Home Ingredients Nitratene® (Stabilized Beet Root Nitrate)
Athletic PerformanceCardiovascular

Nitratene® (Stabilized Beet Root Nitrate)

Beta vulgaris
Evidence Level
Moderate
1 Clinical Trial
3 Documented Benefits
3/5 Evidence Score

Nitratene® is a branded, stabilized beet root (Beta vulgaris) extract standardized for dietary nitrate content — providing a consistent, potent source of inorganic nitrate for the dietary nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide (NO) pathway. While functionally similar to Oxystorm® (red spinach nitrate), Nitratene® uses beet root as its botanical source, offering the added advantage of beet-specific polyphenols (betaine, betanin) alongside the nitrate content. The stabilization technology ensures consistent nitrate content and prevents nitrate loss during manufacturing and storage.

Studied Dose 200–400 mg inorganic nitrate equivalent; 1–3 hours pre-exercise for peak NO elevation; daily use for blood pressure support; amount of Nitratene® per serving varies by product formulation
Active Compound Inorganic nitrate (NO3−) from Beta vulgaris (beet root) standardized extract — Nitratene® branded beet root nitrate; stabilized for consistent nitrate delivery; also provides betaine and betanin polyphenols

Benefits

Nitric oxide production and vasodilation

Nitratene® provides dietary nitrate that is reduced to nitrite by oral bacteria and further to NO in hypoxic vascular and muscle tissue — producing sustained vasodilation, improved blood flow, and enhanced oxygen delivery to working muscle. The beet root-derived nitrate operates through the same well-validated dietary nitrate-NO pathway as beetroot juice in the extensive Exeter University nitrate/performance research.

Supported by Trial 1

Exercise performance and oxygen efficiency

The extensive beet root nitrate/exercise performance literature (50+ RCTs) confirms dietary nitrate from beet sources reduces the oxygen cost of submaximal exercise (by 1–5%), improves time trial performance, extends time to exhaustion, and supports power output — particularly in endurance and team sport applications where sustained oxygen efficiency is critical.

Supported by Trial 1

Blood pressure reduction

Meta-analyses confirm inorganic dietary nitrate (beet root, leafy vegetables) reduces systolic blood pressure by 2–5 mmHg on average — a clinically meaningful effect comparable to modest antihypertensive medication, achieved through endothelial NO-mediated vasodilation.

Supported by Trial 1

Mechanism of action

1

Enterosalivary nitrate-nitrite-NO cycle

Dietary nitrate from Nitratene® is absorbed in the small intestine and actively secreted into saliva at 10× plasma concentration by salivary glands. Oral commensal bacteria (Veillonella, Actinomyces) reduce salivary nitrate to nitrite via bacterial nitrate reductase enzymes — a process eliminated by antibacterial mouthwash or antibiotic use. Swallowed nitrite is absorbed and transported to tissues where hypoxic conditions (exercising muscle, vascular walls) trigger non-enzymatic reduction to NO by deoxyhemoglobin, xanthine oxidoreductase, and other reductases. Peak blood nitrite levels occur 2–3 hours after ingestion.

Clinical trials

1
Beet Root Nitrate for Exercise Performance — Meta-Analysis

Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials examining beet root/dietary nitrate effects on exercise performance, blood pressure, oxygen cost. (Hoon et al. 2013, J Appl Physiol; or McMahon et al. 2017)

Pooled across nitrate exercise RCTs.

Dietary nitrate (~6-13 mmol/day, ~400-800 mg sodium nitrate equivalent) reduced oxygen cost of exercise (~5%), improved time trial performance, and modestly reduced blood pressure (~3-4 mmHg systolic). Effect sizes meaningful for endurance athletes. Note: Nitratene® specifically — limited published peer-reviewed trials of this branded form vs the broader beet root literature.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Beeturia (pink/red urine) — harmless but alarming if unexpected
Avoid antibacterial mouthwash — reduces oral bacteria needed for nitrate→nitrite conversion
GI discomfort at very high nitrate doses — stay within label recommendations

Important Drug interactions

PDE5 inhibitors (Viagra, Cialis) — additive NO/hypotension risk; avoid or separate doses significantly
Antihypertensive medications — additive blood pressure lowering; monitor
Anticoagulants — mild antiplatelet activity; monitor if on blood thinners

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Frequently asked questions about Nitratene® (Stabilized Beet Root Nitrate)

What is Nitratene?

Nitratene® is a branded, stabilized beet root (Beta vulgaris) extract standardized for dietary nitrate content — providing a consistent, potent source of inorganic nitrate for the dietary nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide (NO) pathway.

What is Nitratene used for?

Nitratene is researched primarily for Athletic Performance and Cardiovascular. Nitratene® provides dietary nitrate that is reduced to nitrite by oral bacteria and further to NO in hypoxic vascular and muscle tissue — producing sustained vasodilation, improved blood flow, and enhanced oxygen delivery to working muscle.

What is the recommended dosage of Nitratene?

The clinically studied dose is 200–400 mg inorganic nitrate equivalent; 1–3 hours pre-exercise for peak NO elevation; daily use for blood pressure support; amount of Nitratene® per serving varies by product formulation Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is Nitratene safe, and does it have side effects?

For most healthy adults, Nitratene is well tolerated at studied doses. Reported effects can include: Beeturia (pink/red urine) — harmless but alarming if unexpected Avoid antibacterial mouthwash — reduces oral bacteria needed for nitrate→nitrite conversion It may also interact with some medications. Nitratene is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does Nitratene interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: PDE5 inhibitors (Viagra, Cialis) — additive NO/hypotension risk; avoid or separate doses significantly Antihypertensive medications — additive blood pressure lowering; monitor If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for Nitratene?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for Nitratene as Moderate (3 out of 5). It is backed by 1 clinical trial and 5 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(5 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Kapil V, Khambata RS, Robertson A, Caulfield MJ, Ahluwalia A Dietary nitrate provides sustained blood pressure lowering in hypertensive patients: a randomized, phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Hypertension. 2015;65(2):320-7. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.114.04675.PubMedUsed to support: Phase 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human RCT demonstrating dietary inorganic nitrate (from beetroot juice — the same dietary nitrate pathway as Nitratene®) produced sustained, clinically meaningful blood pressure reductions in hypertensive patients over 4 weeks. Directly supports Nitratene's blood pressure reduction claim.
  2. McMahon NF, Leveritt MD, Pavey TG The Effect of Dietary Nitrate Supplementation on Endurance Exercise Performance in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2017;47(4):735-756. doi: 10.1007/s40279-016-0617-7.PubMedUsed to support: Systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs in healthy adults confirming dietary nitrate supplementation significantly improves endurance exercise performance. Directly supports Nitratene's exercise performance and oxygen efficiency claims.
  3. Gao C, Gupta S, Adli T, Hou W, Coolsaet R, Hayes A, Kim K, Pandey A, Gordon J, Chahil G, Belley-Cote EP, Whitlock RP The effects of dietary nitrate supplementation on endurance exercise performance and cardiorespiratory measures in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18(1):55. doi: 10.1186/s12970-021-00450-4.PubMedUsed to support: Meta-analysis confirming dietary nitrate supplementation improves endurance exercise performance and cardiorespiratory efficiency in healthy adults. Supports Nitratene's exercise performance, oxygen efficiency, and vasodilation claims.
  4. Jackson JK, Patterson AJ, MacDonald-Wicks LK, Oldmeadow C, McEvoy MA The role of inorganic nitrate and nitrite in cardiovascular disease risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of human evidence. Nutr Rev. 2018;76(5):348-371. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuy005.PubMedUsed to support: Systematic review and meta-analysis of human evidence showing inorganic nitrate and nitrite reduce blood pressure and improve cardiovascular risk factors. Supports Nitratene's blood pressure reduction and nitric oxide/vasodilation claims.
  5. Norouzzadeh M, Hasan Rashedi M, Ghaemi S, Saber N, Mirdar Harijani A, Habibi H, Mostafavi S, Sarv F, Farhadnejad H, Teymoori F, Khaleghian M, Mirmiran P Plasma nitrate, dietary nitrate, blood pressure, and vascular health biomarkers: a GRADE-assessed systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutr J. 2025;24(1):47. doi: 10.1186/s12937-025-01114-8.PubMedUsed to support: Most current grade-assessed dose-response meta-analysis of RCTs on dietary nitrate, blood pressure, and vascular health biomarkers. Provides the strongest up-to-date evidence for Nitratene's blood pressure reduction and vascular/vasodilation claims.