Short answer
It does. Drinking concentrated beet juice 2-3 hours before training added about one rep in sets taken to failure, like going from 23 reps to 24.
Does beet juice help you lift one more rep?
'Beets → nitrate → one more rep' — does this formula hold?
Beetroot (beet) juice is a well-known workout supplement. Beets are rich in nitrate, which the body turns into nitric oxide, known to boost exercise performance. So does it help you lift one more rep in the weight room too?
Pooling many studies
Reps went up, by a small amount
An analysis that pooled 27 studies found beet supplements increased reps to failure and holding time. The increase was small. Another analysis of 34 studies found the same size of effect on muscular endurance.
Looking only at squats and bench press
Reps to failure went up
An analysis of 6 studies on squats and bench press alone also found nitrate increased reps to failure. In a study of 14 people, bench press reps rose from an average of 23 to 24 on beet juice days, about 5% more. A study of 11 people also found more total bench press reps.
But max strength barely changed
It works on endurance, not raw strength
In the 27-study analysis, strength when fresh didn't change; the clear effect was less strength loss when tired. A study that pooled 15 analyses rated the strength gain as 'negligible.' Beet is a supplement for the tired back half of a set, not for the heaviest weight you can lift once.
It didn't work everywhere
Sometimes bench press improved, sometimes squats
In a 14-person study, reps went up on bench press while squats stayed the same. In a 13-person study, it was the reverse: only squat reps rose and bench press stayed the same. In a study of 18 women, squat and bench press lifting speed and power didn't improve.
How to take it: one bottle about 2 hours before training
70mL concentrated beet juice, about 400mg nitrate
The 11- and 12-person studies where reps went up used 70mL of concentrated beet juice (about 400mg nitrate). A review of 12 studies also found results were best with at least 400mg taken 2-2.5 hours before training. In an 18-person study, 1x, 2x, or 4x the dose didn't improve force or speed in 3-rep sets.
Summary: it helps, by about one rep
A little more in sets taken to failure
Beet juice slightly increased reps in sets taken to failure. It's about 23 reps becoming 24, and the heaviest weight you can lift once barely changes. One bottle of concentrated beet juice (about 400mg nitrate) about 2 hours before training matches the studies.
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