Supplements - nitrate and beetroot for runners, OCR athletes, and endurance training

How nitrate and beetroot affect performance and recovery for running, OCR, and endurance sports

Thomas Solomon, PhD.

Updated on December 14, 2025
Reading time approx 6 minutes (1100 words).

What you’ll learn:

Nitrate is a natural compound in leafy greens and beetroot. Your body turns it into nitric oxide, which helps blood vessels open and deliver nutrients to muscles.

Taking sodium nitrate or beetroot juice before exercise can boost performance in muscular endurance, power, and speed or sprint efforts.

Nitrate or beetroot may improve endurance time-to-exhaustion but usually does not improve time-trial performance. This perk shows up mostly in recreational athletes; in highly trained endurance athletes, the benefit is blunted.

Curious about the how and why? Scroll down for the details, the nuances, and the nerdy bits.

The information I provide is not medical advice. Supplements can have side effects and might interact with other drugs, nutrients, and medical conditions. If you are unsure, always consult your doctor to ensure a specific supplement is safe for you to use.

What is nitrate?

Nitrate (NO₃^-) is a common ion found in high amounts in leafy greens like spinach and in beetroot — the poster child of nitrate talk. After you eat nitrate, your body converts it to nitrite (NO₂^-), which then helps make nitric oxide (NO). Nitric oxide is a short-lived signaling molecule that widens blood vessels and supports how your cells make energy. However, it has a very short half-life in the body — when nitric oxide is produced, it acts rapidly and is used very quickly.

But, us humans lack the right machinery to reduce nitrate to nitrite and rely on bacteria in our mouth that use an enzyme called nitrate reductase to donate an electron and a proton to do the job:

NO₃^- + e^- + H⁺ → NO₂^- + H₂O
Nitrate + an Electron + a Proton → Nitrite + Water

Because of that, using a strong alcohol-based mouthwash can disrupt this bacteria-powered pathway — fewer mouth bugs, less nitrite, and less nitric oxide after a nitrate-rich meal (see here & here). Oh NO.

Your body can also make nitric oxide from the amino acid L-arginine using nitric oxide synthase enzymes. Dietary nitrate is simply a second route to the same end product. Since nitric oxide influences blood flow and mitochondrial function, you can see why nitrate or beetroot keeps popping up in sports performance chats. But nitrate’s also a classic PubMed rabbit hole where you can cherry-pick a paper to “prove” either side, so...

What is the scientific evidence on nitrate and beetroot’s impact on athletic performance?

RightArrow Nitrate and beetroot juice are generally safe, but some people get stomach issues. Beetroot can also turn urine red or purple — called beeturia — which is harmless but mildly alarming the first time (see here).

Effects on Strength and power:
RightArrow A single pre-exercise dose of beetroot juice can increase maximal sprint power and maximal force during all-out contractions (small effect sizeAn effect size is a quantitative measure of the magnitude of a relationship or difference between groups in a study. Unlike p-values, effect sizes show how large or meaningful that effect is. Common effect size measures include Cohen’s d, Hedges’ g, eta-squared, and correlation coefficients.). But, taking it for several days may shrink that effect to basically nothing.

RightArrow A single dose can also increase muscular endurance in isolated muscle tests (isokinetic contractions) taken to failure (small effect).

RightArrow These short-term power and endurance benefits may carry over to weightlifting performance (see here), but only a few studies have tested that so far.

Effects on Endurance:
RightArrow Short-term nitrate use can lower oxygen cost during exercise without changing your average power output. That suggests a small bump in exercise economyThe rate of energy expenditure (measured in kiloJoules [KJ], kilocalories [kcal] or oxygen consumption [V̇O₂]) per kilogram body mass (kg) per unit of distance i.e. per 1 kilometer traveled. A runner with a lower energy cost per kilometer has a higher economy than a runner with a higher energy cost. or efficiency. Promising — but keep reading.

RightArrow When all endurance tests are pooled, the average effect on performance is tiny and the results vary a lot across studies. If we split by test type, nitrate tends to help time-to-exhaustion tasks (exercise capacity at fixed intensity until fatigue) a little, but it doesn’t move the needle in time-trials (time to complete a distance). It also doesn’t seem to help repeated high-intensity efforts during longer endurance sessions or in high-intensity interval or sprint-interval formats.

RightArrow Studies using nitrate-rich foods like beetroot, red spinach, Swiss chard, or rhubarb report similar patterns — no clear effect on time trials or time-to-exhaustion when dosed once or over the longer term.

RightArrow Bottom line so far: nitrate can improve running economy and endurance capacity (exercise until you can’t) at lower intensities, but it does not reliably improve time-trial results (go this distance as fast as possible).

All that said, are some important nuances:

RightArrow Most studies test people when they’re fresh. We don’t know if the same effects hold when you’re already fatigued — for example, after a hard session, then testing again.

RightArrow The best dose, how many days to take it, and the best timing before exercise aren’t nailed down yet — more good studies needed.

RightArrow Taking nitrate regularly during a training block doesn’t seem to improve long-term training outcomes compared to training alone (see Hogwood et al. 2023). That said, current studies are small and inconsistent, so confidence is limited.

RightArrow Meta-analysesA meta-analysis quantifies the overall effect size of a treatment by compiling effect sizes from all known studies of that treatment. show that training status matters (here, here, and here). The most reliable benefits show up in recreational athletes. In highly trained folks (especially with V̇O₂max around 65 mL/kg/min or higher), the performance boost is mostly absent. The good news: nitrate doesn’t seem to make performance worse.

RightArrow Females are underrepresented in this research area. A meta-analysis of 9 randomised controlled trialsThe “gold standard” approach for determining whether a treatment has a causal effect on an outcome of interest. In such a study, a sample of people representing the population of interest is randomised to receive the treatment or a no-treatment placebo (control), and the outcome of interest is measured before and after exposure to the treatment and control. in females (Meng et al.) reported a benefit for peak power but not for muscle strength or sprint performance. More trials in females are needed before we can be confident.

RightArrow Across systematic reviewsA systematic review answers a specific research question by systematically collating all known experimental evidence, which is collected according to pre-specified eligibility criteria. A systematic review helps inform decisions, guidelines, and policy. and meta-analyses, exercise tests, doses, product types, dosing strategies, and durations vary a lot. Reporting quality also varies, which raises the risk of biasRisk of bias in a meta-analysis refers to the potential for systematic errors in the studies included in the analysis. Such errors can lead to misleading/invalid results and unreliable conclusions. This can arise because of issues with the way participants are selected (randomisation), how data is collected and analysed, and how the results are reported.. So, any concrete conclusion needs a pinch of caution.

RightArrow If you choose to use nitrate/beetroot, a reasonable dose is:

300 to 600 milligrams taken about 2 to 3 hours before exercise. Note: this reflects doses commonly used in research.

You can get that from sodium nitrate, beetroot extract, or beetroot juice.

Taking more doesn’t necessarily mean a bigger effect. Taking more can also increase gastrointestinal issues.

The verdict:

Can nitrate and beetroot enhance athletic performance?

Taking a nitrate or beetroot supplement before exercise is likely to improve performance during muscular endurance, power, and speed-based events in trained athletes and untrained folks.

The effect sizeAn effect size is a standardized measure of the magnitude of an effect of an intervention. Unlike p-values, effect sizes show how large the effect is and indicate how meaningful it might be. Common effect size measures include standardised mean difference (SMD), Cohen’s d, Hedges’ g, eta-squared, and correlation coefficients. is small.

Taking a nitrate or beetroot supplement before exercise is also likely to improve endurance exercise capacity (time-to-exhaustion) with a small effect size, but is unlikely to improve endurance time trial performance. Importantly, the benefit to exercise capacity is typically only evident in recreational level athletes, and the endurance-enhancing effect appears to be blunted in highly-trained endurance athletes.

Effects appear to be similar between males and females. That said, one meta-analysis found benefits in females on peak power, but not muscle strength or sprint performance. However, further research is needed in females because they are underrepresented among studies in this field.

Keep in mind: because there is moderate heterogeneityHeterogeneity shows how much the results in different studies in a meta-analysis vary from each other. It is measured as the percentage of variation (the I² value). A rule of thumb: if I² is roughly 25%, that indicates low heterogeneity (good), 50% is moderate, and 75% indicates high heterogeneity (bad). High heterogeneity means there’s more variability in effects between studies and, therefore, a less precise overall effect estimate. (variability) in effects between studies, moderate risk of biasRisk of bias in a meta-analysis refers to the potential for systematic errors in the studies included in the analysis. Such errors can lead to misleading/invalid results, and unreliable conclusions. ratings, and evidence for publication biasPublication bias in meta-analysis occurs when studies with significant results are more likely to be published than those with non-significant findings, leading to distorted conclusions. This bias can inflate effect sizes and misrepresent the true effectiveness of interventions, making it crucial to identify and correct for it in research., additional high-quality randomised controlled trialsThe “gold standard” approach for determining whether a treatment has a causal effect on an outcome of interest. In such a study, a sample of people representing the population of interest is randomised to receive the treatment or a no-treatment placebo (control), and the outcome of interest is measured before and after exposure to the treatment and control. are needed to increase the certaintyCertainty of evidence tells us how confident we are that the results reflect the true effect. It’s based on factors like study design, risk of bias, consistency, directness, and precision. High certainty means strong, consistent research. Low certainty means more doubt and less confidence, and that new studies could easily change the conclusions. (confidence) in the overall effect sizes reported in meta-analysesA meta-analysis quantifies the overall effect size of a treatment by compiling effect sizes from all known studies of that treatment..

The nice part: nitrate/beetroot doesn't appear to hurt recovery or performance. So, if you like it and believe it works for you, give it a whirl. But, remember that time and money spent trying to improve your performance with something that has no obvious benefit might be better spent optimising your training load, sleep habits, and dietary/nutritional choices.

To minimise the risk of consuming a supplement that contains prohibited substances, only choose products that have been independently tested (e.g., Informed Sport). And, remember: Supplements do not make athletes and do not replace training; they're just the icing on a very well-baked cake. Before reaching for pills and potions, optimise your training load and dial in your sleep, nutrition, and rest.

How to use this: If you want to experiment, start with 300 to 600 milligrams of nitrate from sodium nitrate, beetroot extract, or beetroot juice taken 2 to 3 hours before key sessions or races. Try it first in training to check your gut, skip strong antiseptic mouthwash on those days, and don’t expect miracles — aim for small wins.

Nitrate for runners, OCR, and endurance athletes from Thomas Solomon — The chemical structure of nitrate

Strengthen the fight for clean sport

double right arrow Remember: You are the only person responsible for what goes in your body! Ignorance is not an excuse! Stay educated. Be informed.
Consult WADA’s prohibited list, cross-check your meds against the Global DRO drug reference list, and only choose supplements that have been tested by an independent body (e.g., Informed Sport or LabDoor).

Information you can trust. All content on Veohtu is meticulously researched and written by Thomas Solomon, PhD. He does not sell supplements, recovery products, or ad space, and he has no sponsorships, brand affiliations, or ambassador roles. Everything you read reflects his independent views, shaped solely by peer-reviewed scientific evidence — and that will never change.

Full list of meta-analyses examining nitrate and beetroot for performance.

Here are the meta-analyses I've summarised above:

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Who is Thomas Solomon?

My knowledge has been honed following 20+ years of running, cycling, hiking, cross-country skiing, lifting, and climbing, 15+ years of academic research at world-leading universities and hospitals, and 10+ years advising and coaching in athletic performance and lifestyle change.

I have a BSc in Biochemistry, a PhD in Exercise Science, and over 90 peer-reviewed publications in medical journals.

I'm also an ACSM-certified Exercise Physiologist (ACSM-EP), an ACSM-certified Personal Trainer (ACSM-CPT), a VDOT-certified Distance Running Coach, and a UKVRN Registered Nutritionist (RNutr).

Since 2002, I’ve conducted biomedical research in exercise and nutrition and have taught and led university courses in exercise physiology, nutrition, biochemistry, and molecular medicine.

And, with my personal experience of competing on the track (800m to 10,000m), the road (5 k to marathon), on the trails, and in the mountains, by foot, bicycle, cross-country ski, and during obstacle course races (OCR), I deeply understand what it's like to train and compete — I've been there, done it, and gotten sweat, mud, and tears on my t-shirt.

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Disclaimer: I occasionally mention brands and products, but it is important to know that I don't sell recovery products, supplements, or ad space, and I'm not affiliated with / sponsored by / an ambassador for / receiving advertisement royalties from any brands. I have conducted biomedical research for which I’ve received research money from publicly-funded national research councils and medical charities, and also from private companies, including Novo Nordisk Foundation, AstraZeneca, Amylin, the A.P. Møller Foundation, and the Augustinus Foundation. I’ve also consulted for Boost Treadmills and Gu Energy on R&D grant applications, and I provide research and scientific writing services for Examine.com. Some of my articles contain links to information provided by Examine.com but I do not receive any royalties or bonuses from those links. Importantly, none of the companies described above have had any control over the research design, data analysis, or publication outcomes of my work. I research and write my content using state-of-the-art, consensus, peer reviewed, and published scientific evidence combined with my empirical evidence observed in practice and feedback from athletes. My advice is, and always will be, based on my own views and opinions shaped by the scientific evidence available. The information I provide is not medical advice. Before making any changes to your habits of daily living based on any information I provide, always ensure it is safe for you to do so and consult your doctor if you are unsure.