Beetroot Juice: What This Popular Drink Can—and Can’t—Do
That deep red drink in the image is beetroot juice, a colorful beverage that has attracted plenty of attention for its potential health benefits.
But the claims written on the image—“zero cholesterol, zero arthritis, zero fatigue” after just three days—go far beyond what scientific evidence supports. Beetroot can be a nutritious addition to a balanced diet, but it is not a proven cure for cholesterol problems, arthritis, or fatigue. (PubMed)
Why Is Beetroot Juice So Popular?
Beetroot naturally contains dietary nitrates, betalains, and other plant compounds. Research has particularly focused on nitrates because the body can convert them through the nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide pathway, which can influence blood-vessel function. (PubMed)
This is one reason beetroot juice has been studied for cardiovascular health and exercise performance.
What Does the Research Actually Show?
It May Help Support Healthy Blood Pressure
This is one of the better-studied potential benefits.
A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that beetroot juice supplementation was associated with modest reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The studies varied considerably in dose and duration, so the results shouldn’t be interpreted as a guarantee for every person. (PubMed Central (PMC))
The American Heart Association also notes that research has linked beetroot’s nitrate content with improvements in cardiovascular function and, in some studies, lower blood pressure. (www.heart.org)
What About Cholesterol?
This is where the viral claim needs more caution.
Some smaller studies have reported improvements in particular cholesterol measurements, but other randomized trials have found no significant effect on lipid profiles. For example, a controlled trial in people with type 2 diabetes found no significant overall effect of concentrated beetroot juice on total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, or triglycerides after adjustment. (PubMed Central (PMC))
So drinking beetroot juice for three days cannot reasonably be described as producing “zero cholesterol.”
Can It Eliminate Arthritis?
No.
There isn’t good evidence that drinking beetroot juice for three days can eliminate arthritis. Beetroot contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds that are being studied, but that is very different from demonstrating that it treats or cures arthritis.
People with persistent joint pain should discuss appropriate treatment with a healthcare professional rather than replacing prescribed care with a juice.
Does It Eliminate Fatigue?
The evidence is also more complicated.
Beetroot juice has been studied in exercise research because dietary nitrate may improve exercise efficiency in certain circumstances. A recent review found relatively consistent effects on some cardiovascular and endurance-related measures, while effects on other outcomes were less consistent. (PubMed)
Importantly, a small randomized study investigating beetroot juice for fatigue-related outcomes in people with long COVID found that although one measure improved from baseline, there was no significant difference between the beetroot and placebo groups. (PubMed)
So “zero fatigue in three days” is not an evidence-based claim.
