How long before my race should I drink beet juice?

December 15, 2025 •

4 min read

Studies suggest that dietary nitrate from beetroot juice can improve athletic performance by enhancing oxygen efficiency and delaying fatigue. Proper timing and dosing, however, are critical to maximizing the conversion of nitrates into performance-boosting nitric oxide for your race.

Quick Summary

For peak results, consume beet juice 2–3 hours pre-race for acute benefits, or load it consistently for 3–7 days prior to an endurance event. Testing your strategy during training is essential.

Key Points

Acute Timing: Drink beet juice 2–3 hours before your race to allow peak nitric oxide levels in your blood, enhancing oxygen efficiency.
Chronic Loading: For endurance events, a 3–7 day loading phase with daily intake helps saturate muscle nitrate stores, providing sustained benefits.
Oral Bacteria are Key: Avoid antibacterial mouthwash or brushing your teeth right after consumption, as oral bacteria are necessary for the nitrate conversion process.
Test in Training: Never experiment with beet juice for the first time on race day. Practice your timing and dosage during training to test your body's response.
Concentrates Ensure Consistency: For reliable, measured nitrate doses, concentrated beet shots are more consistent than standard juices or powders.
Consult a Doctor: If you have low blood pressure or take blood pressure medication, speak with a healthcare professional before adding beet juice to your routine.

Understanding the Science of Beetroot Nitrates

Beetroot's ergogenic effects are primarily attributed to its high concentration of inorganic nitrates. When consumed, these nitrates (NO3-) undergo a specific conversion process in the body to become nitric oxide (NO).

Ingestion: You drink the nitrate-rich beet juice.
Oral Conversion: Beneficial bacteria in your mouth convert the nitrate into nitrite (NO2-). This is a crucial step, and explains why athletes are advised to avoid antibacterial mouthwash or gum during this time.
Gastric Conversion: The nitrite is swallowed and converts into nitric oxide in the acidic environment of the stomach and other tissues.
Physiological Effects: The resulting nitric oxide acts as a potent vasodilator, widening blood vessels to increase blood flow and oxygen delivery to the working muscles. This reduces the oxygen cost of exercise and improves mitochondrial efficiency, meaning your body uses less energy to maintain the same pace.

Timing Strategies for Maximum Race Performance

There are two primary methods for incorporating beet juice into your race-day fueling plan: an acute dose or a chronic loading phase.

Acute Dosing: 2-3 Hours Before Your Race

For a single-dose strategy, research indicates that consuming beet juice about 2 to 3 hours before exercise is optimal. This timing allows for the full conversion of nitrates to nitric oxide and ensures peak plasma nitrate levels coincide with the start of your event. For most athletes, a dose of 300-500ml of juice or a concentrated 400mg nitrate shot is effective.

Who it benefits: This method is effective for a range of athletic events, including shorter, high-intensity efforts. Some studies have shown benefits even for activities as short as 4-km and 10-km time trials.
Practical application: Drink your beet juice shot or portion with a small snack or a meal to aid digestion, but remember to avoid mouthwash during this period.

Chronic Loading: 3-7 Days Prior to Your Race

For endurance athletes, a chronic loading strategy can provide sustained benefits by saturating the body's nitrate stores. This involves consuming a dose of beet juice daily for several days leading up to your key race.

Why it works: The body can store nitrates in the muscles, which can be drawn upon during prolonged exercise. This long-term approach may also lead to greater adaptations in mitochondrial function.
Recommended protocol: Many athletes follow a protocol of taking one dose per day for 3-7 days before the event, with an extra dose 2-3 hours before the race itself. This is particularly beneficial for longer-duration events like marathons, triathlons, and cycling time trials.

Dosage Guidelines and Product Consistency

Concentrates are reliable: A key consideration is the varying nitrate content in different beetroot products. For a guaranteed and consistent dose, concentrated beet shots (often providing 400mg of nitrate) are superior to standard juices or powders, where nitrate levels can be inconsistent.
Know your product: If using a homemade juice or standard beet powder, the nitrate concentration may vary depending on the vegetable variety and processing method. A concentrated shot removes the guesswork. XMiles details this difference, stating that some commercial products may have negligible nitrate levels.

Comparison: Acute vs. Chronic Beet Juice Strategies


Feature	Acute Dosing (2-3 Hours Pre-Race)	Chronic Loading (3-7 Days Pre-Race)
Timing	2–3 hours before the event	1 dose daily for 3–7 days before the event, plus a final dose 2–3 hours pre-race
Goal	Maximize blood nitrate and nitric oxide levels for immediate performance gains	Saturate the body's nitrate stores for sustained benefits, especially for long-distance events
Primary Benefit	Enhanced oxygen efficiency during moderate to high-intensity exercise	Improved mitochondrial efficiency and fatigue resistance for extended endurance
Effort Level	Suitable for all event types, from sprints to marathons	Most beneficial for endurance events and prolonged exercise sessions
Consistency	Requires precise timing relative to race start	Builds a sustained level of nitrates over time, potentially leading to greater adaptations
Caveat	The first time you try it might cause mild GI discomfort	Less flexible; requires commitment in the days leading up to the race

Potential Side Effects and Practical Tips

While beet juice is generally safe, it can have a few side effects that are important to know before race day.

Beeturia: A harmless condition that turns urine and stools pink or red due to the pigment in beets.
Digestive Discomfort: Some individuals may experience mild gastrointestinal upset, bloating, or loose stools, especially with a concentrated dose. It's crucial to test your tolerance during training.
Avoid Mouthwash: As mentioned, the oral bacteria are vital for the nitrate-to-nitrite conversion. Avoid antibacterial mouthwash, chewing gum, or brushing your teeth immediately after drinking beet juice to maximize its effect.
Consult a Professional: Individuals taking blood pressure medication should consult their doctor before regular beet juice supplementation, as it can lower blood pressure.

The Golden Rule: Practice in Training

Regardless of your chosen strategy, the most critical piece of advice is to never try a new fueling strategy on race day. Use your training cycle to experiment with both dosage and timing. This will help you determine how your body responds, minimizing the risk of unwanted side effects during your race. A training blog like Runners Connect emphasizes this rule, advising athletes to test any supplement repeatedly during training.

Conclusion

By timing your intake correctly, you can harness the performance-enhancing benefits of beet juice. For a quick boost, a dose 2 to 3 hours before your event is ideal. For long-distance endurance, a 3- to 7-day chronic loading phase, combined with a pre-race dose, is the most effective approach to maximize your nitrate stores. Always prioritize practicing your fueling plan during training to ensure it works for you on race day, giving you a competitive edge.

Train smart and practice your nutrition on the Runners Connect blog

Frequently Asked Questions

For acute benefits, the optimal time is 2 to 3 hours before your race. This allows enough time for the nitrates to convert to nitric oxide, which helps improve blood flow and oxygen delivery.

For long-distance or endurance events, many athletes start a 'loading phase' by drinking beet juice daily for 3 to 7 days before the race. This helps to saturate the body's nitrate stores for sustained benefits.

Yes, numerous studies have shown that the nitrates in beetroot juice can improve cardiorespiratory endurance by reducing the oxygen cost of exercise and improving blood flow to working muscles.

Concentrated shots are often preferred by athletes for their guaranteed, consistent nitrate dose. Standard juices can have variable nitrate levels, making it harder to predict the performance benefits.

The most common and harmless side effect is beeturia, where your urine and stool turn pink or red. Some people may also experience mild gastrointestinal upset, which is why testing during training is crucial.

While some blood pressure studies suggest drinking beet juice on an empty stomach for optimal absorption, athletes should test their tolerance during training. Consuming it with a meal can help reduce the risk of digestive discomfort.

For performance, a dose providing 300–600 mg of dietary nitrates is typically recommended. This is roughly equivalent to 300–500 ml of juice or a concentrated shot.

Mouthwash can kill the beneficial oral bacteria required to convert nitrates into nitrites, which is an essential step in producing performance-enhancing nitric oxide.

Yes, both beginners and experienced athletes can benefit. Beginners may find that it makes challenging training sessions feel more manageable, while experienced athletes can gain marginal performance improvements.