Oxystorm® (Red Spinach Nitrate)

Amaranthus dubius
Evidence Level
Limited
1 Clinical Trial
4 Documented Benefits
2/5 Evidence Score

Oxystorm® (PLT Health Solutions) is a standardized red spinach (Amaranthus dubius) extract providing the highest natural dietary nitrate concentration of any commercially available botanical ingredient — approximately 9× more dietary nitrate than beetroot by weight. Dietary nitrate is reduced to nitric oxide (NO) in vivo via the oral nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway, producing sustained vasodilation, improved blood flow, enhanced oxygen delivery to working muscle, and blood pressure reduction with a cleaner taste profile than beetroot powder.

Studied Dose A single 1,000 mg dose providing about 90 mg nitrate in the one Oxystorm-specific trial; generic dietary-nitrate trials used roughly 300 to 600 mg nitrate per day.
Active Compound Inorganic nitrate (NO3−) from Amaranthus dubius leaf extract — Oxystorm® (PLT Health Solutions); ~9× the nitrate of equivalent beetroot extract.

Benefits

Superior nitrate density — 9× more than beetroot

Oxystorm® from Amaranthus dubius provides approximately 9× more dietary nitrate per gram than beetroot extract, enabling effective nitrate delivery at much lower inclusion doses in formulas. This allows smaller capsule sizes, better taste profiles (Amaranthus is less earthy than beetroot), and more flexible dosing compared to beetroot-based nitrate ingredients.

Nitric oxide production and vasodilation

Dietary nitrate from Oxystorm® is reduced to nitrite by oral bacteria and further to NO in hypoxic tissues — producing sustained vasodilation, improved endothelial function, and enhanced oxygen delivery to working muscle. These NO-mediated effects improve exercise performance, reduce the oxygen cost of exercise, and support cardiovascular health through mechanisms distinct from (and complementary to) L-arginine/L-citrulline NO precursors.

Blood pressure support

The dietary nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway provides one of the most robustly demonstrated blood pressure-lowering mechanisms in nutritional science. Meta-analyses of multiple RCTs confirm inorganic dietary nitrate (from beetroot, spinach, and other leafy greens) produces clinically meaningful reductions in blood pressure (about 2 to 5 mmHg systolic), seen mainly in normotensive and prehypertensive people; a 2021 meta-analysis found no significant change in those who were already hypertensive.

Sexual health: no human data

No trial of Oxystorm, or of dietary nitrate generally, has measured erectile function, libido or any sexual-health outcome. The only basis for a sexual-health claim is the manufacturer's catalog positioning plus the general nitric-oxide vasodilation mechanism, so no sexual-health benefit can be stated here.

Mechanism of action

1

Nitrate-nitrite-NO enterosalivary circulation

Dietary nitrate from Oxystorm® is absorbed in the small intestine and concentrated in salivary glands (~10× plasma levels). Oral bacteria reduce salivary nitrate to nitrite via bacterial nitrate reductases — a symbiotic relationship essential for NO production from dietary nitrate. Swallowed nitrite is absorbed and reduced to NO in hypoxic tissues (vascular endothelium, ischemic muscle) by deoxyhemoglobin, xanthine oxidoreductase, and other reductases. This enterosalivary cycling provides sustained plasma nitrite elevation and NO availability for 2–6 hours after ingestion.

Clinical trials

1
Red Spinach Extract and Ventilatory Threshold (acute single-dose crossover, Moore 2017)
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled acute crossover in 15 recreationally-active adults (Moore et al., Sports 2017; PMID 29910440), measuring plasma nitrate/nitrite and graded-exercise-test markers after a single 1,000 mg dose.

15 recreationally-active adults; single acute dose, crossover.

In 15 recreationally-active adults given a single 1,000 mg dose (about 90 mg nitrate), plasma nitrate rose sharply versus placebo, but circulating nitrite did not change significantly. VO2 at the ventilatory threshold was 6.1% higher with the extract, while time-to-exhaustion and peak VO2 were slightly and non-significantly lower. Funded by DolCas Biotech, the ingredient's developer. Red spinach (Amaranthus dubius) carries more nitrate per gram than beetroot.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Urine/stool discoloration (pink/red) from Amaranthus pigments — harmless
Avoid using antibacterial mouthwash (kills oral bacteria that reduce nitrate to nitrite)
Methemoglobinemia theoretical risk at very high nitrate doses — not a concern at supplement doses

Important Drug interactions

PDE5 inhibitors (sildenafil, tadalafil) — additive NO/hypotension risk; avoid combination or separate by hours
Antihypertensive medications — additive blood pressure lowering; monitor
Anticoagulants — mild; monitor

Frequently asked questions about Oxystorm® (Red Spinach Nitrate)

What is Oxystorm?

Oxystorm® (PLT Health Solutions) is a standardized red spinach (Amaranthus dubius) extract providing the highest natural dietary nitrate concentration of any commercially available botanical ingredient — approximately 9× more dietary nitrate than beetroot by weight.

What is Oxystorm used for?

Oxystorm is researched primarily for Athletic Performance and Cardiovascular. Oxystorm® from Amaranthus dubius provides approximately 9× more dietary nitrate per gram than beetroot extract, enabling effective nitrate delivery at much lower inclusion doses in formulas.

What is the recommended dosage of Oxystorm?

The clinically studied dose is A single 1,000 mg dose providing about 90 mg nitrate in the one Oxystorm-specific trial; generic dietary-nitrate trials used roughly 300 to 600 mg nitrate per day. Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is Oxystorm safe, and does it have side effects?

For most healthy adults, Oxystorm is well tolerated at studied doses. Reported effects can include: Urine/stool discoloration (pink/red) from Amaranthus pigments — harmless Avoid using antibacterial mouthwash (kills oral bacteria that reduce nitrate to nitrite) It may also interact with some medications. Oxystorm 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 Oxystorm interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: PDE5 inhibitors (sildenafil, tadalafil) — additive NO/hypotension risk; avoid combination or separate by hours 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 Oxystorm?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for Oxystorm as Limited (2 out of 5). It is backed by 1 clinical trial and 3 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(3 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. Larsen FJ, Schiffer TA, Borniquel S, Sahlin K, Ekblom B, Lundberg JO, Weitzberg E Dietary inorganic nitrate improves mitochondrial efficiency in humans. Cell Metab. 2011;13(2):149-159. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2011.01.004.PubMedUsed to support: rewriteSupports
  2. He Y, Liu J, Cai H, Zhang J, Yi J, Niu Y, Xi H, Peng X, Guo L Effect of inorganic nitrate supplementation on blood pressure in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nitric Oxide. 2021;113-114:13-22. doi: 10.1016/j.niox.2021.04.006.PubMedUsed to support: Meta-analysis of 22 RCTs showing inorganic nitrate supplementation significantly reduced systolic BP by -3.90 mmHg and diastolic BP by -2.62 mmHg; directly supports blood pressure support claim. Note: evidence is on dietary inorganic nitrate generally, not Oxystorm® specifically.
  3. Kapil V, Weitzberg E, Lundberg JO, Ahluwalia A Clinical evidence demonstrating the utility of inorganic nitrate in cardiovascular health. Nitric Oxide. 2014;38:45-57. doi: 10.1016/j.niox.2014.03.162.PubMedUsed to support: rewriteSupports