Beetroot Benefits for Men: Erectile Dysfunction and More

Key Takeaways:

• Beetroot may boost levels of nitric oxide, a substance required to achieve an erection, but there’s no scientific proof it treats erectile dysfunction.

• Claims about beets helping ED are mostly theoretical and aren’t based on actual clinical studies.

• Beetroot contains many other essential nutrients and substances that can support your overall health.

• Proven ED treatments such as sildenafil (Viagra) and tadalafil (Cialis) are very likely more effective for treating ED than beet juice.
  

Depending on what day of the week you read this, there’s probably a new “all-star” in the superfood or supplement world claiming to be a natural remedy for ED (erectile dysfunction), so it’s likely that beetroot is just another blip on the radar.

Below, we’ll explore the (limited) science behind beetroot for erectile function. We’ll also touch on the benefits of getting more beets in your diet and suggest a few ED treatment options that have more scientific backing.

The best available data suggests that a little over half of men between the ages of 40–70 experience erectile dysfunction. 

While some research has linked beetroot to potential benefits for ED, potential benefits and real benefits are very different things. 

There aren’t many compelling studies suggesting that beets are the key to harder, longer-lasting erections. Most research on the topic has focused on the fact that beetroot supplementation can increase nitric oxide in the body, which could be beneficial for erections.

Nitric oxide plays an important role in your ability to achieve an erection. This chemical helps relax the smooth muscle that allows your penis to fill with blood and promotes better vascular function throughout your body.

Problems with the release of nitric oxide from cells that line your blood vessels can potentially increase your risk of erectile dysfunction and other vascular problems like heart disease.

We don’t want to mince (or juice or powderize) words here: Beetroot juice is good for you for many reasons.

While a post-workout shot of it at the juice bar may not have an impact on your bedroom activities, it can do a number of things for the total body health you’re trying to improve and protect — and many of these things may trickle down to better erections.

Beets Nutrients

Beetroot can be juiced or powdered — or simply eaten, as it has been for thousands of years. Beets are rich in many nutrients, including antioxidants, vitamins A, B, and C, minerals (including sodium, iron, and potassium), and nitrate (more on that later). 

Additionally, there’s evidence for some of the reported health benefits of beetroot powder, which may include the following: 

Increased Antioxidant Intake

Beetroot is rich in numerous antioxidant compounds, including the pigment betalain. This is also the substance that turns your urine pink after eating beets. 

The high concentration of antioxidants in beetroot juice can potentially protect your cells from oxidative damage, when damaging cells pull electrons from your healthy cells. 

Reduced Inflammation

Chemicals found inside beets offer anti-inflammatory benefits. In one human study, supplementing with beetroot for just 10 days resulted in a reduction of inflammatory markers and pain in patients with arthritis. 

Nitric Oxide Production

Much of the research on beetroot benefits is related to vascular health. This is because beets and beet juice are rich in dietary nitrate, which becomes nitric oxide during digestion. Nitric oxide is a chemical naturally produced by the lining of your blood vessels that helps them relax and allows for more blood to pass through. 

In the penis, the relaxation of blood vessels helps you achieve an erection. 

Lower Blood Pressure

As we’ve mentioned, beetroot juice contains chemicals that may help relax your blood pressure. This property may have benefits for reducing hypertension (high blood pressure). 

Some studies have shown cardiovascular benefits associated with beetroot juice and reductions in cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure. In a 2024 review, researchers reported finding that daily intake of 200–800 milligrams of nitrate from beetroot juice reduces systolic blood pressure (the top number of a blood pressure reading) in people with high blood pressure. 

However, the researchers noted that more research is needed to support these findings. 

Cognition Boost

Mental wellness may also get a boost from this root vegetable. Similar to how beet juice may provide cardiovascular benefits, it might assist in protecting against neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and support your overall mental health. This is because a decline in available nitric acid associated with age can affect brain health. 

A few studies in humans have found that beetroot supplementation increases blood flow in the brain and improves reaction time.

Just because beetroot juice doesn’t directly improve symptoms of ED doesn’t mean it’s not worth drinking beet juice or consuming these root veggies in another way to reap the health benefits of beets.

We know beet juice may increase nitric oxide in the body, but we don’t know if this has any impact on ED symptoms or overall sexual health. There simply isn’t a body of scientific research supporting any such claims.

We do know that beet juice is good for you, though, and carries a low likelihood of side effects , so feel free to drink up to support your overall well-being. While you’re sipping, here are some big-picture takeaways:

• Beets are loaded with nutrients, including vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

• Beetroot contains inorganic nitrate, which your body converts to nitric oxide.

• As you get older, your body contains lower nitric oxide levels, which is believed to increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and even Alzheimer’s.

• Nitric oxide may play a role in erection health. This theory is behind the claims that beet juice is an effective ED treatment in the absence of scientific studies proving the link.

• There’s currently no concrete evidence proving beet juice can help with erectile dysfunction.

But if you’re in search of proven erectile dysfunction treatments, you’re likely better off going another route with medication like Viagra, Sildenafil (generic for Viagra), Cialis and Stendra.

And if you really just want to taste your ED treatment, consider our chewable ED meds hard mints for a convenient, edible delivery of a proven, FDA-approved treatment for ED.

Can beetroot or beet juice actually treat erectile dysfunction (ED)?

There’s currently no scientific evidence proving that beetroot or beet juice can treat ED. While beets may help support your erectile health, no studies have shown that this definitely translates into improved erectile function.

Why do people think beets might help with ED?

Beetroot is rich in dietary nitrates, which your body converts to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide helps relax blood vessels, which is an important part of achieving an erection. This theoretical connection fuels claims about beetroot for ED, but research hasn’t confirmed real-world sexual performance benefits.

Are there proven treatments for ED if beets don’t work?

The first-line treatment for ED is often FDA-approved medications like Viagra (sildenafil) or Cialis (tadalafil). These medications directly help increase blood flow to your penis. You can talk to a healthcare professional about these medications through our telehealth platform for ED.