All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Spinach increases muscle strength, proven by science
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
Nitrate, found in spinach and other vegetables, increases muscle strength. Scientists from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, have identified two proteins whose production is stimulated by taking this nitrate.
The experiments were conducted on mice. The rodents were divided into two groups, one of which was the control group, and the other received drinking water with added nitrate for seven days. The amount of nitrate consumed by the mice was equivalent to what a person receives when consuming 200-300 grams of fresh spinach or two or three beetroots per day.
Spinach and beets are the main sources of nitrate, but it is also found in other leafy vegetables such as lettuce and Swiss chard.
Over the course of a week, the researchers studied various muscles in the mice's limbs. It turned out that the animals in the "nitrate" group had stronger muscles: the "spinach" worked best on the long extensor of the fingers (the muscle that extends the shin) and the short flexor of the fingers (the muscle on the plantar part of the foot). Further examination showed that the muscles of the mice that drank nitrate water had increased concentrations of CASQ1 and DHPR - proteins that are involved in calcium homeostasis, a critical deciding factor in muscle contraction.
The authors of the study are preparing to continue their research to find out whether the effect they discovered can be applied to people with muscle weakness.
[