How Beetroot Powder Boosts Nitric Oxide for Endurance

What is Nitric Oxide?

Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous signaling molecule that regulates vascular tone, oxygen delivery, mitochondrial respiration, and muscle contraction efficiency. For endurance athletes, the relevant effect is vasodilation: NO relaxes the smooth muscle in blood vessel walls, widens the vessel diameter, and increases blood flow to working tissue. The molecule has a half-life of seconds in the body, so it is produced continuously rather than stored.

Nitric oxide is a naturally occurring molecule that plays a vital role in maintaining healthy athletic performance. It is a signaling molecule that helps regulate blood flow, oxygen delivery, and muscle function. As a result, nitric oxide supplements have become increasingly popular

PubMed: Nitric Oxide (NO) is quite an essential molecule for human metabolism since it plays an active role in body functions.

Recent studies have shown that NO can also enhance athletic performance, particularly in endurance athletes such as runners, cyclists, and triathletes.

A 5 km treadmill trial in 11 recreationally fit adults (Murphy et al. 2012, Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) found overall running speed tended to be faster after eating 200 g of baked beetroot (P = 0.06), and was 5% faster over the final 1.8 km.

Where in the body is nitric oxide produced?

Nitric oxide is produced via two pathways. The enzymatic pathway converts L-arginine to NO via nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inside blood vessel walls. The dietary pathway begins in the mouth: nitrate from food is concentrated in saliva, reduced to nitrite by commensal oral bacteria, then converted to NO in muscle tissue. The dietary pathway is the one beetroot supplementation activates, and is the reason antibacterial mouthwash on race morning blocks the effect.

NO is largely produced through nitrates and bacteria in your mouth or gut.

Lundberg JO, et al. Nat Rev Drug Discov (2008) reviews the nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway: nitrate and nitrite, once thought to be inert end products, are recycled in the body to form NO, an alternative source to the classical L-arginine and NO synthase route, particularly when oxygen is scarce.

PubMed: NO is derived largely from enzymatic pathways, but a non-enzymatic pathway also exists. Enzymatic NO formation is catalyzed by NO synthase (NOS) through a series of redox reactions

How Nitric Oxide Improves Endurance Performance

Nitric oxide improves endurance performance through three mechanisms: vasodilation (wider blood vessels deliver more oxygen per heartbeat), improved mitochondrial efficiency (less oxygen required per unit of ATP), and lower vascular resistance (the heart pumps blood at a lower energy cost). The combined effect in published cycling and running studies is a 1 to 3% reduction in oxygen cost at submaximal intensities and a 1 to 2% improvement in time-trial finish times.

One of the main ways in which NO improves endurance performance is by increasing blood flow and oxygen delivery to the muscles.

PubMed: The most known and remarkable function of NO is its role in controlling vasodilatation, blood rate, and mitochondrial respiration and thus enhance performance.

When the smooth muscle in the walls of blood vessels relaxes, it leads to the dilation of blood vessels, which increases blood flow to the muscles. This increased blood flow and oxygen delivery allows the muscles to work harder and for longer periods of time before fatiguing.

Two University of Exeter studies show the effect at the muscle level:

• Muscle torque (Kadach et al. 2023, Acta Physiologica): a single 12.8 mmol dose of potassium nitrate in 10 healthy volunteers raised muscle nitrate roughly fourfold within an hour, and knee-extensor torque was about 7% greater during the first 18 of 60 maximal contractions, with the gain correlating with muscle nitrate.
• Time to exhaustion (Bailey et al. 2009, Journal of Applied Physiology): eight men cycled roughly 16% longer at severe intensity (675 vs 583 seconds) after 6 days of beetroot juice.

Well-trained athletes tend to show smaller, more variable gains than recreational athletes unless they use a longer loading window (3 to 4 days) at a higher dose, which is why elite protocols pre-load rather than rely on a single race-morning serving.

NO also improves the efficiency of muscle contractions by helping to regulate the balance between the contraction and relaxation of muscle fibers, which means athletes will be able to perform more work with less fatigue.

By increasing blood flow to muscles, nitric oxide also promotes muscle growth and lean muscle mass.

PUBMED Study: Cyclist 10-km Improved using Beet Nitrate Supplementation

Furthermore, NO may also help to reduce muscle damage caused by endurance exercise by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, leading to faster recovery times and improved performance in subsequent training sessions.

How to Increase Nitric Oxide Levels

The three reliable ways to raise nitric oxide are dietary nitrate (300 to 600 mg from beetroot powder, leafy greens, or beet juice 60 to 90 minutes before exercise), regular aerobic training (which upregulates endothelial nitric oxide synthase), and L-citrulline supplementation (3 to 6 g per day as a precursor to L-arginine). Of these, dietary nitrate produces the largest acute performance effect on race day, while training produces the chronic baseline shift.

One thing cancels the first row entirely: antibacterial mouthwash. The dietary pathway depends on oral bacteria reducing nitrate to nitrite, so rinsing on race morning blocks the conversion before it starts.

USADA: Nitric oxide is a gas that’s naturally produced in the body that increases blood flow by relaxing blood vessels, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. Because of this, it’s commonly found in pre-workout supplements that promise to boost strength and endurance.

Foods for Nitric Oxide

One of the most effective ways to boost NO levels is through the consumption of dietary nitrates, which are found in foods such as leafy greens, beets, and other vegetables.

Nitrates (NO3) are a naturally occurring compound found in many vegetables, fruits, and drinking water.

Nitrites (NO2) are a synthetic compound used as a preservative in processed meats and as a flavoring agent.

Beetroot Pro® Dark Cherry is specifically formulated with patented NO3-T® Nitrate Technology for maximum nitric oxide production, directly enhancing oxygen delivery and athletic performance.

Many studies have shown that consuming beetroot powder before exercise can significantly increase NO levels, leading to improved endurance performance.

Controlled trials show where the effect holds and where it fades:

The same Exeter lab also tested a different nitric oxide route, an L-arginine drink rather than nitrate:

Supplement Produces a 'Striking' Endurance Boost: Taking a dietary supplement to boost nitric oxide in the body can significantly boost stamina during high-intensity exercise. ScienceDaily

Best Timing for Nitric Oxide and Consistency

We recommend taking beetroot powder 60 to 90 minutes before your workout.

Plasma nitrite, the step just before nitric oxide, is rising by then. In published studies on beet juice it peaks about 2 to 3 hours after a dose and stays elevated for several hours, so a 60 to 90 minute dose covers the session.

It's also important to note that consuming beetroot powder consistently, over a period of time, is more effective than taking it occasionally.

Regular Training & Exercise

Regular aerobic exercise increases nitric oxide production through endothelial adaptation: repeated shear stress on blood vessel walls during exercise upregulates endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression, raising the chronic baseline level of NO production at rest and during effort. Athletes with 5+ years of consistent endurance training typically show measurably better endothelial function than sedentary individuals of the same age.

Another way to increase nitric oxide levels is by doing regular exercise.

Gatorade Sports Science Institute: Dietary nitrate supplementation, typically via beetroot juice ingestion, has been shown to reduce the oxygen cost of low-intensity exercise

During exercise, the body produces more nitric oxide and this leads to an increase in blood flow and oxygen delivery to the muscles.

Nitric oxide plays a crucial role in enhancing athletic performance, particularly for endurance athletes. A standardized beetroot pre-workout powder is a convenient and effective way to boost nitric oxide levels, making it a great addition to any athlete's pre-workout routine.

When consumed consistently, over a period of time, before exercise, beetroot powder can help runners, cyclists, and triathletes push their limits and reach their full athletic potential.

Related Guides:

• Optimize your pre-workout strategy: Beetroot Pre-Workout Guide: Timing, Dosing & Protocol
• Explore supplements for peak aerobic power: VO2 Max Supplements: What the Science Actually Shows
• See why this matters for race performance: Why VO2 Max Matters for Endurance Athletes
• Build your dietary baseline: Nitric Oxide Foods: The Best Dietary Nitrate Sources
• See the effect sizes and evidence: Beetroot Powder Benefits, Backed by 30+ Studies