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A 2026 review combining 33 studies and 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 in Fit&Well said study doses and timing matter; the findings do not mean every beet drink will provide an effect.
A 2026 review of 33 studies involving 519 professional and amateur athletes found that beet juice was linked to modest improvements in aerobic capacity and somewhat larger, but still modest, improvements in high-intensity performance and power output. The findings suggest beet juice may support some aspects of exercise performance, but the effect depends on nitrate dose and timing, according to the review and dietitian Theresa Gentile, as quoted by Fit&Well.
The review pooled research across different sports and athlete groups. Its findings were not limited to endurance: the authors reported a modest improvement in aerobic capacity and somewhat larger improvements in anaerobic performance and power. Fit&Well said the results were consistent across the studies, though the report did not provide study-by-study effect sizes or describe the review’s methods in detail.
Gentile, a registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told Fit&Well that beet juice contains dietary nitrate, which the body converts into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide widens blood vessels and may improve blood flow and muscle oxygen use, she said. Those processes may help muscles work more efficiently or delay fatigue, but they are a proposed explanation for performance effects, not a guarantee of an individual result.
For amounts, Gentile said research commonly uses 5–9 millimoles of nitrate, or about 300–600 milligrams. She also cited evidence that 8.3–16.4 millimoles, or about 515–1,017 milligrams, may produce greater benefits. These are research dose ranges, not a universal personal prescription: nitrate levels can vary among products, and ordinary beet juice may not match the amount used in studies. Gentile said many sports-specific shots provide a standardized dose, while grocery-store shots can vary widely.
On timing, Gentile told Fit&Well that research generally suggests taking beet juice two to three hours before exercise, when nitric oxide levels are expected to be near their peak. Some studies have also reported benefits from daily use for at least three days before an event, she said, although an acute dose before exercise was described as the more practical and consistently effective approach in the report.
What the Results Mean for Workouts
The review matters because it brings together findings on several kinds of athletic performance rather than focusing only on endurance. Its reported effect on power and high-intensity exercise could be relevant to people whose activity includes short, demanding efforts, while the aerobic-capacity finding may interest runners, cyclists and other endurance participants. The reported benefits are modest, so beet juice should not be presented as a substitute for training or as a guaranteed performance enhancer.
The dose issue also limits how easily readers can apply the research. A bottle labeled beet juice does not necessarily supply the nitrate amounts used in studies. Product content varies, and the supplied report does not establish that a particular brand or serving will reproduce the review’s results. Readers considering concentrated shots should check product information and seek professional guidance if they have a health condition or concerns about supplements.
Gentile also said nitrate-rich foods may support blood-vessel function and modestly lower blood pressure, particularly among people with hypertension. That is a separate potential benefit, and she said more research is needed on long-term dosing and whether supplementation adds benefits beyond a healthy, vegetable-rich diet. The exercise review, as described, does not settle those broader questions.
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How Nitrate Fits the Evidence
Beets are one source of dietary nitrate, alongside vegetables such as arugula and spinach. The body converts dietary nitrate into nitric oxide, a molecule involved in blood-vessel widening and blood flow. Researchers have examined whether this pathway can influence how the body supplies and uses oxygen during exercise.
Fit&Well’s report describes the review as covering 33 studies and 519 athletes, including professional and amateur participants across a range of sports. It distinguishes aerobic activity, such as steady running or swimming, from anaerobic efforts such as sprinting. The reported effects were modest for aerobic capacity and somewhat larger, but still modest, for high-intensity performance and power.
The article also notes that beetroot’s social-media popularity is not evidence of efficacy. The review is the news development: a pooled assessment that, according to the report, found consistent results across included studies. The source material does not identify the review’s authors, journal, exact publication date, or detailed statistical estimates, so those details cannot be independently assessed from the information provided here.
“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 of the Beet Juice Findings
The supplied report does not give the review’s full citation, search methods, exact effect sizes, or results for individual sports and athlete groups. Without those details, readers cannot tell how large the observed changes were in practical terms or how the researchers handled differences among studies. The claim that findings were consistent is reported by Fit&Well, but the source material does not provide the underlying analysis.
It is also unclear which people are most likely to benefit, whether the reported effect applies equally to recreational and professional athletes, and how results vary by product, dose, or exercise type. The report says ordinary juice can have variable nitrate content; a serving size alone does not show whether it matches a study dose. No specific beet product is established here as effective.
Long-term use is another open question. Gentile said evidence is still needed on the optimal ongoing dose and whether routine supplementation adds anything beyond a vegetable-rich diet. The report does not establish that beet juice prevents or treats a health condition. People with medical conditions or taking medication should discuss concentrated products with a qualified health professional before use.
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What Further Research Needs to Show
The next useful step is access to the review’s full publication, including its methods, statistical results and assessment of study quality. Those details would help readers and clinicians judge the size and reliability of the reported changes, and identify whether particular sports or athlete groups respond differently.
Further studies could clarify which nitrate dose works best, how product formulations affect results, and whether repeated use offers advantages over a single pre-exercise serving. Longer-term research could also test the cardiovascular questions raised by Gentile, including whether beet products offer benefits beyond eating nitrate-rich vegetables. Until then, the evidence described by Fit&Well supports a possible modest performance effect, not a guaranteed outcome.
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Key Questions
What did the 2026 review find about beet juice and exercise?
As reported by Fit&Well, a review of 33 studies involving 519 athletes found modest improvements in aerobic capacity and somewhat larger, though still modest, improvements in high-intensity performance and power output.
How much beet juice did studies use?
Dietitian Theresa Gentile told Fit&Well that research commonly uses 5–9 millimoles of nitrate (about 300–600 milligrams). Some evidence cited in the report points to 8.3–16.4 millimoles (515–1,017 milligrams). Nitrate content varies by product, so a standard serving of juice may not supply those amounts.
When should someone take beet juice before a workout?
Gentile said research generally suggests taking it two to three hours before exercise. Some studies have also examined daily intake for at least three days before an event, but the report describes a pre-exercise dose as the more practical and consistently effective strategy.
Will beet juice improve everyone’s workout?
No such guarantee is established. The review reported modest average benefits, and the source material does not show which individuals or sports benefit most. Product nitrate levels, dose and exercise type may affect results.
Are there known long-term benefits from taking beet shots?
Gentile said more research is needed on long-term dosing and whether routine beet juice supplementation provides benefits beyond a healthy, vegetable-rich diet. People with health conditions or medication-related concerns should consult a qualified health professional before using concentrated products.
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