Can beetroot supplements support healthy blood pressure?
Last updated: August 2026 · Reviewed by the FactoWiki Editorial Team for clarity and source accuracy
Yes, modestly and fairly consistently. Meta-analyses of beetroot juice and nitrate supplementation show systolic blood pressure reductions of roughly 3–5 mmHg. That is real and worth having, and it is a fraction of what a prescribed antihypertensive achieves.
Key takeaways
- Expect roughly 3–5 mmHg systolic — measurable, modest, not a replacement for medication.
- The active ingredient is nitrate, so nitrate content matters more than beetroot weight.
- Antibacterial mouthwash blocks the effect by killing the oral bacteria needed to convert nitrate.
The mechanism, which is unusual
Dietary nitrate from beetroot is absorbed, concentrated in saliva, and converted to nitrite by bacteria living on your tongue. That nitrite is then reduced to nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels. The dependence on oral bacteria is the interesting part — it means antibacterial mouthwash can abolish the blood-pressure effect entirely, which has been demonstrated in trials.
What the trials show
Meta-analyses of randomised trials find systolic reductions in the region of 3–5 mmHg, larger in people with elevated readings than in those already normal. Effects appear within hours of a dose and are sustained with regular intake. Beetroot also improves exercise efficiency in endurance athletes, which is a separate and reasonably well-supported finding.
How to buy it sensibly
Nitrate content is the number that matters, and most products do not state it. Trials typically used around 300–600 mg of nitrate, roughly equivalent to 70–140 ml of concentrated beetroot juice. 'Beetroot powder 500 mg' tells you nothing about nitrate. Whole beetroot juice or a product declaring nitrate content is more reliable than a generic capsule.
Key ingredients to understand
The ingredients most relevant to this question, with what the evidence actually supports:
- Beetroot (Dietary Nitrate) — Beetroot is a dietary source of nitrate that the body turns into nitric oxide, relaxing blood vessels. It has reasonably good evidence for…
- L-Citrulline — L-citrulline is an amino acid that the body converts into arginine — and it raises nitric oxide more effectively than taking arginine directly.…
- Hawthorn (Crataegus) — Hawthorn is a traditional heart tonic studied mainly as an add-on in mild heart failure. Because it acts on the heart and interacts with cardiac…
- Magnesium — Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in hundreds of body processes, including nerve and muscle function, energy and blood-sugar control.…
Frequently asked questions
Will it turn my urine pink?
Possibly — beeturia is harmless and affects a proportion of people. Do not confuse it with blood.
Can I take it with blood pressure medication?
Ask first. The effects are additive, and while a further small reduction is usually fine, it can cause dizziness in some people.
Does mouthwash really block it?
Yes, chlorhexidine mouthwash has been shown to abolish the effect by eliminating the oral bacteria that perform the first conversion step.
Related on FactoWiki
- Heart & Cardiovascular Health supplements — the full category
- All health answers
- Ingredient evidence guides
- Beetroot (Dietary Nitrate) — ingredient guide
- L-Citrulline — ingredient guide
- How we review
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