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A 2026 review pooling 33 studies and 519 athletes found beet juice was associated with modest improvements in aerobic capacity, high-intensity performance and power output. A dietitian cited in the report says benefits depend on nitrate dose and timing; the findings do not mean every beet drink will provide an effective dose.
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 high-intensity exercise performance, including power output. The findings suggest a possible workout benefit, but the report says results depend in part on nitrate content and when the drink is consumed.
The review pooled research across a range of sports and found that beet juice modestly improved aerobic capacity. It also reported somewhat larger, though still modest, improvements in high-intensity performance and power output. The source describes the findings as consistent across studies, but does not provide study-by-study results or explain how consistency was assessed.
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. Gentile said nitric oxide can widen blood vessels and improve blood flow, and may affect muscle oxygen use and contraction. These are proposed mechanisms for the performance findings, not proof that every person will experience a noticeable change.
For dose, Gentile said much of the research uses 5–9 millimoles of nitrate, equivalent to about 300–600 milligrams. Some newer evidence cited in the report points to 8.3–16.4 millimoles, or 515–1,017 milligrams, as potentially producing greater benefits. She cautioned that nitrate levels vary across ordinary beet juice products; a sports-specific shot may provide a more standardized amount, but the source does not establish that all such products meet a particular dose.
What the Workout Findings Suggest
The results matter to people seeking small, practical ways to support exercise performance, particularly in activities involving sustained effort or short, intense work. The review points to modest rather than dramatic effects; it does not show that beet juice replaces training, nutrition or other established factors in athletic performance.
The apparent effect on power output is relevant because the review found benefits beyond aerobic capacity. However, readers should not treat the finding as a guarantee of stronger or longer workouts. The source gives pooled results, not a personalized prediction, and does not report how large the changes were in a way that would show what an individual might notice.
Product choice and timing may also affect whether the research applies to a consumer’s routine. Gentile’s suggested intake window is two to three hours before exercise, which may be inconvenient for some workouts. The report also says some studies found benefits after daily intake for at least three days before an event, though it describes a pre-exercise dose as the more practical and consistently effective approach.
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How Nitrate Fits the Evidence
Beets are a source of dietary nitrate. According to Gentile, the body converts nitrate into nitric oxide, a molecule involved in blood-vessel function. The Fit&Well report presents this pathway as a possible explanation for why beet juice might affect exercise, while the review’s performance findings concern measured outcomes across the included studies.
The report distinguishes aerobic exercise, such as steady running or swimming, from anaerobic efforts involving short, intense movement such as sprinting. It says the review found modest improvement in aerobic capacity and somewhat larger, still modest, effects in high-intensity performance and power. The source does not give details about each study’s design, participants’ starting fitness, or the exact measures used, so the results cannot be applied equally to every sport or athlete.
Fit&Well also notes that nitrate content can differ between products and ordinary beet juice. Gentile said nitrate-rich vegetables such as spinach and arugula may offer dietary nitrate as part of a vegetable-rich diet. The report does not establish that supplementation provides benefits beyond a healthy diet over the long term.
“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, quoted by Fit&Well
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Limits on Individual Results
The review summary does not provide the publication date, the size of the measured effects, or a breakdown by sport, age, sex, training level or product. It is therefore unclear how much benefit a particular person might experience, or whether results differ substantially between recreational athletes and professionals.
The nitrate amounts reported are research ranges, not a universal prescription. The source does not establish that a standard grocery-store beet juice contains a sufficient dose, nor does it say that every commercial sports shot matches the products used in studies. Gentile also said more research is needed on the optimal long-term dose and whether regular supplementation adds benefits beyond a healthy, vegetable-rich diet.
The report mentions possible cardiovascular effects, including improved blood-vessel function and modestly lower blood pressure, particularly among people with hypertension. Those claims are attributed to Gentile and are separate from the exercise-performance findings; the source says further research is needed. It does not establish a treatment effect or offer individualized medical guidance.
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Questions for Future Research
The next evidence to watch for is research that clarifies which nitrate dose works best, how effects vary across sports and fitness levels, and whether regular use offers benefits beyond a single pre-workout serving. Longer-term studies could also help distinguish any supplementation effect from the benefits of a generally healthy diet.
For now, the source supports a measured takeaway: the review found modest average performance improvements across its included studies, while the effect for any individual remains uncertain. The report does not identify a scheduled follow-up study or a next research milestone.
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Key Questions
What did the 2026 review find about beet juice and exercise?
It pooled 33 studies involving 519 athletes and reported modest improvements in aerobic capacity, high-intensity performance and power output. The source does not provide enough detail to predict an individual result.
How much nitrate was used in the research?
Dietitian Theresa Gentile said much of the research suggests 5–9 millimoles of nitrate, about 300–600 milligrams. The report also cites some newer evidence suggesting 8.3–16.4 millimoles may produce greater benefits. These are reported research ranges, not individualized advice.
When does the report suggest drinking beet juice?
Gentile said research suggests taking it two to three hours before exercise. The report also mentions studies using daily intake for at least three days before an event, but says an acute pre-exercise dose appears to be the most practical and consistently effective strategy.
Will any beet juice or beet shot provide the same effect?
No such guarantee is established in the report. Gentile said nitrate levels can vary in ordinary beet juice and grocery-store shots, while some sports-specific products provide a standardized amount. Product nitrate content matters to whether it resembles the amounts studied.
Does the review prove beet juice lowers blood pressure?
No. The report says Gentile described possible cardiovascular benefits, including modest blood-pressure reductions in people with hypertension, but also said more research is needed on long-term dosing and added benefits. The exercise review’s findings should not be treated as medical advice or proof of a treatment effect.
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