Beetroot / Dietary Nitrate — Frequently Asked Questions
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does beetroot juice work for elite athletes?
Does beetroot juice work for elite athletes?
The evidence is mixed for elite athletes. Most positive studies involve recreational or moderately trained individuals. Elite athletes may already have maximized their NO production pathways, reducing the marginal benefit. However, some studies show benefits even in trained athletes, particularly in hypoxic conditions or at altitude. A 1-2% improvement may still be meaningful in elite competition.
Why should I avoid mouthwash when taking beetroot?
Why should I avoid mouthwash when taking beetroot?
The nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway critically depends on oral bacteria to convert nitrate to nitrite. Antibacterial mouthwash kills these bacteria, blocking the first step of the conversion pathway and significantly reducing the performance and blood pressure benefits. Avoid mouthwash for at least 2-3 hours around beetroot ingestion.
How quickly does beetroot juice lower blood pressure?
How quickly does beetroot juice lower blood pressure?
Acute blood pressure reduction occurs within 2-3 hours of ingestion, peaking at 3-6 hours. Chronic daily supplementation over 2-4 weeks produces sustained reductions of 3-10 mmHg systolic. The meta-analysis by Siervo et al. (2013) found these effects comparable to first-line antihypertensives in magnitude.
References
- McMahon NF, Leveritt MD, Pavey TG (2017). The effect of dietary nitrate supplementation on endurance exercise performance in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine. DOI PubMed
- Bailey SJ, Winyard P, Vanhatalo A, et al. (2009). Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans. Journal of Applied Physiology. DOI PubMed
- Siervo M, Lara J, Ogbonmwan I, Mathers JC (2013). Inorganic nitrate and beetroot juice supplementation reduces blood pressure in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Nutrition. DOI PubMed