Does beet juice lower blood pressure?

Yes — nitrate-rich beet juice lowers systolic blood pressure by about 4–8 mmHg on average. Meta-analyses of randomized trials show a consistent drop in the top number; the bottom (diastolic) number changes less. Effects last for weeks with daily intake, but juice is an add-on, not a replacement for medication.

How long does beet juice take to work?

Blood pressure starts falling within 1–3 hours and is lowest about 3 hours after drinking. This tracks the rise in blood nitrite after your mouth bacteria convert the nitrate.

Does beet juice improve exercise performance?

Modestly — it lowers the oxygen cost of exercise and slightly improves endurance, especially in non-elite athletes. Highly trained athletes tend to respond less. Gains are small but repeatable across many studies.

Is beetroot good for the brain?

Possibly — it increases blood flow to some brain areas, but memory-test results are mixed. There are no adequate trials in people with dementia yet.

Does beetroot help with diabetes or blood sugar?

No — a 12-week trial found no improvement in blood sugar control. Juice is low in fiber, so whole beets are a gentler choice for blood sugar.

Can beetroot prevent cancer?

There is no human evidence — only lab and animal studies. Beet pigments slow some cancer cells in the lab, which does not mean eating beets prevents or treats cancer.

A glass of beet juice beside fresh beetroots and a bottle of Pomona beetroot juice on dark slate

Backed by 50+ peer-reviewed studies

Drink beet juice.

Three benefits backed by clinical trials:

01
Lower blood pressure
up to −10 mmHg
within ~3 hours of one glass^{[Webb et al., 2008 4]}
02
Boost endurance
3–5% less O₂
needed for the same exercise^{[Bailey et al., 2009 10; Jones, 2014 3]}
03
Healthier blood vessels
4 weeks
of daily juice improved artery function^{[Kapil et al., 2015 2]}

Calculate your dose →See all benefits

−4 to −8mmHg: Systolic BP with daily intake^{[Siervo et al., 2013 1; Kapil et al., 2015 2]}
3–5%less O₂: Cost of submaximal exercise^{[Jones, 2014 3; Bailey et al., 2009 10]}
2.5–3hours: To peak plasma nitrite^{[Webb et al., 2008 4; Wylie et al., 2013 5]}
NO₃⁻→NO: Via your mouth's bacteria^{[Lundberg et al., 2008 6]}

The evidence at a glance

What beetroot can — and can't — do

Full benefits guide →

Strong evidenceModerate evidenceEarly / mixedNot supported in humans

Strong evidence

Blood pressure

Nitrate-rich juice reliably lowers the top (systolic) number by a few points.^[Siervo et al., 2013 1]

Read the evidence →Moderate evidence

Blood vessel health

Arteries widen a little more easily and get slightly less stiff.^[Bahrami et al., 2021 14]

Read the evidence →Moderate evidence

Exercise & endurance

Muscles use less oxygen for the same work — small but real gains, mostly for non-elite athletes.^[Bailey et al., 2009 10]

Read the evidence →Early / mixed

Strength & recovery

Some support for less soreness and better endurance when already tired.^[Evangelista et al., 2024 18]

Read the evidence →Early / mixed

Brain & memory

More blood reaches some brain areas, but memory-test results are inconsistent.^[Presley et al., 2011 11]

Read the evidence →Early / mixed

Lung disease (COPD)

May help people with COPD exercise a little longer and feel less strained.^[Berry et al., 2015 35]

Read the evidence →Early / mixed

Read the evidence →

Quick answers

The questions everyone asks

All questions →

Recipes

Put it on the menu

All 20 recipes →

Drink · 5 minutes

Sparkling Beet Lemonade

Smoothie · 5 minutes

Strawberry Banana Beet Smoothie

Breakfast · 20 minutes

Pink Beet Pancakes

Dip · 10 minutes

Beet Lemon Hummus

Things most people don't know

Three findings worth your attention

Your mouthwash may cancel it out.

Antibacterial mouthwash wipes out the oral bacteria that convert nitrate to nitrite — and the blood-pressure benefit with it.^{[Kapil et al., 2013 7]}

The effect didn't fade over a month.

Hypertensive patients drinking juice daily kept their lower blood pressure for four weeks, with no sign of tolerance.^{[Kapil et al., 2015 2]}

Not all beet products are equal.

Lab testing found nitrate content varies widely across commercial juices, powders and shots.^{[Gallardo et al., 2019 9]}

Last updated October 9, 2026 • Reviewed by Dr. A. Reviewer, M.Sc. Nutrition • Based on peer-reviewed sources

Study highlights

Landmark trials

Full database →

RCTBlood Pressure & Hypertension

Acute blood pressure lowering, vasoprotective, and antiplatelet properties of dietary nitrate via bioconversion to nitrite

Webb AJ, Patel N, Loukogeorgakis S, et al. · Hypertension 2008 · PubMed

n: 14
Dose: 500 ml juice (~1,400 mg NO₃⁻)
Duration: Acute (24 h)

−10.4 mmHg systolic

A single 500 ml dose reduced systolic BP within 2.5 h, peaking ~3 h post-ingestion. The effect was abolished when subjects avoided swallowing saliva, implicating oral bacterial nitrate reduction.^{[Webb et al., 2008 4]}

RCTAthletic Performance & VO₂ Max

Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O₂ cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans

Bailey SJ, Winyard P, Vanhatalo A, et al. · J Appl Physiol 2009 · PubMed

n: 8
Dose: 500 ml/day (~340 mg NO₃⁻)
Duration: 6 days

+16% time to exhaustion

Six days of beetroot juice reduced steady-state O₂ uptake during moderate cycling by ~19% and extended high-intensity exercise tolerance versus a blackcurrant placebo.^{[Bailey et al., 2009 10]}

RCTBlood Pressure & Hypertension

Dietary nitrate provides sustained blood pressure lowering in hypertensive patients: a randomized, phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Kapil V, Khambata RS, Robertson A, et al. · Hypertension 2015 · PubMed

n: 68
Dose: 250 ml/day (~400 mg NO₃⁻)
Duration: 4 weeks

−7.7 mmHg systolic (24 h ABPM)

Daily juice produced sustained BP reductions in drug-treated and untreated hypertensives, with a 20% improvement in flow-mediated dilation and reduced arterial stiffness. No tolerance developed.^{[Kapil et al., 2015 2]}

RCTBrain & Cerebral Blood Flow

Acute effect of a high nitrate diet on brain perfusion in older adults

Presley TD, Morgan AR, Bechtold E, et al. · Nitric Oxide 2011 · PubMed

n: 14
Dose: ~770 mg NO₃⁻/day
Duration: 2 days

↑ frontal white-matter perfusion

A high-nitrate diet increased regional cerebral perfusion (MRI arterial spin labeling) in frontal lobe white matter — areas associated with executive function.^{[Presley et al., 2011 11]}

Meta-AnalysisBlood Pressure & Hypertension

Inorganic nitrate and beetroot juice supplementation reduces blood pressure in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Siervo M, Lara J, Ogbonmwan I, Mathers JC · J Nutr 2013 · PubMed

n: 254
Dose: Varied across trials
Duration: 2 h – 15 days

−4.4 mmHg systolic

Pooled trials showed a consistent drop in systolic pressure; diastolic changes were smaller and not significant.^{[Siervo et al., 2013 1]}

RCTBlood Pressure & Hypertension

Physiological role for nitrate-reducing oral bacteria in blood pressure control

Kapil V, Haydar SMA, Pearl V, et al. · Free Radic Biol Med 2013 · PubMed

n: 19
Dose: Chlorhexidine mouthwash twice daily
Duration: 7 days

+2 to +3.5 mmHg systolic

Killing mouth bacteria with antiseptic mouthwash lowered blood nitrite and raised blood pressure, showing oral bacteria are part of how dietary nitrate works.^{[Kapil et al., 2013 7]}

RCTExercise Performance

Beetroot juice and exercise: pharmacodynamic and dose-response relationships

Wylie LJ, Kelly J, Bailey SJ, et al. · J Appl Physiol 2013 · PubMed

n: 10
Dose: 70, 140 or 280 ml concentrate
Duration: Acute

BP drop peaked ~2–4 h; 140 ml ≈ 280 ml for performance

Blood pressure fell in a dose-dependent way, but doubling from 140 to 280 ml gave no extra exercise benefit.^{[Wylie et al., 2013 5]}

RCTBlood Pressure & Hypertension

Absence of an effect of high nitrate intake from beetroot juice on blood pressure in treated hypertensive individuals

Bondonno CP, Liu AH, Croft KD, et al. · Am J Clin Nutr 2015 · PubMed

n: 27
Dose: High-nitrate beetroot juice daily
Duration: 1 week

No significant BP change

In people already well treated with blood-pressure medication, a week of beet juice did not lower pressure further — a useful counterpoint to positive trials.^{[Bondonno et al., 2015 16]}

Meta-AnalysisBlood Pressure & Hypertension

Nitrate derived from beetroot juice lowers blood pressure in patients with arterial hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Benjamim CJR, Porto AA, Valenti VE, et al. · Front Nutr 2022 · PubMed

n: 218
Dose: 70–250 ml/day across trials
Duration: 3–60 days

−4.95 mmHg systolic

Pooled data from 7 trials (218 patients) in people with high blood pressure found beet juice lowered systolic pressure by about 5 mmHg, with no significant change in diastolic pressure.^{[Benjamim et al., 2022 13]}

Meta-AnalysisBlood Pressure & Hypertension

Effects of beetroot juice on blood pressure in hypertension according to European Society of Hypertension Guidelines: systematic review and meta-analysis

Grönroos R, Eggertsen R, Bernhardsson S, Praetorius Björk M. · Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 2024 · PubMed

n: 349
Dose: 200–800 mg nitrate/day across trials
Duration: Varied

−5.31 mmHg systolic

Pooled data from 11 trials (349 patients) found daily beet juice lowered clinical systolic blood pressure by about 5.3 mmHg, with no sign of tolerance developing; diastolic and 24-h BP were not significantly affected.^{[Grönroos et al., 2024 12]}

RCTExercise Performance

Dietary nitrate supplementation improves exercise performance and decreases blood pressure in COPD patients

Berry MJ, Justus NW, Hauser JI, et al. · Nitric Oxide 2015 · PubMed

n: 15
Dose: Single dose of beetroot juice
Duration: Acute

Longer exercise time; resting systolic BP −8.2 mmHg

In people with COPD, a single dose of beet juice modestly extended submaximal exercise time and lowered resting systolic blood pressure by 8.2 mmHg versus placebo.^{[Berry et al., 2015 35]}

RCTExercise Performance

Effects of Beetroot Juice Supplementation on a 30-s High-Intensity Inertial Cycle Ergometer Test

Domínguez R, Garnacho-Castaño MV, Cuenca E, et al. · Nutrients 2017 · PubMed

n: 15
Dose: 70 ml beetroot juice (~5.6 mmol nitrate), single dose
Duration: Acute

+6% peak power in 30-s sprint

A single 70 ml dose of beet juice before a 30-second all-out cycling test increased peak power by 6% and average power in the first 15 s by 6.7%, versus placebo.^{[Domínguez et al., 2017 36]}

RCTRecovery & Strength

The effects of beetroot juice supplementation on indices of muscle damage following eccentric exercise

Clifford T, Bell O, West DJ, Howatson G, Stevenson EJ · Eur J Appl Physiol 2016 · PubMed

n: 30
Dose: Beetroot juice after exercise and on following days
Duration: 3 days

Less soreness; faster jump recovery

After 100 drop jumps, beet juice reduced muscle soreness and helped jump performance recover faster than placebo.^{[Clifford et al., 2016 21]}

Meta-AnalysisRecovery & Strength

Effects of beetroot-based supplements on muscular endurance and strength in healthy male individuals: systematic review and meta-analysis

Evangelista JF, Meirelles CM, Aguiar GS, Alves R, Matsuura C. · J Am Nutr Assoc 2024 · PubMed

n: 27 studies
Dose: 316–985 mg nitrate/day, 2–3 h before exercise
Duration: Acute to short-term

Endurance SMD 0.31; strength SMD 0.26

Beet-based supplements slightly improved muscular endurance (16 studies) and overall strength (18 studies), with the strength benefit driven mainly by better performance in a fatigued state.^{[Evangelista et al., 2024 18]}

RCTMetabolic & Other

The effects of Mediterranean diet and beetroot juice on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized clinical trial

Fateh HL, et al. · Front Nutr 2023 · PubMed

n: 180
Dose: Beetroot juice alongside a Mediterranean diet
Duration: Multi-week

Improved liver markers (diet + juice)

Combining beet juice with a Mediterranean diet improved some liver markers, but the design cannot separate the juice's effect from the diet's.^{[Fateh et al., 2023 27]}

RCTMetabolic & Other

Effects of concentrated beetroot juice consumption on glycemic control, blood pressure, and lipid profile in type 2 diabetes patients

Karimzadeh L, Sohrab G, Hedayati M, et al. · Ir J Med Sci 2023 · PubMed

n: 46
Dose: 24 ml concentrated beetroot juice daily
Duration: 12 weeks

No significant change in glucose, BP or lipids vs. control

Twelve weeks of 24 ml/day concentrated beet juice did not improve glycemic measures, blood pressure or lipid profile versus control in type 2 diabetes, after adjusting for baseline values.^{[Karimzadeh et al., 2023 28]}

Interactive tool

Dietary nitrate dosage calculator

Inputs

Body weight

Target goal

Timing

Convert to Pomona 8.4 oz glass bottles

Recommended inorganic nitrate

280–420mg NO₃⁻^{[Wylie et al., 2013 5; Jones, 2014 3; Kapil et al., 2015 2]}

Take once daily, ideally at a consistent time. Effects on BP persist with continued intake.^{[Kapil et al., 2015 2]}

Cold-pressed beet juice^{[Hord et al., 2009 8; Gallardo et al., 2019 9]}

≈ 304 ml

10.3 fl oz

Whole cooked beets^{[Hord et al., 2009 8; Gallardo et al., 2019 9]}

≈ 3 medium beets

233 g

Standard beet powder^{[Hord et al., 2009 8; Gallardo et al., 2019 9]}

label nitrate content varies widely

2.3 scoops

Estimates use average nitrate concentrations; actual content varies widely between products and batches.^{[Gallardo et al., 2019 9; Hord et al., 2009 8]} Avoid antibacterial mouthwash, which suppresses nitrate-to-nitrite conversion.^{[Kapil et al., 2013 7]}

References31 peer-reviewed sourcesShow all

1.Siervo M, et al. Inorganic nitrate and beetroot juice supplementation reduces blood pressure in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Nutr. 2013;143(6):818–826. View source
2.Kapil V, et al. Dietary nitrate provides sustained blood pressure lowering in hypertensive patients. Hypertension. 2015;65(2):320–327. View source
3.Jones AM. Dietary nitrate supplementation and exercise performance. Sports Med. 2014;44(Suppl 1):S35–S45. View source
4.Webb AJ, et al. Acute blood pressure lowering, vasoprotective, and antiplatelet properties of dietary nitrate via bioconversion to nitrite. Hypertension. 2008;51(3):784–790. View source
5.Wylie LJ, et al. Beetroot juice and exercise: pharmacodynamic and dose-response relationships. J Appl Physiol. 2013;115(3):325–336. View source
6.Lundberg JO, Weitzberg E, Gladwin MT. The nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide pathway in physiology and therapeutics. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2008;7(2):156–167. View source
7.Kapil V, et al. Physiological role for nitrate-reducing oral bacteria in blood pressure control. Free Radic Biol Med. 2013;55:93–100. View source
8.Hord NG, Tang Y, Bryan NS. Food sources of nitrates and nitrites: the physiologic context for potential health benefits. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;90(1):1–10. View source
9.Gallardo EJ, Coggan AR. What's in your beet juice? Nitrate and nitrite content of beet juices, powders, and shots. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2019;29(4):345–349. View source
10.Bailey SJ, et al. Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans. J Appl Physiol. 2009;107(4):1144–1155. View source
11.Presley TD, et al. Acute effect of a high nitrate diet on brain perfusion in older adults. Nitric Oxide. 2011;24(1):34–42. View source
12.Grönroos R, et al. Effects of beetroot juice on blood pressure in hypertension according to ESH criteria: systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2024;34(10):2240–2256. View source
13.Benjamim CJR, et al. Nitrate derived from beetroot juice lowers blood pressure in patients with arterial hypertension: systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Nutr. 2022;9:823039. View source
14.Bahrami LS, et al. Beetroot inorganic nitrate and cardiovascular risk factors: systematic review and meta-regression of randomized controlled trials. Nitric Oxide. 2021. View source
16.Bondonno CP, et al. Absence of an effect of high nitrate intake from beetroot juice on blood pressure in treated hypertensive individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;102(2):368–375. View source
17.Domínguez R, et al. Effects of beetroot juice supplementation on cardiorespiratory endurance in athletes: a systematic review. Nutrients. 2017;9(1):43. View source
18.Evangelista JF, et al. Effects of beetroot-based supplements on muscular endurance and strength in healthy male individuals: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Nutr Assoc. 2024;43(1):77–91. View source
19.Tian C, et al. Effects of beetroot juice on physical performance in athletes and healthy individuals: an umbrella review. Nutrients. 2025. View source
20.Qin G, et al. Effects of beetroot juice supplementation on maximal oxygen uptake: systematic review and meta-analysis of 38 studies. Front Nutr. 2026. View source
21.Clifford T, et al. The effects of beetroot juice supplementation on indices of muscle damage following eccentric exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2016;116(2):353–362. View source
22.Clifford T, et al. Effects of beetroot juice on recovery of muscle function and performance between bouts of repeated sprint exercise. Nutrients. 2016;8(8):506. View source
23.Clifford T, et al. The effects of inorganic nitrate and nitrite on cognitive function and cerebral blood flow: systematic review and meta-analysis. View source
24.Vaccaro MG, et al. Acute effects of a chewable beetroot-based supplement on cognitive performance: randomized placebo-controlled crossover trial. Eur J Nutr. 2024. View source
25.Petrie M, et al. Beet root juice: an ergogenic aid for exercise and the aging brain. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2017;72(9):1284–1289. View source
26.Kimble R, et al. Can beetroot support brain health? A perspective review on Alzheimer's disease. 2025. View source
27.Fateh HL, et al. The effects of Mediterranean diet and beetroot juice on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized clinical trial (n=180). Front Nutr. 2023;10:1181706. View source
28.Karimzadeh L, et al. Effect of concentrated beetroot juice on glycemic control, blood pressure and lipids in type 2 diabetes. Ir J Med Sci. 2023;192(3):1143–1153. View source
30.Martinez RM, et al. Betalains: a narrative review of pharmacological mechanisms. Foods. 2024;13:3909. View source
31.Tan ML, Hamid SBS. Beetroot as a potential functional food for cancer chemoprevention: a narrative review. J Cancer Prev. 2021;26(1):1–17. View source
35.Berry MJ, et al. Dietary nitrate supplementation improves exercise performance and decreases blood pressure in COPD patients. Nitric Oxide. 2015;48:22–30. View source
36.Domínguez R, et al. Effects of beetroot juice supplementation on a 30-s high-intensity inertial cycle ergometer test. Nutrients. 2017;9(12):1360. View source

Claims marked [*] are awaiting a verified source.

Drink beet juice.

What beetroot can — and can't — do

Blood pressure

Blood vessel health

Exercise & endurance

Strength & recovery

Brain & memory

Lung disease (COPD)

Fatty liver

Blood sugar & diabetes

Cancer

The questions everyone asks

Does beet juice lower blood pressure?

How long does beet juice take to work?

Does beet juice improve exercise performance?

Is beetroot good for the brain?

Does beetroot help with diabetes or blood sugar?

Can beetroot prevent cancer?

Put it on the menu

Three findings worth your attention

Your mouthwash may cancel it out.

The effect didn't fade over a month.

Not all beet products are equal.

Landmark trials

Acute blood pressure lowering, vasoprotective, and antiplatelet properties of dietary nitrate via bioconversion to nitrite

Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O₂ cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans

Dietary nitrate provides sustained blood pressure lowering in hypertensive patients: a randomized, phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Acute effect of a high nitrate diet on brain perfusion in older adults

Inorganic nitrate and beetroot juice supplementation reduces blood pressure in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Physiological role for nitrate-reducing oral bacteria in blood pressure control

Beetroot juice and exercise: pharmacodynamic and dose-response relationships

Absence of an effect of high nitrate intake from beetroot juice on blood pressure in treated hypertensive individuals

Nitrate derived from beetroot juice lowers blood pressure in patients with arterial hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Effects of beetroot juice on blood pressure in hypertension according to European Society of Hypertension Guidelines: systematic review and meta-analysis

Dietary nitrate supplementation improves exercise performance and decreases blood pressure in COPD patients

Effects of Beetroot Juice Supplementation on a 30-s High-Intensity Inertial Cycle Ergometer Test

The effects of beetroot juice supplementation on indices of muscle damage following eccentric exercise

Effects of beetroot-based supplements on muscular endurance and strength in healthy male individuals: systematic review and meta-analysis

The effects of Mediterranean diet and beetroot juice on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized clinical trial

Effects of concentrated beetroot juice consumption on glycemic control, blood pressure, and lipid profile in type 2 diabetes patients

Dietary nitrate dosage calculator