Free tool
Nitrate and citrulline timing calculator
How many beetroot shots to take, when to take them, and how much citrulline before a session.
Short answer: Take about 5–9 mmol (310–560 mg) of nitrate, such as beetroot juice, 2–3 hours before exercise. For citrulline, studies used about 6–8 g of citrulline malate or 3–6 g of L-citrulline an hour before, but the benefit is small.
Nitrate (beetroot)
- Servings
- 1
- 6.5 mmol each
- Dose
- 6.5 mmol
- 403 mg nitrate
- Take between
- 07:00–08:00
- 2–3 hours before
Citrulline
- Citrulline malate
- 6–8 g
- Weak evidence: small effects in studies
- Take at
- 09:00
- About 60 minutes before
Nitrate helps most in efforts of about 12–40 minutes and in non-elite athletes. Avoid antibacterial mouthwash, which blunts it. Red urine afterwards is harmless. Not for anyone told to avoid nitrates; ask your doctor if you take medicines for blood pressure or angina.
How much nitrate
The IOC consensus gives about 5–9 mmol of nitrate 2–3 hours before exercise, with several days of use possibly helping more (Maughan et al., 2018). In one dose-response study, 8.4 mmol helped more than 4.2 mmol, and 16.8 mmol gave no extra benefit (Wylie et al., 2013).
Who benefits most
Benefits are clearest in efforts of about 12–40 minutes and in recreational rather than elite athletes (Senefeld et al., 2020).
Citrulline: weaker evidence
A meta-analysis found a small effect of citrulline on strength and power (Trexler et al., 2019). It is not in the strong-evidence group, so treat it as optional.
Scientific sources
- Maughan et al. (2018). IOC consensus statement: dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete. British Journal of Sports Medicine.
- Wylie et al. (2013). Beetroot juice and exercise: pharmacodynamic and dose-response relationships. Journal of Applied Physiology.
- Senefeld et al. (2020). Ergogenic effect of nitrate supplementation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
- Trexler et al. (2019). Effects of citrulline supplementation on exercise performance in humans: a review of the current literature. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
More tools in the tools directory.
Embed this calculator on your website
Free for coaches, gyms and writers. Paste this code into your page; it stays up to date automatically.
Share this calculator
Was this tool helpful?
Educational information for adults aged 18 and over. It does not diagnose, treat or manage any medical condition. If you have a health condition, or symptoms that worry you, speak to your doctor or a health professional.