What is beetroot (beet juice) good for?
Last updated: June 2026 · Reviewed by the FactoWiki Editorial Team for clarity and source accuracy
How beetroot's nitrates support blood pressure and exercise, the harmless red-urine effect, and who should be careful.
Key takeaways
- Beetroot's nitrates support nitric oxide, with modest evidence for lowering blood pressure.
- It may improve exercise endurance, especially in recreational athletes, taken a few hours before.
- Red or pink urine (beeturia) is harmless; be aware of the blood-pressure effect if medicated.
What beetroot supplements are
Beetroot supplements — as juice, powder or concentrated 'shots' — are popular with athletes and for heart health. The active ingredient isn't a vitamin but dietary nitrate, which the body converts into nitric oxide, a molecule that helps blood vessels relax and widen. That nitrate-to-nitric-oxide pathway is the real, well-characterised mechanism behind beetroot's two main uses: blood pressure and exercise.
Blood pressure
Beetroot's better evidence is for blood pressure. Studies show that dietary nitrate from beetroot can produce a modest reduction in blood pressure, likely through that nitric-oxide effect on blood vessels. It's a small but genuine effect, making beetroot one of the more evidence-supported food-based options for cardiovascular support — used alongside, not instead of, diet, activity and any prescribed medication.
Exercise and endurance
Beetroot is widely used in sport because nitrate may improve exercise efficiency and endurance — helping muscles use oxygen a little more economically. The evidence is reasonably encouraging for endurance-type efforts, with effects that are real but modest and more noticeable in recreational than elite athletes. Timing matters: it's typically taken a few hours before exercise to allow the nitrate to convert.
The harmless red-urine surprise
Worth knowing so you don't panic: beetroot can turn urine (and sometimes stool) pink or red, a harmless effect called beeturia. It's simply the pigment passing through and is no cause for concern. The one caveat is that if you're certain something isn't from beetroot, red urine should never be ignored — but after a beet juice, a pink tinge is expected and benign.
Safety and who should be careful
Beetroot is a food and very safe for most people. Because it can lower blood pressure, people already on blood-pressure medication should be aware of the additive effect, and those prone to certain kidney stones (calcium oxalate) may be advised to moderate high-oxalate foods like beetroot. Otherwise the main 'side effects' are beeturia and, with large amounts, digestive looseness.
The verdict
Beetroot is a genuinely useful, food-based option with real (if modest) evidence for blood pressure and endurance, working through a well-understood nitrate pathway. It's safe for most people — the red urine is harmless — with the main caution being its blood-pressure effect if you're already medicated. As a natural, low-risk support, it's one of the more sensible ingredients in this space, used alongside the basics rather than as a standalone fix.
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Frequently asked questions
What is beetroot good for?
Its nitrates support blood flow, with modest evidence for lowering blood pressure and improving exercise endurance.
Why does beetroot turn urine red?
It's a harmless effect called beeturia — the pigment passing through — and is no cause for concern.
When should I take beetroot for exercise?
Typically a few hours before, to allow the nitrate to convert to nitric oxide.
Is beetroot safe?
Very safe for most people, though it can lower blood pressure (a caution if medicated) and is high in oxalates.
This article is general information, not medical advice. See our medical disclaimer, and talk to a qualified healthcare professional about your own situation.