Compound
nitrate
A nitrogen oxoanion formed by loss of a proton from nitric acid. Principal species present at pH 7.3.
Studied for
9 endpoints, 12 findings, from 8 papers — 7 of them found no effect.
- Plasma nitrate concentrationraisesGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.
- Body mass indexno detected effectGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.
- Colorectal cancer incidenceno detected effectGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.
- Diastolic blood pressure (setting unspecified)no detected effectGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.
- Maximal oxygen uptakeno detected effectGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.
Structure
Loading the model…
- Class
- Inorganic compound, anion
- Formula
- NO3
- Mass
- 62.004 g/mol
- Charge
- -1
- InChIKey
- NHNBFGGVMKEFGY-UHFFFAOYSA-N
- SMILES
- O=[N+]([O-])[O-]
- Look it up
- ChEBIPubChemBy InChIKey
Identity from ChEBI, geometry from PubChem. Not evidence — none of it carries a grade.
What the evidence says
How to read these marks12 findings across 9 endpoints, from 8 papers, strongest first, 7 of them null.
What moved
5 findings
Increases plasma nitrate concentration
LikelyGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.Findingreplicated ×2“The plasma NO3− concentration was elevated with BRJ intake (p < 0.05).”
Quoted verbatim from Effect of Acute Dietary Nitrate Supplementation on the Venous Vascular Response to Static Exercise in Healthy Young Adults.. - Study
- RCT
- Participants
- 16
- Population
- healthy young adults
Effect of Acute Dietary Nitrate Supplementation on the Venous Vascular Response to Static Exercise in Healthy Young Adults.2022PMID:36364727
Increases plasma nitrite concentration
SuggestiveGrade C, Suggestive. Weak human evidence, or strong evidence in a mismatched population.Findingreplicated ×1“Linear mixed models revealed a significant main effect of condition ( p < 0.001), with the mean plasma nitrite concentration 461 nM higher (95%CI, 269 to 653 nM) in the nitrate supplementation versus placebo condition.”
Quoted verbatim from Inter-individual differences in the blood pressure lowering effects of dietary nitrate: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled replicate crossover trial.. - Study
- crossover
- Participants
- 15
- Dose
- 140 mL concentrated nitrate-rich beetroot juice, ~14.0 mmol nitrate, single acute dose; outcome measured 2.5 h post-supplementation
- Population
- 15 healthy males, replicate crossover; secondary endpoint
Effect 461 mean difference, 95% CI 269 to 653
Increases plasma nitrate concentration
SuggestiveGrade C, Suggestive. Weak human evidence, or strong evidence in a mismatched population.Findingreplicated ×2“Plasma [NO3−] was greater in BR-HIGH ( P < 0.001, g = 5.96), BR-MOD ( P < 0.001, g = 2.65), and BR-LOW ( P < 0.001, d z = 4.52) compared to PL.”
Quoted verbatim from The effect of dietary nitrate supplementation on resistance exercise performance: A dose-response investigation.. - Study
- crossover
- Participants
- 18
- Dose
- 4 x 70 mL concentrated beetroot juice supplying ~6, ~12 or ~24 mmol nitrate, single acute dose 2.5 h before exercise
- Population
- 18 resistance-trained young men; all three nitrate doses (~6, ~12, ~24 mmol) versus nitrate-depleted beetroot juice placebo
The effect of dietary nitrate supplementation on resistance exercise performance: A dose-response investigation.2025PMID:40274664
Increases plasma nitrite concentration
SuggestiveGrade C, Suggestive. Weak human evidence, or strong evidence in a mismatched population.Findingreplicated ×1“Plasma [NO2−] was greater in BR-HIGH ( P < 0.001, g = 1.99), BR-MOD ( P < 0.001, g = 1.36), and BR-LOW ( P < 0.001, g = 1.59) compared to PL.”
Quoted verbatim from The effect of dietary nitrate supplementation on resistance exercise performance: A dose-response investigation.. - Study
- crossover
- Participants
- 18
- Dose
- 4 x 70 mL concentrated beetroot juice supplying ~6, ~12 or ~24 mmol nitrate, single acute dose 2.5 h before exercise
- Population
- 18 resistance-trained young men; all three nitrate doses (~6, ~12, ~24 mmol) versus nitrate-depleted beetroot juice placebo
The effect of dietary nitrate supplementation on resistance exercise performance: A dose-response investigation.2025PMID:40274664
Increases plasma nitrate concentration
PreliminaryGrade D, Preliminary. Non-human or in vitro only.Findingreplicated ×2“In contrast, plasma NO3 − and NO2 − concentrations were significantly elevated 1 and 2 h post‐ingestion of NO3 −‐containing BRJ, as well as 10 min after completion of the exercise testing (approximately 2.5 h post‐ingestion).”
Quoted verbatim from The influence of acute dietary nitrate supplementation on skeletal muscle fatigue and recovery in older women.. - Study
- crossover
- Participants
- 18
- Dose
- 140 mL concentrated beetroot juice containing 15.6 +/- 3.6 mmol nitrate, single acute dose
- Population
- 18 community-dwelling older women, mean age 70 years
The influence of acute dietary nitrate supplementation on skeletal muscle fatigue and recovery in older women.2023PMID:37226336
What did not
7 findings
Measured, and no effect detected. These are findings, not gaps — a trial that looked and found nothing is the most easily lost result in this field.
No detected effect on colorectal cancer incidence
LikelyGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.FindingNull result“No significant associations were found between dietary nitrate/nitrite and cancers of the breast, bladder, colorectal, esophagus, renal cell, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, ovarian, and pancreas.”
Quoted verbatim from Association between dietary nitrate and nitrite intake and sitespecific cancer risk: evidence from observational studies.. - Study
- meta-analysis
- Population
- adults in prospective and case-control studies of dietary nitrate intake
Association between dietary nitrate and nitrite intake and sitespecific cancer risk: evidence from observational studies.2016PMID:27486968
No detected effect on maximal oxygen uptake
LikelyGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.FindingNull result“Nitrate supplementation decreased VO2 (MD - 0.04 L/min, P < 0.00001) but had no significant effect on VO2max or blood lactate levels.”
Quoted verbatim from The effects of dietary nitrate supplementation on endurance exercise performance and cardiorespiratory measures in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.. - Study
- meta-analysis
- Population
- adults engaging in endurance-based activity
The effects of dietary nitrate supplementation on endurance exercise performance and cardiorespiratory measures in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.2021PMID:34243756An author is affiliated with a producer
No detected effect on urinary bladder cancer incidence
LikelyGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.FindingNull result“No significant associations were found between dietary nitrate/nitrite and cancers of the breast, bladder, colorectal, esophagus, renal cell, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, ovarian, and pancreas.”
Quoted verbatim from Association between dietary nitrate and nitrite intake and sitespecific cancer risk: evidence from observational studies.. - Study
- meta-analysis
- Population
- adults in prospective and case-control studies of dietary nitrate intake
Association between dietary nitrate and nitrite intake and sitespecific cancer risk: evidence from observational studies.2016PMID:27486968
No detected effect on mean power output
LikelyGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.FindingNull result“A random effects model was performed on six studies and showed that dietary nitrate had significant effects on time-to-peak power (SMD: -0.66, 95% CI: -1.127 to -0.192, p = 0.006) but not on mean power, peak power, or minimum power.”
Quoted verbatim from Effects of Dietary Nitrate Supplementation on High-Intensity Cycling Sprint Performance in Recreationally Active Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.. - Study
- meta-analysis
- Population
- healthy recreationally active adults performing 30-s cycling sprints
No detected effect on body mass index
LikelyGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.FindingNull result“No significant effects of nitrate supplementation were observed on body weight, BMI, or diastolic blood pressure (DBP).”
Quoted verbatim from The effect of dietary nitrate on weight management: a systematic review and meta-analysis.. - Study
- meta-analysis
- Population
- adults with obesity
The effect of dietary nitrate on weight management: a systematic review and meta-analysis.2026PMID:42130877
No detected effect on diastolic blood pressure (setting unspecified)
LikelyGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.FindingNull result“No significant effects of nitrate supplementation were observed on body weight, BMI, or diastolic blood pressure (DBP).”
Quoted verbatim from The effect of dietary nitrate on weight management: a systematic review and meta-analysis.. - Study
- meta-analysis
- Population
- adults with obesity
The effect of dietary nitrate on weight management: a systematic review and meta-analysis.2026PMID:42130877
Show the remaining 1
No detected effect on peak power output
LikelyGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.FindingNull result“A random effects model was performed on six studies and showed that dietary nitrate had significant effects on time-to-peak power (SMD: -0.66, 95% CI: -1.127 to -0.192, p = 0.006) but not on mean power, peak power, or minimum power.”
Quoted verbatim from Effects of Dietary Nitrate Supplementation on High-Intensity Cycling Sprint Performance in Recreationally Active Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.. - Study
- meta-analysis
- Population
- healthy recreationally active adults performing 30-s cycling sprints
What it touches on the way
A finding says nitrate moved an endpoint. This is the biology in between: the proteins and reactions it runs through to get there. It is where to look for the two things a list of findings cannot answer — why a result might happen, and what else acts on the same machinery.
11 of these are proteins with a page of their own, and that is the door: a protein page says what else it carries, which is how one compound leads to the next.
Mechanistic reach
11 entities
11 entities reached, most connected first. Hub metabolites are excluded, so this is not a claim that the compound touches everything.
0 reported hop11 assembled from the scaffold
- CLIC4ProteinUNIPROT:Q9Y696transported byInferred only130 paths130 endpoints
- CLIC1ProteinUNIPROT:O00299transported byInferred only85 paths85 endpoints
- SLC1A5ProteinUNIPROT:Q15758transported byInferred only10 paths10 endpoints
- SLC26A2ProteinUNIPROT:P50443transported byInferred only10 paths10 endpoints
- CYGBProteinUNIPROT:Q8WWM9substrate ofInferred only5 paths5 endpoints
- CLCC1ProteinUNIPROT:Q96S66transported byInferred only4 paths4 endpoints
- CLDN10ProteinUNIPROT:P78369transported byInferred only4 paths4 endpoints
- SLC1A4ProteinUNIPROT:P43007transported byInferred only3 paths3 endpoints
- SLC26A7ProteinUNIPROT:Q8TE54transported byInferred only3 paths3 endpoints
- SLC17A5ProteinUNIPROT:Q9NRA2transported byInferred only1 path1 endpoint
- CLCNKBProteinUNIPROT:P51801transported byInferred only1 path1 endpoint
Where it reaches
10 systems, 28 regions, 177 tissues, 249 transporter routes.
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