meal | Single servings; industry co-authors |
Blood pressure
A 2013 meta-analysis from Newcastle University pooled 16 randomized crossover trials with 254 participants and found systolic blood pressure about 4.4 points lower after nitrate or beetroot juice, while the drop in diastolic pressure was not statistically significant. The trials lasted from two hours to 15 days, so the authors called for longer studies. A 2017 follow-up by the same group pooled 13 trials lasting at least a week and found lower readings in the clinic, but no significant change when blood pressure was tracked over 24 hours or at home, the more accurate methods.
The strongest single trial, published in Hypertension in 2015 and funded by the British Heart Foundation, randomly assigned 68 adults with high blood pressure to nitrate-rich beetroot juice or a nitrate-free beet juice for four weeks. Clinic, home and 24-hour readings were all about 8 points lower in systolic pressure with nitrate, and the juice was well tolerated. It was a phase 2 trial of beetroot juice, not powder, and it does not show that beet products can replace blood pressure medicine. Our sibling guide on potassium supplements covers another nutrient often discussed for blood pressure.
Exercise and endurance
Beetroot juice became popular with athletes after studies suggested it reduced the oxygen needed for exercise. A 2020 Mayo Clinic meta-analysis of 80 studies confirmed a performance benefit but described it as objectively small, and found no effect in well-trained endurance athletes. The six studies that included only women showed no significant effect. Earlier reviews found that nitrate helped most in time-to-exhaustion tests, while results in time trials, which mirror real races, were trivial. An Italian study of 21 young adults showed the pattern clearly: the fitter the person, the smaller the benefit. A 2022 expert consensus agreed, while noting that the long-term safety of nitrate supplements needs more research and that several panel members had received free juice or industry funding.
Metabolism and weight
There is no good evidence that beetroot powder speeds up metabolism or causes weight loss. Our guide on how to boost metabolism covers what actually changes energy use, and our reviews of cayenne pepper and L-carnitine look at other ingredients often sold alongside beets in sports and metabolism formulas. Most beet root benefits in the research come down to nitrate, so a product without much nitrate is unlikely to do much.
Beetroot juice vs beetroot powder
| Form | What it is | What we know about nitrate |
|---|---|---|
| Beetroot juice and juice shots | Pressed juice, sometimes concentrated | About 50-fold range between 24 products tested in 2019 |
| Beetroot powder | Dried, ground beet or dried juice | Drying does not destroy nitrate, but powders vary by sourcing and processing |
| Beet in a blend | One of many ingredients in a proprietary or greens blend | Usually not stated; the beet amount itself is often not stated |
| FOS from beet | A prebiotic fiber made from beet sugar | A fiber ingredient, not a nitrate source |
Most research used beetroot juice, often concentrated shots, so evidence for powders is thinner. Even juice is inconsistent: when Indiana University researchers tested 45 batches of 24 beetroot juice products, nitrate varied about 50-fold between products and by about 30% on average between batches of the same product. Only five products reliably reached the level the authors consider the minimum for an exercise effect.
Drying itself does not seem to destroy nitrate. National Research Council Canada scientists found spinach kept its nitrate after baking dry, and one commercial beetroot powder was 1.4% nitrate by weight. A 2026 Utah State University analysis of five powder brands found no clear pattern in nitrate by farming method, and the authors pointed to sourcing and processing as the drivers. Since few labels state nitrate, ask the maker for a certificate of analysis; our guide to third-party tested supplements explains what testing can and cannot confirm.
Side effects and who should be careful
- Pink or red urine. Called beeturia, it happens in about 10% to 14% of people after beets and is more common with iron deficiency or absorption problems. It is usually harmless, but tell a doctor if you are unsure whether it is blood.
- Kidney stones. A 1981 study in Clinical Science listed beetroot with spinach, rhubarb, peanuts and chocolate as high-risk oxalate foods. If you have had calcium oxalate stones, ask your clinician first.
- Blood pressure medicines. Because nitrate can lower blood pressure, ask your doctor before adding concentrated beet products to blood pressure medicines or if you get dizzy easily.
- Infants. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes continuing reports of nitrate poisoning from home-prepared vegetable foods for babies; ask a pediatrician before giving beet juice or powders to infants.
- Breath-hold diving. A 2024 commentary described two blackout-type events in military breath-hold swim training linked to beetroot powder use. It proves nothing on its own, but researchers urged caution.
- Nitrosamines. Nitrite can help form potentially cancer-causing N-nitroso compounds. Researchers have suggested studying this risk for concentrated vegetable powders.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding data on beet supplements are lacking, so ask your provider. Get medical care for fainting, chest pain, or red urine you cannot explain.
Beet ingredients in products we carry
Three labels we carry show how differently beet can appear:
- Sandhu’s Liver Cleanse & Detox lists beet root powder alongside milk thistle, dandelion root, berberine, turmeric and ginger. It does not state nitrate content, and the label advises anyone pregnant, nursing, under 18 or with a medical condition to consult a physician first.
- Bloom Super Greens Gummies include beet as one of about 20 ingredients in a greens, fruits and veggies blend; only the blend total is listed.
- Vitamatic Prebiotic Fiber Gummies use FOS from beet, a fiber made from beet sugar. It is a fiber ingredient, not a nitrate source.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main beetroot powder benefits?
Studies of nitrate-rich beetroot juice found a few points lower systolic blood pressure and small exercise gains in less-trained people. Evidence for powders specifically is limited.
Does beetroot increase nitric oxide?
Its nitrate can be converted to nitrite by mouth bacteria and then to nitric oxide in the body. Antiseptic mouthwash blunted that conversion in small studies.
Is beetroot juice better than beetroot powder?
Most trials used juice, so its evidence is stronger. Both vary widely in nitrate, and few labels state how much they contain.
Can beetroot lower blood pressure?
Short trials found modest drops in systolic pressure, but a 2017 analysis saw them only in clinic readings. It is not a substitute for prescribed medicine.
Why does beetroot turn urine pink?
Beet pigments called betacyanins pass into urine in about 10% to 14% of people, more often with iron deficiency. It is called beeturia.
Who should avoid beetroot supplements?
Ask a clinician first if you have had kidney stones, take blood pressure medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are thinking of giving beet products to an infant.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting any supplement, especially if you take medicines. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: How to Boost Metabolism: What Really Changes the Calories You Burn, Cayenne Pepper Benefits: What Capsaicin Research Shows, Plus Side Effects, L-Carnitine Benefits: What the Research Shows, Side Effects and Forms.