Beetroot in Your Energy Drink: What It Actually Does for Your Body
Most energy drink ingredients fall into two categories: things that work, and things that are there to look good on a label. Beetroot is firmly in the first category. Here's the science behind why it's in every can of Chroma - and what it's actually doing inside your body when you crack one open before a session.
The Chain That Makes It Work
Beetroot's performance benefits trace back to a single molecule: dietary nitrate ().
Your body converts dietary nitrate into nitrite, and then into nitric oxide () - a gas that signals the smooth muscle cells lining your blood vessels to relax and dilate. Wider blood vessels mean more blood flow, more oxygen delivery to working muscles, and less oxygen cost per unit of work.
That last point is the key one. Beetroot doesn't just help you get oxygen to your muscles faster - it makes your muscles more efficient at using it. You do the same work for less energy cost. Or more work for the same cost. Either way, the gap between you and your limit gets wider.
What the Research Actually Shows
1. Peak Power Output
A 2026 double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study published in Scientific Reports (Nature) tested acute beetroot juice supplementation in trained male footballers during a 30-second Wingate anaerobic test. The result: peak power output jumped from 720W in the placebo group to 803W with beetroot supplementation - an 11.5% increase in peak anaerobic power output from a single dose. Muscle oxygenation also improved significantly. nature.com
2. Resistance & Strength Performance
A 2025 dose-response investigation published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology (Springer/PubMed) confirmed that dietary nitrate supplementation enhances skeletal muscle contractile function and explosive-type exercise by specifically modulating type II muscle fibers - the fast-twitch fibers responsible for power, speed, and strength. National Library of Medicine
A separate 2025 randomized double-blind crossover study published in Frontiers in Nutrition found that dietary nitrate supplementation significantly improved isometric performance and physiological responses in college-level bodybuilders.frontiersin.org
3. The Broadest Evidence Base in Sports Nutrition
A March 2025 umbrella review published in Sports Medicinesynthesized 20 published systematic reviews with meta-analyses on dietary nitrate and exercise performance - making it the most comprehensive analysis of beetroot research to date. The review confirmed meaningful benefits across endurance, strength, and high-intensity exercise formats, with the strongest effects seen in trained athletes. Massy University
A complementary umbrella review published in Nutrients (MDPI) covering both professional athletes and healthy individuals reached consistent conclusions: beetroot juice supplementation produces measurable, repeatable improvements in physical performance across exercise types and populations. mdpi.com
Why It Belongs in an Energy Drink Specifically
Most beetroot research is done with standalone beetroot juice supplements - concentrated shots taken 2-3 hours before performance. The mechanism is the same in a functional energy drink, with one critical advantage: you're getting beetroot alongside the other compounds that support performance from different angles simultaneously.
In Chroma's formula, that stack looks like this:
- Beetroot → dietary nitrate → nitric oxide → vasodilation → better oxygen delivery and power output
- Cordyceps → ATP synthesis → more cellular energy, less lactic acid accumulation
- Green-tea caffeine + L-theanine → CNS activation → focus, drive, reaction time
- Electrolytes (magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride) → fluid balance → sustained muscle function and hydration
Each ingredient addresses a different limiting factor in performance. That's not an accident - it's the entire design philosophy behind Chroma.
The Honest Part
Beetroot is not a magic ingredient. A single can of Chroma is not going to add 83 watts to your Wingate test the first time you drink it. What the research shows is consistent, measurable benefit - particularly with regular use and particularly in trained athletes pushing real effort.
If you're training hard, eating clean, and sleeping well, beetroot is the kind of ingredient that compounds those efforts. It works with the work you're already putting in.
That's exactly how Chroma is built: not as a shortcut, but as a performance tool for people who don't need shortcuts.
Ready to fuel your next session? Grab a case at drinkchroma.com.
FAQ
Q: Does beetroot actually make a difference in an energy drink or is it just a trend ingredient? The research is clear - dietary nitrate from beetroot has one of the most robust evidence bases in sports nutrition. A 2025 umbrella review covering 20 separate meta-analyses confirmed measurable performance benefits across endurance, strength, and high-intensity formats.
Q: How long before training should I drink Chroma? Based on beetroot pharmacokinetics, plasma nitrite peaks approximately 2-3 hours after ingestion. For best results, drink Chroma 60-90 minutes before your session - the caffeine activates quickly while the nitrate continues building.
Q: Does beetroot turn your urine pink? Yes, it can. This is called beeturia and is completely harmless. It's caused by betalain pigments passing through your system and is not related to the nitrate content or performance benefits.
Q: Is the beetroot in Chroma a whole food ingredient or a synthetic extract? Chroma uses a clean, plant-derived beetroot ingredient - consistent with its no-synthetic, no-dye formulation philosophy.
