Does beetroot juice lower blood pressure?
Last updated September 3, 2026.
Yes: nitrate-rich beetroot juice lowers systolic pressure by about 5 mmHg in meta-analyses, working through nitric oxide, with larger effects in people who already have hypertension. A 2024 meta-analysis found a 5.3 mmHg clinic systolic reduction versus placebo, sustained across interventions up to 90 days, and earlier analyses agree in the 4 to 5 point range. The mechanism is clean dietary science: beetroot nitrate converts to nitric oxide, which relaxes and widens vessels. The honest limits: a 5-point effect complements medication rather than replacing it; benefits fade when you stop; and nitrate content varies enough between products that dosing is approximate. Study patterns run about 250 to 500 ml of juice daily or an equivalent concentrate. One harmless shock to pre-answer: beeturia, pink-red urine or stool after beets, is pigment, not blood. On BP medication? Treat beetroot juice as a lifestyle layer your clinician knows about, never as a silent pill substitute.
What to do
- Expect about 5 systolic points: useful, not a medication swap.
- Typical study dose: 250 to 500 ml juice daily, or nitrate-equivalent concentrate.
- Consistency is the deal: effects fade when you stop.
- Pink urine is normal: beeturia is pigment, not blood.
- On BP meds? Add it openly as a lifestyle layer, not a substitute.
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