Research
Energy balance
Dietary nitrates (300-600 mg nitrate, ~500 ml beetroot juice) taken 2-3 hours before exercise enhance endurance and reduce oxygen cost during submaximal exercise by promoting vasodilation and improved muscle efficiency.
If you do long rides or time trials, try 300-600mg of nitrate (e.g., beetroot juice) 2-3 hours before. It can help you use oxygen more efficiently. Be aware it may lower blood pressure.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
300 to 600 mg of nitrate (~500 ml beetroot juice), 2 to 3 hours pre-exercise
Why this rating
Strong evidence supports its use for endurance cyclists.
Source
A comprehensive review of the physiology and evidence base to guide the use of ergogenic and medical supplements for enhanced cycling performance
Andrew Rowland et al. · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2026
DOI 10.1080/15502783.2026.2630487
narrative_review
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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