Natural beetroot pigments studied for calming inflammation and neutralizing cell-damaging molecules. The strongest human signal is faster recovery and less soreness after hard exercise, with weaker support for antioxidant defense, blood fats, and blood sugar. Safety is excellent; the main effect is harmless red-pink urine or stool. Much of beetroot's fame actually comes from its nitrate, not these pigments. (Full Review)
| Marker | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| hs-CRP | < 1.0 mg/L | Tracks the anti-inflammatory effect |
| Oxidized LDL | Lower is better; no consensus cutoff | Antioxidant effect on lipoproteins |
| Lipid panel | LDL < 100, triglycerides < 100, HDL > 50 mg/dL | Monitors the lipid-lowering signal |
| Fasting glucose / HbA1c | Glucose < 90 mg/dL; HbA1c < 5.4% | Tracks blood-sugar effects |
| Homocysteine | < 8 µmol/L | Followed in the cardiometabolic trial |
| Blood pressure | < 120/80 mmHg | Detects additive lowering from nitrate products |
| Ferritin / iron studies | ~50–150 ng/mL | Recurrent beeturia can flag low iron |
Cadence: Baseline, then 4–8 weeks after starting, then every 6–12 months; check blood pressure more often early when combining with antihypertensives