Ancient Nutra Wellness Team · 11 October 2026 · 6 min read

Beetroot for stamina and circulation: what the trials show

By the Ancient Nutra Editorial Team

Beetroot has a reputation for stamina, and the studies behind it are real. They are also narrower than the headlines. This article walks through what the research actually measured, who it measured, and what that means if you eat beetroot, drink it, or take it as a capsule. It is an explainer, not a performance promise.

Start with what the nitrate does

Beetroot is high in inorganic nitrate. After you swallow it, bacteria on the tongue convert some of it to nitrite, and the body can then use nitrite to make nitric oxide, a signal that helps blood vessels relax.

In a study of healthy volunteers, blood pressure fell by as much as 10.4 mm Hg (systolic) and 8 mm Hg (diastolic) about 3 hours after 500 mL of beetroot juice, and the drop tracked the rise in plasma nitrite. When the mouth-bacteria step was blocked, the nitrite rise and the blood pressure drop both disappeared (Webb et al., Hypertension, 2008). That is the circulation story: a real mechanism, shown in healthy people, after a large dose of juice.

Read the stamina trials for what they measured

The best-known stamina result is small and specific. In a double-blind crossover study, eight men aged 19 to 38 drank 500 mL a day of beetroot juice (about 11.2 mmol of nitrate) or a low-nitrate blackcurrant drink for six days. During hard cycling, time to exhaustion was longer on beetroot (675 versus 583 seconds), and the oxygen cost of moderate exercise was lower (Bailey et al., Journal of Applied Physiology, 2009).

Pooling many trials gives a similar but modest picture. A 2026 meta-analysis of 33 studies found small improvements in repeated sprint performance, mean power output and VO2max with beetroot juice. The authors noted that athlete status, sport, timing and juice brand may change the size of the effect, and described their findings as hypothesis-generating, meaning they need confirming (Cai et al., Frontiers in Nutrition, 2026).

It also helps to remember who was in the room. The cycling study above had eight men, and many beetroot trials are similarly small and short. A result in young, healthy participants may not carry over to older adults or to people managing a health condition, and the studies cited here cannot tell you either way. Treat each finding as one piece of a larger, still developing picture.

In short, in controlled trials, mostly in healthy adults and athletes, beetroot juice moved some exercise measures a little. That is different from saying it will change how an ordinary walk, commute or gym session feels.

Compare the form before you compare the result

Almost every number above comes from juice, usually around 500 mL. A capsule, a latte mix and a roasted beetroot each deliver a different amount of nitrate, and a capsule is not the same food as the juice in the trials. Ancient Nutra's Beetroot capsules list their ingredient on the product page but do not state a nitrate figure, so no trial result here should be read as a prediction for that capsule.

Keep the foundations ahead of the beetroot

Circulation and stamina are mostly built by regular movement, enough sleep and a vegetable-rich plate. Beetroot is one of several nitrate-rich foods, and eating it is a reasonable way to include it. For a simple food-first option, see the warm beetroot latte.

If you already take beetroot and want to know how researchers timed it before exercise, that is covered in the pre-walk beetroot ritual, so this article does not repeat it. For how the team weighs studies like these, see how the team grades a health claim.

Know who should ask first

Because beetroot nitrate can lower blood pressure, talk to a doctor or pharmacist before taking it as a supplement if you use blood pressure medicine, nitrate medicines or erectile dysfunction medicine, if you are pregnant, or if your blood pressure runs low. Beetroot is also high in oxalate, so check first if you have a history of kidney stones. Pink or red urine or stool (beeturia) is a harmless pigment effect. If you feel dizzy or faint, stop and speak to a healthcare provider.

The bottom line

Beetroot's nitrate story is real, and the trials show small effects on blood pressure and some exercise measures in healthy people drinking large amounts of juice. It is a modest tool, not a shortcut, and food, sleep and movement come first.

Sources and further reading

• Webb AJ et al., Acute blood pressure lowering, vasoprotective, and antiplatelet properties of dietary nitrate via bioconversion to nitrite, PubMed.
• Bailey SJ et al., Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans, PubMed.
• Cai C et al., Effectiveness of beetroot juice on aerobic and anaerobic exercise performance: systematic review and meta-analysis, PubMed.

Written by the Ancient Nutra Wellness Team. The team researches, sources, and tests every ingredient before it earns a place in an Ancient Nutra blend. Questions? Email info@ancientnutra.com or message Ancient Nutra on Instagram.

Medical disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Ancient Nutra products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Speak with a qualified healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a medical condition.