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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 dietitian cited by Fit&Well says dose and timing matter; the review does not establish that every beet drink will help every exerciser.
A 2026 review of 33 studies found that beet juice was associated with modest gains in aerobic capacity and somewhat larger, though still modest, improvements in high-intensity performance and power among 519 professional and amateur athletes. The findings, reported by Fit&Well, suggest that beet juice may support some workout outcomes, but the review does not show that any beet drink or dose will benefit every person.
The review pooled research involving 519 athletes across different sports. According to Fit&Well’s account, the researchers found a modest improvement in aerobic capacity, alongside somewhat larger but still modest effects on anaerobic performance and power output. The source says the results were consistent across the studies, but does not provide study-by-study figures or enough detail to assess how large the effects were in practical terms.
Registered dietitian nutritionist Theresa Gentile, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told Fit&Well that beetroot contains dietary nitrate, which the body converts into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide widens blood vessels and may affect blood flow and how muscles use oxygen, she said. These mechanisms offer a possible explanation for the reported performance findings; they do not establish that beet juice will produce a noticeable change in an individual workout.
Gentile said research often uses 5–9 millimoles of nitrate, equivalent to about 300–600 milligrams, while some newer evidence suggests 8.3–16.4 millimoles, or about 515–1,017 milligrams, may yield greater effects. The amount varies by product: Gentile cautioned that ordinary juice and grocery-store shots may have inconsistent nitrate levels, while some sports-specific shots list a standardized dose. She advised taking it two to three hours before exercise, when nitrate conversion is expected to be near its peak. Some studies also used daily intake for at least three days before an event.
What the Results Mean for Workouts
The findings may interest people looking for a practical way to support training, especially those doing high-intensity exercise. The reported pattern is not simply an endurance story: Fit&Well says the review found the largest effect was on power, although that improvement was still described as modest. For recreationally active people, Gentile said beet juice may modestly help endurance and high-intensity performance.
That distinction matters because an average effect across studies does not predict an individual result. The reported review included both professional and amateur athletes in multiple sports, and the source does not specify which groups, activities or training conditions saw the clearest gains. Beet juice should not be presented as a substitute for training, adequate food and hydration, or as a guaranteed route to better performance.
The practical issue is also product quality and timing. A beverage’s beetroot label does not reveal how much nitrate it contains, and the reported dose range may require a concentrated product or a larger serving. Readers considering a nitrate shot can check its stated nitrate content and discuss supplements with a qualified health professional, particularly if they have a medical condition or take medication.
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How Nitrate Fits the Findings
Beets are a source of dietary nitrate. The body can convert nitrate into nitric oxide, a molecule involved in blood-vessel function. Gentile told Fit&Well that nitric oxide may improve blood flow and muscle oxygen use, and may affect muscle contraction and fatigue. The proposed pathway helps explain why researchers have studied beet juice as a possible exercise aid, but the review’s performance findings—not the mechanism alone—are the relevant evidence for this report.
The article also places the findings against growing social-media interest in beetroot. It reports more than 1.5 million hashtags for #beetroot and 81,000 for #beetrootjuice, but gives no date, platform breakdown or measurement method for those counts. They indicate online attention as presented by the source, not evidence of rising sales or of health benefits.
Fit&Well also notes that nitrate-rich vegetables such as spinach and arugula may be part of a healthful diet. Gentile said such foods may support blood-vessel function and modestly lower blood pressure, particularly for people with hypertension, while adding that more research is needed on long-term beet-juice dosing and any benefit beyond a vegetable-rich diet. Those potential cardiovascular effects are separate from the review’s exercise-performance findings.
“Many sports-specific beet shots provide a standardized, research-backed dose of nitrate in a small volume.”
— Theresa Gentile, registered dietitian nutritionist and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokesperson, quoted by Fit&Well
Limits of the Available Evidence
The supplied Fit&Well report does not name the review’s authors or journal, provide its publication date, or include the review’s full methods and numerical effect sizes. It is therefore not possible from the source material alone to assess how the studies defined performance, how much results varied, or whether the pooled findings apply equally across sports and fitness levels. The reported improvements are described as modest, not as guaranteed or dramatic.
It is also unclear which participants benefited most, whether effects differ by sex, age or training status, and how the results compare with placebo under each study’s conditions. The source gives no universal product standard: nitrate content in ordinary beet juice and grocery-store shots can vary, according to Gentile. The review findings do not establish an optimal long-term dose or prove that regular supplementation adds benefits beyond a healthy diet.
Readers should not assume that a beet shot is suitable for everyone. The supplied report does not discuss possible interactions, side effects or individual medical circumstances. People with pre-existing conditions or those taking medication should seek professional advice before using concentrated products, rather than treating the reported research doses as personal medical guidance.
What Readers Can Check Before Training
The next useful evidence will include the review’s full publication details, methods and effect-size estimates, along with further trials that compare clearly measured nitrate doses across different activities and participant groups. That information would help determine whether the reported power and endurance effects are meaningful in everyday training, and which athletes are most likely to see them.
For now, readers who choose to try a beet product can check whether the label states its nitrate amount and follow the product’s directions rather than assuming all shots are equivalent. The timing cited by Gentile is two to three hours before exercise, and some studies involved daily intake for at least three days before an event; neither approach guarantees a result. Anyone with a health condition or medication questions should speak with a qualified professional before using a concentrated supplement.
Key Questions
Does beet juice improve workout performance?
A review of 33 studies, as reported by Fit&Well, found modest improvements in aerobic capacity and somewhat larger but still modest effects on high-intensity performance and power. The findings do not guarantee an improvement for every person.
How much nitrate did the studies use?
Dietitian Theresa Gentile told Fit&Well that much of the research suggests 5–9 millimoles of nitrate, or about 300–600 milligrams. She said some newer evidence points to 8.3–16.4 millimoles, or about 515–1,017 milligrams, as potentially producing greater benefits. These are research ranges, not individual medical advice.
When should someone drink beet juice before exercise?
Gentile said research suggests taking it two to three hours before exercise. Some studies also used daily intake for at least three days before an event, though the source describes a pre-exercise dose as the more practical and consistently effective approach.
Are all beet shots likely to provide the same amount of nitrate?
No. Gentile said nitrate levels can vary in ordinary beet juice and grocery-store shots. Some sports-specific products provide a standardized dose, but readers should check the product label rather than infer nitrate content from the name or serving size.
Is beet juice a proven long-term cardiovascular treatment?
No. Gentile told Fit&Well that nitrate-rich foods may support blood-vessel function and modestly lower blood pressure, particularly in people with hypertension, but she said more research is needed on long-term dosing and benefits beyond a healthy, vegetable-rich diet. The source does not establish beet juice as a treatment.
Source: rss
