Guide
Who should not take beetroot?
Beyond the label's general pregnancy/nursing/under-18 caution, a history of calcium-oxalate kidney stones and certain nitrate- or blood-pressure-related medications are the two specific reasons to ask a doctor first.
Our label's own warning covers most of it: don't exceed the recommended dose, and consult a physician if you're pregnant, nursing, under 18, or have a medical condition. Beyond that, two groups deserve a more specific note — people with a history of certain kidney stones, and people on medication that affects blood pressure or the same pathway as prescription nitrates.
Pregnant, nursing, or under 18
Our label directs anyone who is pregnant, nursing, or under 18 to consult a physician before taking this or any supplement. We don't have research on beetroot supplementation specifically in these groups, so the label's general caution stands rather than any specific guidance from us.
People with a kidney or urinary history
Beetroot is a relatively high-oxalate food. A nutrition review on dietary oxalate names beet as one of the common high-oxalate foods, alongside rhubarb and spinach, and notes that a diet low in calcium and high in oxalate isn't recommended — a combination that matters most for people with a history of calcium-oxalate kidney stones. If you've had kidney stones before, ask your doctor whether adding a beetroot supplement fits your situation; the same review is clear that occasional high-oxalate food intake isn't a particular problem for most people, so this is a targeted caution, not a blanket warning.
People on certain medications
Beetroot's dietary nitrate raises nitric oxide activity in the body, the same general pathway targeted by prescription nitrate medications and by some blood pressure drugs. If you take a prescription nitrate, a medication for high blood pressure, or a PDE-5 inhibitor (such as sildenafil), ask your doctor before adding a beetroot supplement — see beetroot and medications: what to check for the specifics we could and couldn't find research on.
What our label warns
Do not exceed the recommended dose. Consult a physician if pregnant, nursing, under 18, or if you have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children. Do not use if the safety seal is damaged or missing.
Questions people ask
Who should not take beetroot?
Our label directs anyone pregnant, nursing, under 18, or with a medical condition to consult a physician first. People with a history of calcium-oxalate kidney stones, and anyone on a prescription nitrate, a blood pressure medication, or a PDE-5 inhibitor, should also ask a doctor before adding a beetroot supplement.
Does beetroot cause problems for the kidneys?
We haven't found research linking beetroot supplementation to kidney harm in general. What is established is that beetroot is a relatively high-oxalate food, which is why people with a history of calcium-oxalate kidney stones are advised to ask a doctor first.
Who should not eat beetroot at all?
As a food, beetroot is eaten safely by most people; the cautions above are about supplement-level or above-label intake, specific medical histories, and specific medications, not about eating the vegetable itself in ordinary amounts.
Related reading: beetroot side effects, beetroot and medications: what to check, and how much beetroot should you take a day.
Sources
- Oxalate content of foods and its effect on humans Beetroot is one of the more common high-oxalate foods; a diet consistently low in calcium and high in oxalate isn't recommended, but occasional consumption of high-oxalate foods isn't considered a problem for most people.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
