Beetroot Juice and Kidney Strain in Pregnancy

A clinical trial published in August 2026 by researchers at King's College London in 'Kidney International Reports' investigated whether daily dietary nitrate from beetroot juice can safely support pregnant women with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Approximately half of pregnant women with moderate to severe CKD experience worsening kidney function, yet few safe treatments exist because many standard medications must be paused during pregnancy. The study enrolled 108 pregnant women with stage 2 to 5 chronic kidney disease across eight UK hospitals before 25 weeks of pregnancy. Participants were randomized to receive standard care alone or standard care combined with a daily nitrate-containing beetroot juice supplement, which converts into nitric oxide in the body to relax blood vessels and improve circulation. Results showed that participants receiving beetroot juice experienced about 70% fewer serious adverse events overall compared to standard care, with no safety concerns such as hyperkalemia or dangerous potassium buildup emerging. Furthermore, women with advanced kidney disease exhibited better postpartum kidney function, reduced neonatal care admissions, and lower requirements for blood pressure medication. While larger definitive clinical trials are still required to confirm long-term outcomes for mothers and babies, these preliminary findings suggest that beetroot juice offers a safe, accessible, and low-cost nutritional intervention to alleviate pregnancy-induced renal strain where medical options are severely limited.