Beetroot Dosage: Amounts Used in Human Studies

Quick Answer: Beetroot Dosage in Human Studies

Searching for beetroot dosage tends to produce a muddle: a 250 mL glass in one trial, a 70 mL shot in another, a spoonful of powder on a product label. These amounts are not interchangeable. In published human studies, the most consistent findings come from beetroot juice supplying roughly 6 to 13 mmol of nitrate (about 380–800 mg), taken once daily in blood pressure trials or as a single dose 2–3 hours before exercise.

Those figures describe what researchers tested. They are not established safe or effective limits, and this review found no official dose recommendation for the general public.

Medical disclaimer: This article summarises published research for information only. It is not medical advice and does not prescribe a dose. If you have a health condition, take medicines or are pregnant, speak with a doctor, pharmacist or registered dietitian before using beetroot products.

• Blood pressure trials: 70–250 mL of juice daily, delivering about 6.2–12.8 mmol nitrate, for 3 to 60 days.
• Exercise trials: single doses of roughly 4–17 mmol nitrate (70–500 mL of juice), or 6-day daily courses.
• Best unit for comparison: nitrate content, not millilitres or grams.
• Evidence quality: mostly small, short trials with mixed results.

Sources for every figure are numbered in brackets and listed under References.

Beetroot Dosage Depends on Form: Juice, Powder and Extract

Dosing discussions mix up three different quantities: the amount of beetroot material (mL of juice, grams of powder), the amount of any extract, and the amount of nitrate delivered. Most trials were designed around nitrate, so it is the only measure that lets you compare forms. Treating the other two as equivalents is a common error.

• Beetroot juice. This is where most evidence sits. Trials used 250 mL (about 6.4 mmol nitrate in one hypertension trial) or 500 mL (about 6.2 mmol in exercise trials) [1,3,4]. That is roughly 2.6 versus 1.2 mmol per 100 mL, so a larger glass is not necessarily a larger nitrate dose.
• Concentrated juice (shots). Researchers used 70–280 mL of concentrate containing 4.2–16.8 mmol nitrate [5]. Volume tracks nitrate only within a single product.
• Food-based forms. One trial summarised in a 2022 review used a 60 g cereal bar made with beetroot juice (9.5 mmol nitrate) for three weeks [10].
• Powder and capsules. I did not find published trials of beetroot powder with verified dose and nitrate figures, so no powder dose can be called research-backed here. Grams of powder do not reveal nitrate content.

Most trials also used a nitrate-depleted juice as placebo. In one six-day trial, only the nitrate-rich juice lowered systolic pressure and exercise oxygen cost, pointing to nitrate as the active ingredient [3]. A meta-analysis suggests other beetroot compounds may contribute too, though that remains a hypothesis [9].

Human Studies Dosage Table: Beetroot Juice Dose and Nitrate Content

Nitrate was converted to milligrams using 1 mmol = 62 mg (calculated, not reported by the studies). Numbers in brackets match the reference list.

Dose and nitrate figures for [11]–[14] come from the table in a 2022 review [10]. The Wylie 2016 entry is from a summary page and its journal details were not verified.

Beetroot Dosage by Outcome: Blood Pressure, Exercise and Vascular Measures

Blood pressure. A 2013 meta-analysis of 16 trials (254 participants) found nitrate or beetroot juice lowered systolic pressure by about 4.4 mmHg, with a smaller, non-significant diastolic change, and linked higher daily nitrate to larger systolic falls [8]. A 2017 meta-analysis of 22 trials found larger juice volumes tracked with bigger effects, yet higher nitrate concentration did not, hinting at non-nitrate contributors [9]. In people with hypertension, a 2022 review of seven trials (218 participants; 70–250 mL for 3–60 days) reported a systolic fall of about 4.95 mmHg and no clear diastolic change, with clinic readings improving more than 24-hour readings [10]. Results are not uniform: trials in treated hypertension [13], type 2 diabetes [14] and healthy adults aged 60–75 [15] found no 24-hour or resting effect.

Exercise performance. Typical protocols used about 6–8 mmol nitrate. A 500 mL dose improved cycling trials in club cyclists [4], while a 140 mL concentrate did not help well-trained cyclists in a single-dose trial [7] yet helped after six days [6]. Dose-response work found no change from 4.2 mmol and no extra benefit from 16.8 over 8.4 mmol [5]. Training status, protocol and dose pattern all appear to matter.

Cardiovascular-related measures. Alongside blood pressure, the four-week hypertension trial reported improved vascular function and reduced arterial stiffness [1]. Plasma nitrite, a marker of nitrate uptake, rose in proportion to dose [5]. These secondary measures have been studied far less than blood pressure, and one trial in older adults found no change in cardiac or inflammatory measures after seven days [15].

Extract Standardization and Nitrate Content: Why Doses Are Not Interchangeable

Studies that look similar on paper often delivered different nitrate. A 140 mL concentrate supplied about 6.2 mmol in one trial [13], 8.7 mmol in another [7] and 12.8 mmol in a third [12]: a twofold spread at the same volume. Likewise 250 mL held about 6.4 mmol in one trial [1] and 7.5 mmol in another [14].

Nitrate concentration varies with how beetroot is grown, processed and stored, and nitrate levels across vegetables differ enormously [18]. A label showing only serving weight therefore cannot tell you the nitrate dose. In this article, "standardized" means the product states its nitrate per serving. An extract standardized to betalains or polyphenols may deliver little nitrate and cannot be compared with the trials above.

Preparation also affects interpretation. Nitrate-depleted placebos were created by removing nitrate, so betalains and other compounds remained [3]. And because oral bacteria are involved in turning nitrate into active nitrite [19], antibacterial mouthwash or antibiotics are a recognised confounder; the 2022 review flagged two trials for not controlling them [10].

How Often Beetroot Was Taken in Studies

Multi-day trials almost always used once-daily dosing [1,2,3,6,11–14]. Acute exercise studies used a single dose before testing [4,5,7]. One 34-person trial tested daily doses of 3 or 6 mmol nitrate for up to 30 days and found that, at 6 mmol, the drop in exercise oxygen cost was similar with or without an extra dose on test day [16].

Study Duration: From a Single Dose to 60 Days

Durations ranged from a single acute dose to 3 days (a trial summarised in [10]), 6 days [3,6], 7 days [12,13,15], 15 days [2], 2 weeks [14], 4 weeks [1], and 30 to 60 days [11]. In the 15-day study, lower blood pressure and oxygen cost persisted for the whole period [2]. In the four-week trial, the effect was not maintained after the two-week washout [1]. The 2022 review's authors noted that trials longer than 60 days are still needed [10].

Minimum and Maximum Beetroot Amounts Studied

Among the trials above, the smallest nitrate doses were 3 mmol (~186 mg) daily [16] and 4.2 mmol (~260 mg) as a single dose, which did not change exercise responses [5]. The smallest volume in blood pressure trials was 70 mL daily [11]. The largest were 16.8 mmol (~1,042 mg) as a single dose [5], 12.8 mmol (~794 mg) daily for a week [12], and 0.5 L of juice daily for up to 15 days [2]. The longest course was 60 days [11].

These are study ranges from the trials located for this article, not a systematic search. They are not minimum effective or maximum safe amounts.

Food and Timing: When Beetroot Was Taken Before Exercise

Acute trials typically gave beetroot 2.5 hours before testing [4,5,7]. Plasma nitrite peaked about 2–3 hours after ingestion [5], which is the rationale. The Australian Institute of Sport's fact sheet likewise describes 6–8 mmol (about 350–500 mg) taken 2–3 hours before exercise [21]. One trial gave the concentrate with breakfast [7]; none of the studies reviewed here compared eating with fasting. For daily blood pressure trials, only two of seven in the 2022 review reported time of day, so no timing advice can be drawn [10].

Label Dose vs Research Dose: Beetroot Powder and Juice Products

A research preparation is a specific juice with a measured nitrate content, often with a matched placebo. A commercial product may share the name but not the chemistry. Labels may give serving size in grams or millilitres; unless nitrate is declared, you cannot map a serving onto the trials. Beetroot powder deserves particular caution because no verified powder trial was found to anchor a comparison. Even with a stated nitrate figure, a product reproduces the nitrate amount, not the study's full preparation.

When comparing products, look for nitrate per serving in mg or mmol and convert using 62 mg per mmol. A label figure near 6–8 mmol (about 370–500 mg) would match the amount used in many exercise trials, while a product delivering far less is not comparable.

Safety Considerations and When to Seek Medical Advice

Beetroot is a food, and the trials above reported few problems, but safety data are thinner than efficacy data. A 2021 systematic review cautions that drinking beetroot juice can easily push nitrate intake above the acceptable daily intake and may encourage formation of N-nitroso compounds, and it calls for more safety research [17]. The EU acceptable daily intake for nitrate is 3.7 mg per kg of body weight (222 mg for a 60 kg adult), a lifelong reference that many study doses exceed [18]. Most trials lasted days to weeks, and long-term effects beyond 60 days are unknown [10].

• Beeturia. Pink or red urine and stools are a commonly reported, harmless effect of beetroot pigments.
• Low blood pressure. Because beetroot lowered blood pressure in studies, people with low readings or those taking blood pressure medicines should ask a clinician first.
• Nitrate medicines. Combining PDE-5 inhibitors with prescription organic nitrates is a recognised cause of low blood pressure [20]. Whether dietary nitrate adds to this was not established in the sources reviewed, so ask a pharmacist.
• Kidney stones. Beetroot is commonly described as a higher-oxalate food; this was not assessed in the trials above. Anyone with oxalate stones or kidney disease should seek advice.
• Pregnancy, children and older adults. Dosing evidence in these groups was not covered here.

Practical next steps: check whether a product states nitrate content, bring the label to your doctor or pharmacist if you take medicines, and do not use beetroot to replace prescribed treatment.

Beetroot Dosage FAQ

How much beetroot juice was used in human studies? Blood pressure trials used 70–250 mL daily; exercise trials used 70–500 mL, delivering about 4–17 mmol nitrate [1,5,10].

Is it safe to take beetroot every day? Trials lasting days to 60 days reported few problems, but long-term safety is unstudied and some doses exceed the nitrate ADI [10,17,18]. Ask a clinician if unsure.

Beetroot juice or beetroot powder: which is better? Evidence favours juice because that is what was tested. Powder lacks verified trial data here, and its nitrate content cannot be inferred from weight.

What is the best time to take it? Exercise studies gave it 2–3 hours before activity [4,5,21]. No timing recommendation exists for daily blood pressure use [10].

How long was it taken? Courses ran from one dose to 60 days; in one trial, benefits faded after stopping [1,11].

Does more nitrate work better? Not necessarily: 16.8 mmol added nothing over 8.4 mmol for exercise tolerance [5].

What is the nitrate content of a serving? It varies by product, from about 1.2 to 2.6 mmol per 100 mL in the trials above, so check the label [1,4].

Can I use beetroot with blood pressure tablets? Ask your doctor or pharmacist; additive effects are possible, and results in treated hypertension were mixed [13].

References

All entries were checked against publisher, PubMed or university repository records during research. Items marked "not verified" are listed with what could be confirmed.

1. Kapil V, Khambata RS, Robertson A, Caulfield MJ, Ahluwalia A. (2015). Dietary nitrate provides sustained blood pressure lowering in hypertensive patients: a randomized, phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Hypertension 65(2):320–327. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.114.04675 · PubMed 25421976
2. Vanhatalo A, Bailey SJ, Blackwell JR, DiMenna FJ, Pavey TG, Wilkerson DP, Benjamin N, Winyard PG, Jones AM. (2010). Acute and chronic effects of dietary nitrate supplementation on blood pressure and the physiological responses to moderate-intensity and incremental exercise. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 299(4):R1121–R1131. doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00206.2010 · PubMed 20702806
3. Lansley KE, Winyard PG, Fulford J, Vanhatalo A, Bailey SJ, Blackwell JR, DiMenna FJ, Gilchrist M, Benjamin N, Jones AM. (2011). Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of walking and running: a placebo-controlled study. J Appl Physiol 110(3):591–600. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.01070.2010 · PubMed 21071588
4. Lansley KE, Winyard PG, Bailey SJ, Vanhatalo A, Wilkerson DP, Blackwell JR, Gilchrist M, Benjamin N, Jones AM. (2011). Acute dietary nitrate supplementation improves cycling time trial performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 43(6):1125–1131. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e31821597b4 · PubMed 21471821
5. Wylie LJ, Kelly J, Bailey SJ, Blackwell JR, Skiba PF, Winyard PG, Jeukendrup AE, Vanhatalo A, Jones AM. (2013). Beetroot juice and exercise: pharmacodynamic and dose-response relationships. J Appl Physiol 115(3):325–336. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00372.2013
6. Cermak NM, Gibala MJ, van Loon LJC. (2012). Nitrate supplementation's improvement of 10-km time-trial performance in trained cyclists. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 22(1):64–71. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.22.1.64 · PubMed 22248502
7. Cermak NM, Res P, Stinkens R, Lundberg JO, Gibala MJ, van Loon LJC. (2012). No improvement in endurance performance after a single dose of beetroot juice. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 22(6):470–478. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.22.6.470
8. Siervo M, Lara J, Ogbonmwan I, Mathers JC. (2013). Inorganic nitrate and beetroot juice supplementation reduces blood pressure in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Nutr 143(6):818–826. doi:10.3945/jn.112.170233
9. Bahadoran Z, Mirmiran P, Kabir A, Azizi F, Ghasemi A. (2017). The nitrate-independent blood pressure-lowering effect of beetroot juice: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Adv Nutr 8(6):830–838. doi:10.3945/an.117.016717
10. Benjamim CJR, Porto AA, Valenti VE, Sobrinho ACS, Garner DM, Gualano B, Bueno Júnior CR. (2022). Nitrate derived from beetroot juice lowers blood pressure in patients with arterial hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Nutr 9:823039. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.823039
11. Siervo M, Shannon O, Kandhari N, et al. (2020). Nitrate-rich beetroot juice reduces blood pressure in Tanzanian adults with elevated blood pressure: a double-blind randomized controlled feasibility trial. J Nutr 150:2460–2468. doi:10.1093/jn/nxaa170
12. Kerley CP, Dolan E, James PE, Cormican L. (2018). Dietary nitrate lowers ambulatory blood pressure in treated, uncontrolled hypertension: a 7-d, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial. Br J Nutr 119:658–663. doi:10.1017/S0007114518000144
13. Bondonno CP, Liu AH, Croft KD, et al. (2015). Absence of an effect of high nitrate intake from beetroot juice on blood pressure in treated hypertensive individuals: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr 102:368–375. doi:10.3945/ajcn.114.101188
14. Gilchrist M, Winyard PG, Aizawa K, Anning C, Shore A, Benjamin N. (2013). Effect of dietary nitrate on blood pressure, endothelial function, and insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes. Free Radic Biol Med 60:89–97. doi:10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2013.01.024
15. Oggioni C, Jakovljevic DG, Klonizakis M, Ashor AW, Ruddock A, Ranchordas M, Williams E, Siervo M. (2018). Dietary nitrate does not modify blood pressure and cardiac output at rest and during exercise in older adults: a randomised cross-over study. Int J Food Sci Nutr 69(1):74–83. Repository record (DOI not verified)
16. Wylie LJ, de Zevallos JO, Isidore T, Nyman L, Vanhatalo A, Bailey SJ, Jones AM. (2016). Dose-dependent effects of dietary nitrate on the oxygen cost of moderate-intensity exercise: acute vs. chronic supplementation. GSSI summary (journal and DOI not verified)
17. Zamani H, de Joode MEJR, Hossein IJ, Henckens NFT, Guggeis MA, Berends JE, de Kok TMCM, van Breda SGJ. (2021). The benefits and risks of beetroot juice consumption: a systematic review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 61(5):788–804. doi:10.1080/10408398.2020.1746629 · PubMed 32292042
18. EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain. (2008). Nitrate in vegetables: scientific opinion. EFSA Journal 689:1–79. EFSA
19. Lidder S, Webb AJ. (2013). Vascular effects of dietary nitrate (as found in green leafy vegetables and beetroot) via the nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway. Br J Clin Pharmacol 75(3):677–696. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04420.x (abstract not read; cited for the pathway only)
20. Morrisette MJ, Dunn SP. (2023). Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors and oral nitrates in male patients with ischemic heart disease. Curr Cardiol Rep 25(6):553–560. doi:10.1007/s11886-023-01873-y · PubMed 37074567
21. Australian Institute of Sport. Dietary nitrate / beetroot juice sports supplement fact sheet. AIS

PubMed pages for some entries returned access errors during research, so details for those were confirmed from publisher or university records instead.