A study from the University of Exeter, Exeter, England, found that regular consumption of beetroot juice may help lower blood pressure in adults over 60 years of age.
Beetroot is naturally rich in micronutrients and minerals, and its nitrate content plays a central role in this effect.
Evidence has shown that poor oral health and microbial imbalances can reduce the body’s ability to convert dietary nitrate into nitric oxide, a compound essential for blood pressure regulation. These findings highlight the potential cardiovascular benefits of nitrate-rich foods, such as beetroot juice.
Study Details
The placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover trial involved 39 participants under 30 and 36 healthy elderly individuals 60-70 years of age.
Individuals from both the group consumed the nitrate-rich beetroot juice (750 mg of nitrate) daily for 2 weeks and then, after a 2-week washout period, a placebo version of the juice without nitrate.
Researchers analyzed the oral microbiomes of the participants through gene sequencing before and after a 2-week regimen of twice-daily antiseptic mouthwash use.
Key Findings
At baseline, the microbiome did not differ between younger and older adults. After consuming nitrate-rich juice, individuals from both groups showed changes, but the effects differed.
In older adults, harmful bacteria such as Prevotella decreased, whereas beneficial bacteria such as Neisseria increased. This shift was associated with higher nitrite levels.
Older participants had a slightly higher average blood pressure (126/80 mm Hg). With nitrate-rich juice, their blood pressure dropped by approximately 7 mm Hg.
No effect was seen with placebo juice or in younger adults who already had normal blood pressure.
These findings suggest that nitrate lowers blood pressure by reducing harmful oral bacteria and improving the conversion of nitrate to nitric oxide. This mechanism may be particularly important in older adults as natural nitric oxide production declines with age.
Foods rich in nitrate, such as spinach, arugula, fennel, celery, and kale, may provide similar benefits. Larger studies are needed to confirm these effects in older adults.
This story was translated from Coliquio.