Beetroot Juice for Runners: The Evidence in 2026
Dietary nitrates from beetroot juice have genuine research support for endurance performance improvement. We examine what the evidence actually shows, the optimal dose and timing for Australian runners and the best products available locally.
Dietary nitrates from beetroot juice have genuine research support for improving endurance performance. That puts beetroot in a very small club: alongside caffeine, it is one of the few supplements the Australian Institute of Sport rates in its top evidence category for performance. Yet it is also surrounded by hype, confusion about dosing and plenty of runners drinking supermarket beetroot juice that contains a fraction of the nitrate needed to make any difference.
This guide examines what the evidence actually shows, who benefits most, the optimal dose and timing, the mistakes that cancel out the effect, and the best nitrate products available to Australian runners.
How Beetroot Juice Works
Beetroot is naturally high in inorganic nitrate (NOββ»). The pathway from juice to performance is surprisingly indirect:
- You drink nitrate-rich juice; nitrate is absorbed into the bloodstream
- About a quarter of it is concentrated in your saliva
- Bacteria on your tongue convert nitrate to nitrite
- You swallow the nitrite, which is absorbed and converted into nitric oxide (NO) in the body β particularly in low-oxygen conditions such as working muscle
Nitric oxide widens blood vessels, improves blood flow and, most importantly, appears to make muscle contraction and mitochondrial energy production more efficient. Studies have repeatedly found that nitrate supplementation can reduce the oxygen cost of submaximal exercise by around 3β5%. In plain terms: the same running pace costs slightly less energy.
What the Evidence Shows
Since the first major studies around 2007β2009, there have been well over a hundred trials on nitrate supplementation and exercise. The overall findings are:
- Improved exercise economy: consistently reduced oxygen cost at a given intensity
- Improved time to exhaustion: often by a substantial margin in lab tests
- Modest time-trial improvements: typically around 1β3% in events lasting a few minutes to around 40 minutes in many studies
- Benefits in high-intensity, intermittent exercise β relevant to intervals, hilly courses and surges
- Potential benefits at altitude, where oxygen availability is reduced
Who Benefits Most?
This is the most important nuance. The effect is larger in recreational and moderately trained runners than in elite athletes. Highly trained endurance athletes often have elevated natural nitric oxide availability and more efficient muscle, leaving less room for improvement. Some studies in elite runners and cyclists show little or no benefit.
For the average Australian parkrunner, half marathoner or marathoner, that is good news β you are in the group most likely to respond. However, there is significant individual variation; some people respond strongly and others barely at all.
What About Marathons?
Evidence for very long events (2+ hours) is less consistent than for shorter efforts. Benefits in exercise economy should theoretically help marathon runners, but fewer studies have tested performance over marathon durations, and results are mixed. Nitrates may be most useful for 5km to half marathon racing, and for key interval sessions in training.
The Optimal Dose
Effective doses in research are typically 6β8 mmol of nitrate (roughly 400β500 mg). Some evidence suggests slightly higher doses, up to around 12β13 mmol, may give additional benefit for some people, although with more chance of gut discomfort.
The challenge is that natural beetroot juice varies enormously in nitrate content depending on the variety, growing conditions and processing. A glass of standard supermarket beetroot juice might contain anywhere from a small fraction of an effective dose to close to it. This is why concentrated, standardised "shots" are the preferred option for athletes.
Timing: Acute vs Loading
Acute Dose
Blood nitrite levels peak approximately 2β3 hours after ingestion. For a race starting at 7am, that means taking your dose at around 4β5am β admittedly inconvenient. Some runners take it on waking, then return to bed briefly or eat breakfast.
Loading Protocol
Taking nitrate daily for 3β7 days before a race, plus a dose on race morning, appears to deliver more reliable effects than a single dose β and may produce benefits even in some athletes who do not respond to a single acute dose. A common protocol is one concentrated shot daily for 5 days, with the final shot 2β3 hours before the start.
The Mistakes That Cancel Out the Benefit
Antibacterial Mouthwash
Because the conversion of nitrate to nitrite relies on bacteria on the tongue, antibacterial mouthwash can dramatically reduce the effect. Studies show that using antiseptic mouthwash largely wipes out the increase in plasma nitrite. Avoid it during your loading period and on race day.
Spitting
Spitting out saliva in the hours after taking nitrates also reduces the amount of nitrite that reaches your bloodstream. Easier said than done for some runners, but worth knowing.
Wrong Timing
Taking nitrates immediately before the start means you will race before levels peak.
Under-Dosing
One glass of a diluted beetroot drink rarely contains enough nitrate. Check labels for mmol or mg of nitrate rather than relying on "beetroot" on the packaging.
Best Nitrate Sources for Australian Runners
Beet It Sport Nitrate 400 Shot
The most widely used and researched product, used in many published studies. Each 70 ml shot contains around 400 mg (approximately 6.4 mmol) of nitrate. It is available from Australian sports nutrition retailers and online. The taste is earthy and strong β most runners just knock it back quickly. Read our Beet It Nitrate 400 review for detailed thoughts.
Beetroot Powders and Crystals
Concentrated beetroot powders are convenient to carry and mix, but nitrate content varies widely between brands and many do not state it clearly. Choose products that list nitrate content per serve.
Nitrate-Rich Vegetables
You can increase nitrate intake with food, although reaching a performance dose through vegetables alone takes large serves. Nitrate-rich options include:
- Rocket (arugula) β one of the richest sources
- Spinach
- Beetroot (whole or juiced)
- Celery
- Lettuce, silverbeet and Chinese cabbage
A large rocket and spinach salad daily supports your overall nitrate intake and general health, even if it will not quite match a concentrated shot.
Beetroot and Caffeine Together
Caffeine and nitrates work through completely different mechanisms β caffeine primarily reduces perceived effort, while nitrates improve muscle efficiency. Studies combining them have produced mixed results, with some finding no additional benefit over either alone. They do not appear to interfere with each other in a harmful way, so many runners use both. Our beetroot vs caffeine comparison and our running and caffeine guide go into more detail.
Side Effects and Safety
Beetroot juice is generally safe for healthy adults at sports doses, but there are a few things to know:
- Beeturia: pink or red urine and stools. This is harmless, but can be alarming if you are not expecting it
- Gastrointestinal discomfort: some runners experience bloating or upset stomach, especially at higher doses. Test in training
- Lower blood pressure: nitrates modestly lower blood pressure. Anyone taking blood pressure medication, nitrate heart medications or erectile dysfunction drugs should consult their doctor before supplementing
- Kidney stones: beetroot is high in oxalates. Runners with a history of oxalate kidney stones should talk to their GP first
The nitrates in vegetables are not the same concern as nitrites added to processed meats, which are linked to the formation of harmful compounds. Vegetable nitrate comes packaged with vitamin C and polyphenols, which help limit those reactions.
How to Use Beetroot Juice: A Practical Protocol
- Test in training first: take one shot 2.5 hours before a key interval session to check gut tolerance
- Loading phase: one shot (~6β8 mmol nitrate) daily for 5 days before your race
- Race morning: a final shot 2β3 hours before the start
- Avoid antibacterial mouthwash throughout and minimise spitting
- Keep your normal routine otherwise β nitrates work alongside, not instead of, good fuelling
- Log your results β note splits, perceived effort and any gut issues so you can judge whether you are a responder
Nitrates and Hot Weather Running
Australian runners spend much of the year training and racing in warm conditions, so it is natural to ask whether nitrates help in the heat. The research is limited and mixed. Because nitric oxide affects blood flow and blood vessel dilation, some researchers have theorised it could help with heat dissipation, while others have suggested the extra demands on blood flow in the heat may blunt the benefit. At this stage there is no strong evidence either way. The practical advice is simple: if you plan to use nitrates in a hot race, test your protocol during warm training sessions first, and do not let nitrate supplementation distract from the hydration and pacing adjustments that matter far more in the heat.
Is It Worth the Cost?
Concentrated nitrate shots typically cost a few dollars each in Australia. A full 5-day loading protocol plus race-day shot might cost around $15β$25 per race. Compared with carbon-plated racing shoes, which can cost $300 or more, that is a relatively inexpensive way to chase a potential performance gain. For runners on a budget, eating plenty of rocket, spinach and beetroot in the days before a race is a cheaper, if less precise, alternative.
Where nitrates probably are not worth it is for easy runs, recovery runs or casual events. Save them for races and the occasional key session where a small gain matters to you.
Combining Nitrates With the Rest of Your Race Plan
Nitrates work best as one part of a complete race preparation, not a replacement for any of it. A good race-week plan for a half marathon might include a training taper, moderate carbohydrate loading in the final 24 hours, a 5-day nitrate loading protocol, a familiar breakfast 2β3 hours before the start alongside your final nitrate shot, and a small caffeine dose 45β60 minutes before the gun. Each element contributes a little; together they add up. For more on the fuelling side, see our carbohydrate loading guide and our article on nutrition during long runs.
Using Nitrates in Training
Some runners use nitrates before key sessions, such as interval workouts, to train at slightly higher quality. Others prefer to save nitrates for races. There is some research suggesting regular nitrate intake during training may enhance training adaptations, but the evidence is still developing. For most recreational runners, using nitrates before races and the occasional key workout is a sensible approach.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does beetroot juice from the supermarket work?
It may, but nitrate content is unstandardised and often lower than research doses. You would need to drink a large volume to be confident. Concentrated shots are more reliable.
Can I take beetroot juice every day?
For most healthy adults, daily intake during a loading phase is fine. Long-term daily use is likely safe but discuss it with your GP if you have any blood pressure or kidney concerns.
Will beetroot help me run a faster marathon?
Possibly, particularly if you are a recreational runner. The strongest evidence is for shorter efforts, but improved running economy could help over longer distances too.
Does cooking beetroot destroy the nitrate?
Boiling can leach some nitrate into the cooking water, reducing the amount in the beetroot itself. Roasting retains more. Either way, whole cooked beetroot rarely delivers a full performance dose, so treat it as part of a healthy diet rather than a race-day supplement.
Is beetroot juice banned in sport?
No. Dietary nitrate is a food-derived supplement and is not on the World Anti-Doping Agency's prohibited list. As always, choose products that are batch-tested if you compete in drug-tested events.
The Bottom Line
Beetroot juice is one of the few supplements with genuine, repeated scientific evidence of improving endurance performance β particularly for recreational and moderately trained runners in events lasting up to about 40 minutes, and possibly longer. Use a standardised concentrated product delivering 6β8 mmol of nitrate, take it 2β3 hours before you race, consider a 3β7 day loading phase, and avoid antibacterial mouthwash. Expect a small but real improvement rather than a miracle β and always test it in training before race day.
This article is general information only and is not medical advice. Speak with your GP or an Accredited Sports Dietitian before starting any new supplement, especially if you take medication for blood pressure or heart conditions.
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