If you've spent any time looking at pump-focused pre-workouts, you've probably come across ingredients associated with nitrates, beetroot or nitric oxide.

They're often discussed alongside L-citrulline, which can make it seem as though they're simply different versions of the same ingredient.

They're not.

L-citrulline and dietary nitrate can both influence pathways associated with nitric oxide, but they do so through different mechanisms.

That makes nitrates an interesting ingredient category in their own right—and one worth understanding if you're comparing modern formulas.

So what exactly are nitrates, how does beetroot fit into the picture, and what does the research actually show?

What Are Dietary Nitrates?

Nitrate is a naturally occurring compound found in a range of foods.

Vegetables are one of the major dietary sources, particularly foods such as:

Beetroot

Spinach

Rocket

Lettuce

Celery

Beetroot has become particularly well known within sports nutrition because it can provide relatively high amounts of dietary nitrate.

This is why beetroot extracts and other nitrate-containing ingredients sometimes appear in sports supplements and pre-workout formulas.

What Does Nitrate Have to Do With Nitric Oxide?

After nitrate is consumed, part of it can enter a pathway commonly described as:

Nitrate → Nitrite → Nitric Oxide

This is different from the pathway involving L-citrulline and L-arginine.

Nitric oxide is an important signalling molecule involved in several physiological processes, including regulation of blood vessels.

This relationship is one of the main reasons nitrate-containing ingredients have attracted so much attention in sports nutrition research.

Nitrates vs L-Citrulline

This distinction is worth understanding.

L-Citrulline

L-citrulline can increase circulating arginine availability.

Arginine is then involved in nitric oxide synthesis through the nitric oxide synthase pathway.

Dietary Nitrate

Dietary nitrate follows a different route through nitrate and nitrite before contributing to nitric oxide availability.

So while both ingredients can appear in a pump-focused formula, they aren't simply duplicate ingredients.

For a full explanation of the citrulline pathway, read our L-Citrulline in Pre-Workout guide.

Why Are Nitrates Used in Pre-Workout?

The sports-nutrition interest around nitrate has largely centred on its relationship with nitric oxide and exercise physiology.

Researchers have investigated nitrate supplementation in relation to:

Endurance exercise

Time-to-exhaustion

Exercise efficiency

Power output

Repetition performance

Resistance exercise

Movement velocity

However, the effect isn't identical across every study or every type of exercise.

That's important because a legitimate physiological mechanism doesn't automatically mean a supplement improves every aspect of performance.

What Does the Research Say?

Dietary nitrate has accumulated a substantial research base.

A large systematic review and meta-analysis examining 123 studies and 1,705 participants reported a small overall improvement in exercise performance from nitrate supplementation.

Interestingly, the effect varied according to factors such as the form of nitrate used, exercise duration and supplementation protocol.

The researchers reported that performance effects appeared particularly noticeable in exercise lasting approximately 2–10 minutes.

That's useful information—but it shouldn't be interpreted as meaning every nitrate-containing pre-workout guarantees better performance.

Research protocols and commercial products aren't necessarily the same thing.

Nitrates and Resistance Training

Nitrates aren't studied only in cyclists and endurance athletes.

Researchers have also investigated their use during resistance exercise.

A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis looked at nitrate supplementation during exercises including the squat and bench press.

Across six studies, nitrate supplementation was associated with small improvements in some measures including:

Repetitions to failure

Mean power

Mean velocity

The same analysis did not find significant improvements in every measured outcome, including peak velocity.

The number of available resistance-training studies was also relatively small.

So the most accurate conclusion isn't:

"Nitrates make you stronger."

It's that nitrate supplementation has shown potentially useful effects in some resistance-exercise outcomes, while evidence remains dependent on exercise type and study design.

Do Nitrates Increase Muscle Pump?

Nitrates are often marketed heavily around pump.

There is a logical physiological connection because nitric oxide participates in regulation of blood vessels.

However, a larger muscle pump during every gym session shouldn't be guaranteed simply because nitrate appears on an ingredient label.

Muscle pump itself is influenced by numerous variables including:

Exercise selection

Repetitions

Set duration

Rest periods

Hydration

Carbohydrate availability

Sodium

Training volume

Individual physiology

This is the same reason we don't say that L-citrulline automatically guarantees a huge pump.

A pump formula needs to be judged as a complete formulation.

Beetroot vs Nitrate: Are They the Same Thing?

Not exactly.

Beetroot is a food source that can contain nitrate.

But simply seeing the word beetroot on a supplement label doesn't necessarily tell you exactly how much nitrate the ingredient provides.

That matters.

Research examining nitrate normally controls or measures nitrate intake much more precisely than somebody simply eating an unspecified amount of beetroot.

When comparing formulas, therefore, look at what the manufacturer actually discloses.

Does More Beetroot Mean More Nitric Oxide?

Not necessarily.

The amount of beetroot powder isn't automatically equivalent to its nitrate content.

Raw material, processing and standardisation can affect the composition of an extract.

This is why comparing two supplements purely by the milligrams of "beetroot" listed can be misleading.

It's similar to the problem we discussed in our L-Citrulline article

the headline number only means something if you understand what that number represents.

Can Mouthwash Affect Nitrate Metabolism?

This is one of the most interesting parts of nitrate research.

Oral bacteria participate in the conversion of nitrate into nitrite.

Research has therefore investigated whether antibacterial mouthwash can interfere with this process.

Systematic research suggests that practices that significantly alter oral bacteria can reduce aspects of the nitrate-to-nitrite pathway.

That doesn't mean you should stop looking after your teeth.

It simply demonstrates how unusual the nitrate pathway is compared with many other supplement ingredients.

Your oral microbiome actually participates in the process.

Nitrates vs Caffeine

These ingredients shouldn't be confused.

Caffeine

Caffeine is primarily a central nervous system stimulant.

Nitrate

Nitrate isn't a traditional stimulant.

Its sports-nutrition interest is much more closely connected with nitric oxide physiology.

That means a stimulant-free pre-workout can contain nitrate.

It also means you shouldn't expect nitrate to produce the same noticeable "kick" as caffeine.

Read our Caffeine in Pre-Workout guide to understand why stimulant strength and pump formulation are completely different things.

Nitrates vs Beta-Alanine

Again, different mechanisms.

Beta-alanine is used by the body in the production of muscle carnosine.

Nitrate follows the nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide pathway.

The fact that both may appear in a performance pre-workout doesn't mean they serve the same purpose.

Read our Beta-Alanine in Pre-Workout guide for the full explanation of carnosine and beta-alanine.

Nitrates vs Citrulline: Which Is Better?

This isn't really the right question.

They influence nitric oxide availability through different pathways.

Some products use citrulline.

Some use nitrate-containing ingredients.

Some combine several pump-oriented ingredients.

That doesn't automatically make a formula using both superior either.

Ingredient selection, dose, formulation and the product's intended purpose all matter.

If your main interest is pump-focused formulas, browse our Pump & Performance collection.

Does Nitrate Work Better for Trained or Untrained People?

Research suggests training status may influence response.

Some systematic reviews have found that highly trained endurance athletes may experience smaller effects than less highly trained populations in some exercise outcomes.

Again, this reinforces an important rule of sports nutrition:

Results from one population shouldn't automatically be applied to everyone.

An elite cyclist and a recreational bodybuilder aren't physiologically identical test subjects.

Is Nitrate a Stimulant?

No.

Dietary nitrate isn't caffeine.

You shouldn't expect:

A caffeine-style energy rush

Beta-alanine tingles

An immediate stimulant sensation

This is another example of why how strongly you feel a pre-workout isn't necessarily a measure of how well formulated it is.

What Should You Look For on the Label?

If you're buying a nitrate-containing pre-workout, examine:

The Source

Is nitrate coming from beetroot, another botanical source or a specifically identified nitrate ingredient?

Standardisation

Does the manufacturer disclose nitrate content or simply state the amount of plant powder?

The Rest of the Formula

Does it also contain:

L-citrulline

Citrulline malate

Glycerol

Taurine

Beta-alanine

Caffeine

Electrolytes

Stimulant Content

A product containing nitrates isn't automatically stimulant-free.

Always check the entire ingredient panel.

Our How to Read a Pre-Workout Label guide explains how to compare formulas properly.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nitrates

Is beetroot a pre-workout ingredient?

Beetroot-derived ingredients can be used in sports-nutrition products, particularly where manufacturers are interested in dietary nitrate.

Is nitrate the same as L-citrulline?

No. They can both interact with nitric-oxide-related physiology but through different pathways.

Does nitrate contain caffeine?

No. Nitrate itself isn't caffeine or a traditional stimulant.

Does nitrate cause beta-alanine tingles?

No. The characteristic tingling sensation associated with many pre-workouts is normally caused by beta-alanine.

Are nitrates only useful for endurance training?

No. Although nitrate has been extensively studied in endurance exercise, research has also examined resistance training, muscular endurance, power and movement velocity.

The Bottom Line

Nitrates represent one of the more interesting areas of modern pre-workout research.

Their importance comes from the nitrate → nitrite → nitric oxide pathway, which is different from the pathway involving L-citrulline and arginine.

Research has reported small performance effects across some exercise outcomes, including certain endurance and resistance-training measures.

But the results aren't universal.

That is exactly why a research-led approach matters.

An ingredient can have legitimate science behind it without becoming a magic solution.

When comparing nitrate-containing formulas, look beyond the word "beetroot".

Consider the ingredient source, disclosed quantities, complete formulation and what you actually want from your pre-workout.

Browse our Pump & Performance collection or read Types of Pre-Workout Explained to compare pump, stimulant and performance-focused formulas.

Research Behind This Guide

Research considered for this article includes:

Factors that Moderate the Effect of Nitrate Ingestion on Exercise Performance in Adults: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analyses and Meta-Regressions — Advances in Nutrition, 2022.

Effects of Dietary Nitrate Supplementation on Back Squat and Bench Press Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis — 2023.

Dietary Nitrate Supplementation and Exercise Performance: An Umbrella Review of 20 Published Systematic Reviews with Meta-analyses — comprehensive review covering 180 primary studies.

Research continues to evolve, and results depend on the population, exercise protocol, nitrate source and supplementation strategy.

Important Information

Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. Follow the manufacturer's directions and recommended serving size for any supplement you use.