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Cardiovascular / Performance

Beetroot extract · Beetroot Extract (Dietary Nitrate)

Concentrated dietary nitrate. Replicated blood-pressure and endurance effects — one of the few sports supplements that works.

B
Evidence grade
Human RCTs, biomarker outcomes

Short answer

One of the best-evidenced supplements for blood pressure and recreational endurance. Standardized nitrate content is everything.

Product and dose overview

Beetroot extract (Beetroot Extract (Dietary Nitrate)) is a cardiovascular / performance with evidence grade B, meaning it is supported by human RCTs. We track 0 products containing Beetroot extract. The top-ranked product scores 0 out of 10 on our composite scale (dose, evidence, price, testing, transparency). Prices range up to $0.00 per month.

Evidence grade: B Products in database: 0 Category: Cardiovascular / Performance

What it is

Concentrated red beetroot, valued for its nitrate content. Your body converts nitrate to nitric oxide, which widens blood vessels.

Why people take it

Dozens of trials show beetroot nitrate lowers blood pressure around 4-5 mmHg systolic and improves endurance efficiency by a few percent. The effect is real enough that Olympic programs use it. Benefits fade in elite athletes and when nitrate content is not standardized.

Our verdict

One of the best-evidenced supplements for blood pressure and recreational endurance. Standardized nitrate content is everything.

Structure & class

Beta vulgaris concentrate standardized for inorganic nitrate (NO3-). Reduced via oral bacteria to nitrite, then NO under low-oxygen conditions.

Mechanism & clinical data

Kapil et al. 2015 (Hypertension) RCT: 250 ml beetroot juice (~6 mmol nitrate) daily for 4 weeks reduced clinic systolic BP by ~7.7 mmHg in hypertensive patients, with sustained effect. Meta-analyses confirm ~4-5 mmHg systolic reduction and improved exercise economy at 5-9 mmol nitrate. Antibacterial mouthwash abolishes the effect — oral microbiome required.

Pharmacokinetics

Nitrite peaks 2-3 hours post-dose; daily dosing sustains BP effect.

Dose & forms

Trial dose
400 mg
/ day
Range in trials
300 to 800 mg
/ day
Common forms
Nitrate-standardized juice concentrate, Powder, Nitrate shots

What to watch out for

Generic 'beetroot powder' may contain almost no nitrate — look for standardized nitrate content (300-400 mg per serving). Avoid antibacterial mouthwash around dosing or you lose the effect.

Where this dose comes from

The trial dose above is our editorial pick from the published human trials for this ingredient. We choose the dose that the best-available studies used on the endpoint most relevant to longevity. The range shows the lowest and highest doses tested in published trials. The landmark studies below are the papers we read to set it. You can click through and check our work.

When new trials publish, our automated sweeps flag them. If a new study materially changes the dose, we update it through editorial review and record the old dose, new dose, and the triggering study in every affected product's recommendation history. The dose is never changed automatically.

Regulatory status

EUFood/supplement
USDietary supplement
UKPermitted
CANHP permitted

Timeline

Regulatory events, evidence grade changes, and key research milestones for Beetroot extract, most recent first. Studies link to the paper; regulatory entries name and link the responsible authority.

  • 2025-04 Regulatory single source
    EU Court sharpens the bar for botanical health claims
    A Court of Justice of the European Union ruling in April 2025 further tightened the requirements for how botanical ingredients (herbs, plant extracts) can be marketed with health claims in the EU, effectively removing much of the flexibility of the on-hold list.
  • 2024-06 Regulatory confirmed
    EU report identifies 117 supplement substances as potential health risks
    The HoA Working Group on Food Supplements (26 European countries) published its first report evaluating 117 substances used in food supplements. Of these, 65 were assessed as likely novel foods, 6 were already regulated, 34 had insufficient data, and 12 were prioritized for Article 8 restriction under Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006. The 12 priority substances include ashwagandha, curcumin, melatonin, piperine, St. John's wort, coumarin, p-synephrine, maca, holy basil, Melaleuca, black cohosh, and L-tryptophan. The report drew on 1,500 RASFF alerts reviewed between 2017 and mid-2022.
  • 2015 Research milestone
    Kapil et al. 2015 (Hypertension)
    RCT in hypertensive patients: daily dietary nitrate from beetroot juice produced sustained systolic BP reduction (~7.7 mmHg clinic, ~5+ mmHg ambulatory) over 4 weeks.
  • 2006-12 Regulatory confirmed
    EU Health Claims Regulation adopted
    Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 laid down harmonised rules for nutrition and health claims made on foods, including supplements. Only claims listed in the EU Register of authorised claims can be used. Rejected botanical claims are held in a separate on-hold list.
  • 1997 Regulatory confirmed
    EU introduces the Novel Food Regulation
    Regulation (EC) No 258/97 required any food or food ingredient without a history of consumption in the EU before 15 May 1997 to be authorised before being placed on the market. This is the framework that captures NMN, spermidine as a supplement ingredient, urolithin A, and many other longevity actives.

Landmark studies

Found in these products

All products in our catalog that contain Beetroot extract, ranked by our overall score. Ranking is editorial, never paid.

No products in our catalog contain this yet.

Editorial guides

Buying guides and comparisons

Neighbouring molecules

Related ingredients

See all in Cardiovascular / Performance →

Molecules in the same class, plus the actives most often formulated alongside Beetroot extract in our catalogue.

L-CitrullineCsame category

See Beetroot extract in context: the mechanism it acts through, the biomarker it moves, the products that dose it, and the trials that tested it.

View Beetroot extract on the Longevity Map →

Frequently asked questions

What is Beetroot extract?

Concentrated red beetroot, valued for its nitrate content. Your body converts nitrate to nitric oxide, which widens blood vessels.

What dose of Beetroot extract should I take?

The trial dose in published human studies is 400 mg per day, with a range of 300 to 800 mg per day. Always consult a qualified clinician before starting any supplement.

Is Beetroot extract safe?

Generic 'beetroot powder' may contain almost no nitrate — look for standardized nitrate content (300-400 mg per serving). Avoid antibacterial mouthwash around dosing or you lose the effect.

What is the best Beetroot extract supplement?

We track 0 products containing Beetroot extract. The top-ranked product scores 0 out of 10 on our composite scale, which evaluates dose, evidence, price, third-party testing, and transparency. See the comparison table above. Scores are editorial judgments, not a scientific standard.

What is the evidence grade for Beetroot extract?

Beetroot extract has evidence grade B, meaning it is supported by human RCTs. Grade A means replicated human RCTs with hard endpoints. Grade B means human RCTs with biomarker outcomes. Grade C means mixed or small human trials. See our evidence grading methodology.

Independently checked

Data verification

Evidence grade
B
Human RCTs, biomarker outcomes
Research dose
400 mg
Products tracked
0
Updated continuously
Safety signal
Generic 'beetroot powder' may contain almost no nitrate —...

Evidence grades are reviewed when new human RCTs are published. Product counts update automatically as new products are added. Dose ranges reflect published trial data, not brand recommendations. Read how we verify.