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Performance Scientist Reveals Top Legal Performance Hack
At some point, every athlete hits that shift from newbie to intermediate. Your muscles aren't growing like they used to, but you're stronger than ever. You've found your rhythm, and a few miles in, your breathing's smooth and steady. Still, we live in a world obsessed with the next big fitness breakthrough.
Whether it's a new protein powder for gains or pre-workout for that mental edge, there's always something promising better performance. But according to a top longevity expert, there's one supplement you're probably overlooking—beetroot juice—and it could seriously level up the way you is rich in dietary nitrates, naturally occurring compounds found in various foods that convert into nitric oxide in the body. Once in the body, it relaxes and widens blood vessels, which can improve blood flow, deliver more oxygen to your blood, and improve efficiency.
"We've used a ton of different forms over the years," Andy Galpin, Ph.D., CSCS*D, NSCA-CPT*D, the executive director of the Human Performance Center at Parker University, said in an interview with Dr. Rhonda Patrick. "It's great because it's not a stimulant, so you can take it in the evenings and it doesn't compromise sleep. We will use it a lot for our individuals who are either exercising at night or training multiple times per day, and their stimulants come in the morning, but they still have high fatigue."
Because beetroot juice boosts nitric oxide levels and improves blood flow and oxygen efficiency, it can give you more stamina, better endurance, and potentially faster recovery.
There's some debate on how to take beetroot—powder or juice? According to Galpin, it doesn't really matter. What does matter is when you take it. And fair warning: It may not be as intense as caffeine, but you'll definitely feel it within minutes.
'Like caffeine, you're going to have a pretty acute effect,' he says. 'Some people are going to metabolize it faster, some people slower. So it's not a short-lasting thing—it'll be there for quite some time. If you're going to use it for performance benefits, whether it's in the podcast room, in the weight room, or dealing with the assembly at your kid's school…right before would be the time to go about it.'
Performance Scientist Reveals Top Legal Performance Hack first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 24, 2025
