Betalains (Betalain-Rich Beetroot Concentrate)

Also called betanin, betacyanins, betalain-rich concentrate, BRC, beetroot red pigment.

Best grade C across 6 graded outcomes Other Last checked Oct 21, 2026

The short answer

From 9 sources

Betalains are the pigments that make beetroot red. Unlike beet juice, the concentrate in the triathlete trial contained no nitrate. Small crossover trials in endurance athletes at 100 mg a day reported slightly faster time trials and lower effort, though one power gain was tiny. Betanin is poorly absorbed, and some people pass red urine.

Every graded outcome on this page

6 rows · line = participants

Grade CRunning time trial and next-day recoveryEndurance performancen 22
Grade DHomocysteine, lipids, glucose and blood pressure in coronary artery diseaseHeart markersn 48
Grade D30-minute cycling time-trial powerEndurance performancen 28
Grade DBlood vessel function (flow-mediated dilation) and arterial stiffnessBlood vessel functionn 18
Grade DRunning economy, VO2max and recovery muscle oxygenationEndurance performancen 17
Grade D5-km running time trialEndurance performancen 13
3 more graded outcomes, in the evidence chapter

Key facts

Nitrate-free: The concentrate tested in the triathlete trial contained no sugars or nitrates, so its effects there were not from dietary nitrate¹
Triathletes: After 7 days at 100 mg/day, 10-km run time was 49.5 vs 50.8 min with placebo in 22 triathletes¹
Cyclists: After 7 days at 100 mg/day, 30-minute time-trial power was 231.6 vs 225.3 W with placebo (p = 0.050), a very small effect (d = 0.02)³
Absorption: Betanin was undetectable in plasma after beet juice providing about 194 mg; about 0.28% of betalains were recovered in urine after beet juice^6,7
Red urine: Red or pink urine after beetroot (beeturia) is reported in 10–14% of people and is more common in iron deficiency⁸

What it is

Betalains are the red and yellow pigments of beetroot (mainly betanin), sold as nitrate-free betalain-rich beetroot concentrates.

How it works

Proposed

Trial authors describe betalain-rich concentrate as having antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Because betanin is barely detectable in blood after beetroot, how the concentrate could affect exercise is unclear; trial authors proposed effects on muscle damage, blood flow and exercise efficiency without raising nitric-oxide markers.^2,3,6,7

Forms, side by side

3 forms named in our sources. The rest show what our data holds, and say plainly where it holds nothing yet.

Betalains (Betalain-Rich Beetroot Concentrate) forms compared

3 forms

Betalains (Betalain-Rich Beetroot Concentrate) forms compared: 3 forms by 3 attributes. Empty cells are labelled No data yet, or Not graded in the evidence row.
3 forms	Betalain-rich beetroot concentrate (nitrate- and sugar-free)	Beetroot juice or whole beetroot (betalains plus nitrate)	Red-fleshed dragon fruit (pitaya) powder
Absorption in people	Not measured in the athlete trials; betanin from whole beetroot products is barely detectable in plasma.⁶	Betanin was undetectable in plasma after juice (~194 mg betanin) or whole beetroot (~66 mg); urinary recovery of intact betalains was about 0.28% of the dose.^6,7	Not measured in the cited trial.⁹
GI tolerance	No adverse effects reported in the cited exercise abstracts.^1,3	Pink or red urine (beeturia) occurs in some people.⁸	Not reported in the trial abstract.⁹
Studied for	Endurance performance and recovery	Nitrate and betanin bioavailability	Blood vessel function

Betalain-rich beetroot concentrate (nitrate- and sugar-free)
Absorption in people
Not measured in the athlete trials; betanin from whole beetroot products is barely detectable in plasma.⁶
GI tolerance
No adverse effects reported in the cited exercise abstracts.^1,3
Studied for
Endurance performance and recovery
Beetroot juice or whole beetroot (betalains plus nitrate)
Absorption in people
Betanin was undetectable in plasma after juice (~194 mg betanin) or whole beetroot (~66 mg); urinary recovery of intact betalains was about 0.28% of the dose.^6,7
GI tolerance
Pink or red urine (beeturia) occurs in some people.⁸
Studied for
Nitrate and betanin bioavailability
Red-fleshed dragon fruit (pitaya) powder
Absorption in people
Not measured in the cited trial.⁹
GI tolerance
Not reported in the trial abstract.⁹
Studied for
Blood vessel function

What the human research says

Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form line shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.

Trial map

6 graded outcomes, largest study first

6 graded outcomes: 5 improved, 1 mixed. The largest, a 2019 crossover trial of 48 people on homocysteine, lipids, glucose and blood pressure in coronary artery disease, found an improvement.

By sizeTable

1Homocysteine, lipids, glucose and blood pressure in coronary artery disease

Improved · Grade D · Crossover RCT, 48 people, 2019

Men with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease

Dose, result and source

Every graded outcome on this page, largest study first
Outcome	Found	People	Study	Who was studied
Homocysteine, lipids, glucose and blood pressure in coronary artery disease	Improved	48	Grade D · Crossover RCT, 2019	Men with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease
30-minute cycling time-trial power	Improved	28	Grade D · Crossover RCT, 2018	Trained male cyclists
Running time trial and next-day recovery	Improved	22	Grade C · Crossover RCT, 2017	Competitive triathletes (9 men, 13 women; mean age 38)
Blood vessel function (flow-mediated dilation) and arterial stiffness	Improved	18	Grade D · Crossover RCT, 2022	Young, healthy non-smoking men and women; 19 randomized, 18 completed
Running economy, VO2max and recovery muscle oxygenation	Mixed	17	Grade D · Crossover RCT, 2025	Male recreational runners (mean age 19)
5-km running time trial	Improved	13	Grade D · Crossover RCT, 2016	Competitive male runners (mean age 25)

Every graded row

6 rows

Form tested

Showing 6 of 6 outcomes. Human trials only.

Grade CRunning time trial and next-day recoveryEndurance performance−1.3 min over 10 kmCrossover RCT
n 22 · 2017

Improved 10-km time trial was faster (49.5 vs 50.8 min, p = 0.03) at similar heart rate and effort. The 5-km run 24 hours later was faster (23.2 vs 23.9 min, p = 0.003), and creatine kinase and fatigue rose less.

Design: Crossover RCT, n = 22, 2017
Population: Competitive triathletes (9 men, 13 women; mean age 38)
Form: Betalain-rich beetroot concentrate (no nitrate) vs placebo
Dose: 100 mg/day for 6 days, then 50 mg 2 hours before testing
Duration: 7 days per condition
Source: Reference 1 · PubMed 28121183 (opens PubMed)

Grade DHomocysteine, lipids, glucose and blood pressure in coronary artery diseaseHeart markersImprovedCrossover RCT
n 48 · 2019

Improved Both supplements significantly decreased homocysteine, glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL and lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure, but the authors judged only the homocysteine, LDL and non-HDL changes clinically meaningful. Only minimal betanin appeared in plasma.

Design: Crossover RCT, n = 48, 2019
Population: Men with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease
Form: Betalain-rich red beetroot supplement or betacyanin-rich Opuntia supplement vs placebo
Dose: About 50 mg betalain/betacyanin (acute phase); 2-week supplementation
Duration: 2 weeks per condition
Source: Reference 5 · PubMed 31723956 (opens PubMed)

Grade D30-minute cycling time-trial powerEndurance performance+6 W (d = 0.02)Crossover RCT
n 28 · 2018

Improved Average absolute power was higher (231.6 vs 225.3 W, p = 0.050, d = 0.02); relative power, distance, lactate, nitric-oxide and inflammatory markers did not differ. Exercise efficiency in the last 5 minutes improved (p = 0.029).

Design: Crossover RCT, n = 28, 2018
Population: Trained male cyclists
Form: Betalain-rich beetroot concentrate vs placebo
Dose: 100 mg/day
Duration: 7 days per condition
Source: Reference 3 · PubMed 30155761 (opens PubMed)

Grade DBlood vessel function (flow-mediated dilation) and arterial stiffnessBlood vessel functionImprovedCrossover RCT
n 18 · 2022

Improved Flow-mediated dilation rose within 2 to 4 hours of the first dose (+0.8 to +1.3% versus placebo) and stayed higher at 14 days (+1.3%). Pulse-wave velocity fell at 3 hours and augmentation index improved at 14 days; peripheral and central blood pressure did not change.

Design: Crossover RCT, n = 18, 2022
Population: Young, healthy non-smoking men and women; 19 randomized, 18 completed
Form: Red-fleshed dragon fruit powder (betalain-rich whole fruit) vs nutrient-matched placebo
Dose: 24 g powder/day providing 33 mg betalains
Duration: 14 days
Source: Reference 9 · PubMed 35265960 (opens PubMed)

Grade DRunning economy, VO2max and recovery muscle oxygenationEndurance performanceMixedCrossover RCT
n 17 · 2025

Mixed Running economy and VO2max did not improve. Heart rate at 80% VO2max and maximum heart rate were lower, perceived exertion at 60% was lower, and post-exercise muscle oxygenation was higher; lactate clearance did not change.

Design: Crossover RCT, n = 17, 2025
Population: Male recreational runners (mean age 19)
Form: Betalain-rich concentrate vs dextrose placebo
Dose: Single 100 mg dose
Duration: Single session
Source: Reference 4 · PubMed 39994008 (opens PubMed)

Grade D5-km running time trialEndurance performanceImprovedCrossover RCT
n 13 · 2016

Improved 5-km time (23.0 vs 23.6 min) was faster in 10 of 13 runners. During steady running, heart rate was 3% lower, perceived exertion 15% lower and blood lactate 14% lower (p = 0.05).

Design: Crossover RCT, n = 13, 2016
Population: Competitive male runners (mean age 25)
Form: Betalain-rich beetroot concentrate vs control
Dose: 100 mg/day for 6 days, then 50 mg before testing
Duration: 7 days per condition
Source: Reference 2 · PubMed 29910288 (opens PubMed)

What the numbers add up to

Each point is worked out from the data and the sources numbered on this page, with the arithmetic shown under it. It adds no new data and is not medical advice.

Effects are small and from one product type

Faster time trials came from three small trials of betalain-rich concentrates, two from one research group; the cycling power gain had an effect size of 0.02.^1,2,3

Low blood levels raise a question

Betanin is barely detectable in plasma after beetroot products, so how the concentrate acts in muscle is not explained.^6,7

Studied doses

Doses used in research, shown against the official limits. They describe the studies, not a recommendation for you.

Studied doses in research, not advice. These are amounts used in research, not personal advice. Your clinician or pharmacist can say what fits you.

Doses studied in human trials

Doses studied in human trials ranged from about 33 mg of betalains a day (from dragon fruit powder, 14 days) and about 50 mg (a heart-marker pilot) to 100 mg/day of betalain-rich concentrate for 6–7 days before exercise testing, with a 50 mg pre-test dose in some trials. These are research doses, not recommendations.^1,3,5,9

When trials measured an effect

3 outcomes

How long trials ran before effects were measured
Outcome	Measured at	Basis
Endurance time trials	After 6–7 days of 100 mg/day	Triathlete, runner and cyclist crossover trials tested after about a week of loading^1,2,3
Running economy and VO2max	No change after a single 100 mg dose	2025 single-dose crossover trial in 17 runners⁴
Blood vessel dilation	2 hours after the first dose; still higher at 14 days	Dragon fruit powder with 33 mg betalains/day in 18 healthy adults⁹

Interactions and safety

Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.

Interactions

0 agents

None found in our sources.

Check with what you take

Kept on this device only

Add what you take. We list every interaction our evidence profiles cite between Betalains and your picks, and between your picks.

Add a supplement or medicine

Most cited:

Add a supplement or medicine you take to check it against Betalains.

Starting from one medicine? The interaction checker rates how serious each pair is, on a curated list of 19 entries for 11 medicines. This cabinet has no severity rating: it lists every interaction row our supplement pages cite.

Who should be careful

2 groups

People with heart disease: The only trial in coronary artery disease was a 2-week pilot measuring blood markers; it does not show effects on heart outcomes.⁵
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children: The cited trials enrolled adults; there are no data for pregnancy, breastfeeding or children.^1,5

Red urine (beeturia)

2 notes

A known effect of beetroot pigments.

How common: Beeturia, pink or red urine after beetroot, is said to occur in 10–14% of people and is more common in iron deficiency and malabsorption.⁸
Why it varies: In 100 volunteers, urinary pigment recovery after 60 mg of beetroot extract varied widely; the authors suggest stomach acidity and emptying rate drive the differences.⁸

How to read the label

What to check on the Supplement Facts panel.

How to read the label

2 checks

Betalain concentrate vs beet juice

The triathlete trial used a concentrate with no nitrate or sugar. Beetroot juice and beet powders also contain nitrate, so their effects are not interchangeable with betalain concentrates.^1,6

Label dose vs studied dose

Exercise trials used 100 mg/day of betalain-rich concentrate for about a week, plus a pre-test dose in some trials.^1,2,3

Have the bottle? Photograph its Supplement Facts panel and see each line, betalains (betalain-rich beetroot concentrate) included, beside the doses and forms the trials used in Label X-Ray.

Frequently asked questions

Short answers to common questions; the numbers link to the sources below.

Common questions

7 answers

Do betalains improve endurance?

Small crossover trials at 100 mg/day reported slightly faster time trials and lower perceived effort, but the cycling power gain was tiny and a single dose did not improve running economy or VO2max.^1,3,4

Are betalains absorbed?

Poorly. Betanin was undetectable in plasma after beet juice, and well under 1% appeared in urine.^6,7

Do betalains help blood vessels or blood pressure?

In 18 healthy adults, dragon fruit powder with 33 mg of betalains a day improved blood-vessel dilation within hours and at 14 days, without changing blood pressure. A 2-week pilot in men with coronary artery disease reported lower blood pressure.^9,5

Are betalain supplements safe?

The cited exercise trials lasted about a week, and their abstracts report no safety data. Pink or red urine (beeturia) is the known effect of beetroot pigments. There are no long-term safety data.^1,3,8

Are betalains the same as beetroot juice?

No. Beet juice provides nitrate as well as betalains, while the concentrate used in the triathlete trial contained no nitrate.^1,6

What are betalains?

The red-violet (betacyanin) and yellow (betaxanthin) pigments of beetroot; betanin is the main one.^6,8

Why is my urine pink after beets?

This is beeturia, reported in 10–14% of people and more common with iron deficiency.⁸

Sources

9 sources: trial abstracts, NIH fact sheets and reference databases. Numbers in the text link here.

Sources cited on this page

9 sources

1Betalain-rich concentrate supplementation improves exercise performance and recovery in competitive triathletes.Crossover RCT Appl Physiol Nutr Metab, 2017 · PMID 28121183
2Betalain-Rich Concentrate Supplementation Improves Exercise Performance in Competitive Runners.Crossover RCT Sports (Basel), 2016 · PMID 29910288
3Effect of 1-week betalain-rich beetroot concentrate supplementation on cycling performance and select physiological parameters.Crossover RCT Eur J Appl Physiol, 2018 · PMID 30155761
4Effects of a single dose of a betalain-rich concentrate on determinants of running performance and recovery muscle blood flow: a randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial.Crossover RCT Eur J Appl Physiol, 2025 · PMID 39994008
5Effects of betalains on atherogenic risk factors in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.Crossover RCT Food Funct, 2019 · PMID 31723956
6The plasma bioavailability of nitrate and betanin from Beta vulgaris rubra in humans.PK study Eur J Nutr, 2017 · PMID 26873098
7Urinary pharmacokinetics of betalains following consumption of red beet juice in healthy humans.PK study Pharmacol Res, 2005 · PMID 15964200
8Beeturia and the biological fate of beetroot pigments.PK study Pharmacogenetics, 1993 · PMID 8148871
9Betalain-rich dragon fruit (pitaya) consumption improves vascular function in men and women: a double-blind, randomized controlled crossover trial.Crossover RCT Am J Clin Nutr, 2022 · PMID 35265960

What changed

Every dated change to this page: what changed, who made it and why.

Change log

3 entries

Dated changes to this page
Date	Change	Who and why
Oct 21, 2026evidence, forms, studied doses, FAQ, questions, time to effect, related	Added a 2022 crossover trial of betalain-rich dragon fruit powder (33 mg betalains/day) on blood-vessel function (grade D) with a forms row, widened studied doses to 33–100 mg, and added time-to-effect rows, two FAQ items (safety; blood vessels and blood pressure), page questions and a goal-hub link. PubMed searched for betalain, betanin or betacyanin trials and meta-analyses through October 2026: no meta-analysis exists and no newer betalain-concentrate trial than the 2025 single-dose study; beetroot-juice and beetroot-extract trials were not added because their effects include nitrate. LactMed and LiverTox have no betalain or beetroot entry; no interactions documented in the sources checked.	Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: A–Z audit against docs/supplements/AUDIT-STANDARD.md
Oct 14, 2026all	Independent adversarial review: limited the no-nitrate statements to the triathlete trial (the other abstracts do not state the concentrate's nitrate content), noted the runners trial's FutureCeuticals funding and that it gives no p-value for 5-km time.	Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: review
Oct 14, 2026all	Initial editorial evidence review (first draft). Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (titles and years taken from the record, none retracted) and the abstract read for each cited row. Studied doses are reported as research doses, not dosing advice.	Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: new page

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