When to Drink Beetroot Juice to Lower Blood Pressure

Though the best time to drink beetroot juice to potentially lower blood pressure is subject to debate, it may be in the morning on an empty stomach. The body may absorb nitrates in beetroot juice better this way, and the morning dose may help blunt the normal rise in blood pressure that starts just before waking and peaks at around midday.

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How Beetroot Helps Lower Blood Pressure

Beetroot is one of the richest food sources of nitrate, a molecule comprised of nitrogen and oxygen, which the body converts into a gas called nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide, in turn, functions as a vasodilator, widening (dilating) blood vessels to increase blood flow and potentially lower blood pressure.

Studies suggest that drinking beetroot juice in doses of up to 250 milliliters (8 fluid ounces) is safe and may be useful for people with hypertension (high blood pressure) due to its vasodilating properties.

Why a Morning Dose May Help

The current body of research supports claims that beetroot can positively influence blood pressure. Many of the studies involve morning doses of beetroot juice taken 30 minutes before breakfast.

Aside from the fact that beetroot juice contains a higher concentration of nitrates than raw or cooked beets, two other reasons why this approach may be beneficial are:

• Peak absorption: Drinking beetroot juice on an empty stomach improves absorption and can extend the plant’s vasodilating effect. As the juice passes through the gut, nitrates are absorbed in the first and middle parts of the colon, reaching peak concentration in the blood within three hours and remaining at therapeutic levels for around 10 hours.
• Optimal effect: By having beetroot juice in the morning, the rise and fall in nitrates coincide with the daily rise and fall of blood pressure due to the body’s circadian rhythm. Normally, blood pressure starts to rise a few hours before you awaken. Thereafter, it continues to climb, peaking around midday and gradually dropping in the late afternoon and evening.

In theory, drinking beetroot juice on an empty stomach 30 minutes before breakfast will exert the strongest vasodilating effect when blood pressure is traditionally at its peak.

Is There Proof That It Works?

Though there is substantial evidence of beetroot’s effect on blood pressure, debate remains as to how useful it is for people with hypertension and whether the timing of the dose makes any difference.

Here is some of what the current research says:

• Influence on blood pressure: A 2022 review of studies reported that daily consumption of beetroot juice reduced the systolic (upper) blood pressure of people with hypertension by around 5 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) but not their diastolic (lower) blood pressure. This is important because high diastolic blood pressure is predictive of future heart disease in adults under 50.
• Timing of doses: A 2024 study involving healthy athletes found that beetroot supplements taken in the morning were slightly better at lowering systolic blood pressure than an evening dose (3 versus 2 mmHg), but that an afternoon dose was slightly better than a morning dose (4 versus 3 mmHg).
• Duration of effects: Studies suggest that the benefits of beetroot juice may increase slightly over time. According to a 2019 study, the systolic blood pressure of older adults decreased after two weeks of drinking beetroot juice and continued to drop by the fourth week. After this, the gains may be sustained but start to level out as blood nitrate levels plateau.

What This Means for High Blood Pressure

All told, the effects of beetroot juice on blood pressure are significant but modest. As such, drinking beetroot juice (or taking a beetroot supplement) may support the treatment of hypertension in conjunction with lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet, routine exercise, achieving your ideal weight, and quitting smoking.

In terms of timing, most evidence points to early dosing (in the morning or early afternoon) rather than late dosing (in the late afternoon or evening) to help lower blood pressure. Taking a dose before breakfast may increase the absorption of nitrates, but studies have not proved this.

Beetroot in any form should not be considered an alternative to standard medical treatments for hypertension, including angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, diuretics (“water pills”), beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers.

Key Takeaways

• Beetroot juice may help lower pressure by increasing nitrate levels in the blood, which helps widen blood vessels. Doses of up to 8 ounces a day have been consumed safely.
• Drinking beetroot in the morning may be a better option because it provides nitrate at the same time of day when blood pressure is at its highest.
• Though beetroot juice is potentially useful for lowering systolic blood pressure, it cannot be considered an effective means of treatment for people with hypertension.