Beetroot Benefits: What the Evidence Shows

Quick answer

Beetroot benefits, in short: Beetroot is rich in nitrate, which your body can convert into nitric oxide, a molecule that helps blood vessels relax. Supplements sell this as “fermented beetroot” powder or capsules. The important catch is that nearly all the human research is on plain beetroot juice or nitrate salts, not fermented beetroot. Those studies suggest beetroot juice may lower systolic blood pressure by a few points in people with high blood pressure, though the certainty is low [1][2], and a small average boost to exercise performance in young healthy men [4]. Results in older adults are mixed [3][5]. Evidence on fermented beetroot specifically is limited [6]. We rate the evidence C: mixed, with real but modest effects for some people.

What is beetroot?

Beetroot (the red root vegetable) contains nitrate and red-purple pigments called betalains. Fermentation uses microbes to change the beetroot’s chemistry, which may alter how much of these compounds you can absorb and may add new microbial by-products. A 2026 review said this is a promising idea, but that clinical evidence linking fermented beetroot to health outcomes is limited [6]. For that reason this page leans on research on beetroot juice and nitrate, and we flag which is which.

Beetroot benefits: what might it help with?

Possible benefit	Rating	In plain words
Blood pressure	Mixed	Beetroot juice lowered systolic (top number) blood pressure by about 5 mmHg in adults with high blood pressure, with low certainty [1]. Nitrate supplements did not significantly lower it in older adults [3]
Exercise performance	Mixed	A small average improvement in young, healthy, mostly recreationally active men. Not seen in women-only studies or well-trained endurance athletes [4]
Older adults’ health	Mixed	A review of 12 small trials found mixed results for blood pressure, thinking and fitness [5]
Fermented beetroot specifically	Early	Reviews say fermentation changes beetroot’s chemistry, but clinical evidence is limited [6]
Living longer or “slowing aging”	Early	No human trial has tested this

Ratings describe how good the research is, not a promise that it will work for you.

What the research says

• High blood pressure, beetroot juice. A 2024 meta-analysis of 11 trials (349 adults with high blood pressure) found beetroot juice lowered systolic pressure by about 5.3 mmHg compared with placebo. There was no clear effect on diastolic pressure or 24-hour readings, and the certainty of evidence was low [1]. PubMed
• Blood pressure, wider look. An earlier meta-analysis estimated average drops of about 3.6 mmHg (systolic) and 1.3 mmHg (diastolic) [2]. PubMed
• Older adults, nitrate salts. A 2026 meta-analysis of 6 trials (181 people over 50) found no significant change in blood pressure or heart rate from sodium nitrate [3]. PubMed
• Exercise. Across 80 studies in young, healthy adults, nitrate gave a small boost to exercise performance, but it was not found in women-only studies or in well-trained endurance athletes [4]. PubMed
• Older adults, review. A review of 12 small crossover trials found improvements in time to exhaustion in four, blood pressure or blood flow improved in six and not in another six, and unclear effects on thinking [5]. PubMed

Amounts and how people take it

These are amounts used in studies, not recommendations.

• Form: most research uses beetroot juice or nitrate salts. Fermented beetroot products are usually sold as powders or capsules, and the nitrate content per serving may differ between brands, so check the label.
• Amounts in trials: the blood pressure meta-analysis covered 200 to 800 mg of nitrate a day from beetroot juice [1]. Check how much nitrate (not just “beetroot”) a product provides.
• Length: we did not find long-term trials, so long-term effects are unclear.

Side effects, interactions and who should check first

Harmless color change. Eating beetroot turns urine or stools pink or red in a minority of people, about 14% in one study. This is called beeturia and is not a sign of harm [7].

Kidney stones. NHS dietary advice for people who form kidney stones lists beetroot among foods high in oxalate that should be eaten in small amounts [8].

Who should check with a doctor or pharmacist first

Check with a doctor or pharmacist first if you:

• take blood pressure medicines, or have low blood pressure. Beetroot may lower blood pressure, and we did not find trials testing beetroot or nitrate alongside these medicines, so the combination is unknown rather than ruled out
• have had kidney stones or have kidney disease
• are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive, or are under 18. We found no reliable safety data in these groups
• take any other regular medicine, since interactions are unknown rather than ruled out.

Where to buy

Look for a label that states the amount of nitrate (not just “beetroot powder”) per daily serving, evidence of third-party testing, and compare products by price per daily dose rather than pack price.

FAQ

What is beetroot good for?

Beetroot is rich in nitrate, which your body can convert into nitric oxide, a molecule that helps blood vessels relax. Nearly all the human research is on plain beetroot juice or nitrate salts, not fermented beetroot [6]. Trials suggest juice may lower systolic blood pressure by a few points in people with high blood pressure [1][2] and slightly boost exercise performance in young healthy men [4].

Does beetroot work?

Partly. In adults with high blood pressure, beetroot juice lowered systolic pressure by about 5 mmHg, with low certainty [1], but nitrate supplements did not significantly lower it in older adults [3]. Exercise gains were small and not seen in women-only studies or well-trained endurance athletes [4]. Evidence on fermented beetroot is limited [6].

How much beetroot per day?

The blood pressure meta-analysis covered 200 to 800 mg of nitrate a day from beetroot juice [1]. Fermented beetroot powders and capsules vary between brands, so check how much nitrate, not just “beetroot”, a product provides. We found no long-term trials, so long-term effects are unclear. These are amounts used in studies, not recommendations.

Who should not take beetroot supplements?

Check with a doctor or pharmacist first if you take blood pressure medicines or have low blood pressure, have had kidney stones or have kidney disease, are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to conceive or under 18, or take any other regular medicine. NHS advice for people who form kidney stones lists beetroot among high-oxalate foods to eat in small amounts [8].

Can you take beetroot with blood pressure medication?

Ask a doctor or pharmacist first. Beetroot juice lowered systolic blood pressure by about 5 mmHg in adults with high blood pressure [1], so it may lower blood pressure further if you already take medicine for it. We found no trials testing beetroot or nitrate alongside these medicines, so the combination is unknown rather than ruled out.

Related pages

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• All supplements A-Z

Talk to your doctor

This page is for general information and is not medical advice. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist before starting any supplement, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take any medicine, or have a health condition.

References

We cite only studies and official pages we checked against PubMed, the publisher or the agency’s own site. The A to E evidence grades are explained in our editorial policy. See also our medical disclaimer and affiliate disclosure.

1. Grönroos R, Eggertsen R, Bernhardsson S, Praetorius Björk M. Effects of beetroot juice on blood pressure in hypertension according to European Society of Hypertension Guidelines: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2024. PubMed · DOI
2. Bahadoran Z, Mirmiran P, Kabir A, Azizi F, et al. The Nitrate-Independent Blood Pressure-Lowering Effect of Beetroot Juice: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Adv Nutr. 2017. PubMed · DOI
3. Forster D, Waclawovsky G, Stefani GP. Effects of chronic nitrate supplementation on blood pressure in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Nutr Res. 2026. PubMed · DOI
4. Senefeld JW, Wiggins CC, Regimbal RJ, Dominelli PB, et al. Ergogenic Effect of Nitrate Supplementation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2020. PubMed · DOI
5. Stanaway L, Rutherfurd-Markwick K, Page R, Ali A. Performance and Health Benefits of Dietary Nitrate Supplementation in Older Adults: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2017. PubMed · DOI
6. Tkaczenko H, Rymuszka A, Kołodziejska R, Kurhaluk N. Fresh and Fermented Beetroot: From Microbial Biotransformation to Nitrate-Nitrite-NO Signalling, Redox Homeostasis and Microbiome Interactions. Int J Mol Sci. 2026. PubMed · DOI
7. Eastwood MA, Nyhlin H. Beeturia and colonic oxalic acid. QJM. 1995. PubMed
8. NHS York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals. Dietary Advice to Help Prevent Recurrence of Kidney Stones (patient information leaflet, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics; lists beetroot among foods high in oxalate). yorkhospitals.nhs.uk (accessed 1 November 2026)