Older adults experience a reduction in blood pressure when consuming red beet juice, a finding not observed in the younger population.
A study conducted by the University of Exeter, titled "Ageing modifies the oral microbiome, nitric oxide bioavailability and vascular responses to dietary nitrate supplementation," has shed light on the impact of age on the effectiveness of beetroot juice in lowering and regulating blood pressure. The study, featured on Das Erste's Morgenmagazin, has revealed that beetroot juice, rich in dietary nitrates, could potentially have significant long-term health benefits for older adults (aged 60 and above) but may not be as effective for younger adults (under 30).
The study involved 39 adults under 30 years old and 36 adults between 60 and 80 years old. Each group consumed nitrate-rich beetroot juice or a placebo version for two weeks each, with a two-week washout phase in between. The findings showed that older adults experienced a clinically meaningful reduction in systolic blood pressure—about 7 mmHg—after consuming nitrate-rich beetroot juice for two weeks, an effect not observed in younger adults.
The researchers attributed this difference to the role of the oral microbiome in nitrate metabolism. Dietary nitrate needs to be converted into nitric oxide (NO), a molecule that dilates blood vessels and lowers blood pressure, and this conversion depends heavily on oral bacteria.
In older adults, there was a decrease in bacteria such as Prevotella and Veillonella, which tend to convert nitrate into less beneficial compounds like ammonia, thereby reducing nitric oxide production. On the other hand, there was an increase in beneficial bacteria like Neisseria, which enhances the conversion of nitrate to nitric oxide and supports vascular health.
Older adults began with a higher baseline blood pressure and showed a significant rise in plasma nitrite levels (a marker of nitric oxide bioavailability) after nitrate intake, whereas younger adults did not. Furthermore, when older adults used antiseptic mouthwash that disrupted oral bacteria, the blood pressure-lowering effect of beetroot juice was diminished, confirming the key role of the oral microbiome in this process.
The study did not discuss the effects of a nitrate-rich diet on the blood pressure of younger adults or explore the impact of the nitrate-rich diet on other demographic groups. It also did not specify if the dietary nitrate supplementation was limited to vegetables or included other sources. The study did not address the potential role of other lifestyle factors, such as exercise and stress management, in conjunction with a nitrate-rich diet for blood pressure regulation.
Nitrates, a compound of oxygen and nitrogen, are found in vegetables such as cabbage, root, and leafy vegetables, in addition to beetroot. While beetroot juice may not be a viable alternative for treating high blood pressure in younger adults, it could potentially play a significant role in the health of older adults, especially those with high blood pressure. Encouraging older adults to eat more nitrate-rich vegetables could have significant long-term health benefits.
References: [1] University of Exeter. (2021). Ageing modifies the oral microbiome, nitric oxide bioavailability and vascular responses to dietary nitrate supplementation. Retrieved from https://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/research/title_731079/ageing-modifies-the-oral-microbiome-nitric-oxide-bioavailability-and-vascular-responses-to-dietary-nitrate-supplementation.html [2] University of Exeter. (2021). Beetroot juice could help reduce blood pressure in older adults. Retrieved from https://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/research/title_730722/beetroot-juice-could-help-reduce-blood-pressure-in-older-adults.html [3] University of Exeter. (2021). Study reveals why beetroot juice lowers blood pressure in older adults but not in younger adults. Retrieved from https://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/research/title_729697/study-reveals-why-beetroot-juice-lowers-blood-pressure-in-older-adults-but-not-in-younger-adults.html [4] University of Exeter. (2021). Beetroot juice lowers blood pressure in older adults, study finds. Retrieved from https://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/research/title_729700/beetroot-juice-lowers-blood-pressure-in-older-adults-study-finds.html
- The aging process significantly affects the oral microbiome's role in the effectiveness of nitrate-rich foods like beetroot for lowering blood pressure.
- The University of Exeter conducted a study, titled "Ageing modifies the oral microbiome, nitric oxide bioavailability and vascular responses to dietary nitrate supplementation," that revealed important findings about the impact of age on blood pressure regulation.
- Dietary nitrates, found in vegetables such as beets, cabbage, and leafy greens, have the potential to improve the health of older adults, particularly those with high blood pressure.
- In the study, scientists found that older adults (aged 60 and above) experienced a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure after consuming nitrate-rich beetroot juice for two weeks.
- The study involved 39 young adults (under 30) and 36 older adults in two separate groups.
- Each group consumed nitrate-rich beetroot juice or a placebo version for two weeks each, with a two-week washout phase in between.
- The findings showed that the blood pressure-lowering effect of nitrate-rich beetroot juice was more noticeable in older adults than in younger adults.
- The researchers attributed this difference to the role of the oral microbiome in nitrate metabolism, specifically the decrease in certain bacteria like Prevotella and Veillonella and the increase in beneficial bacteria like Neisseria in older adults.
- These changes in oral bacteria help promote the conversion of nitrate into the beneficial molecule nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels and lowers blood pressure.
- Older adults began with a higher baseline blood pressure and showed a significant increase in plasma nitrite levels (a marker of nitric oxide bioavailability) after nitrate intake.
- The study also confirmed that the key role of the oral microbiome in this process by showing that disruptions to oral bacteria using antiseptic mouthwash diminished the blood pressure-lowering effect of beetroot juice.
- The study did not discuss the effects of a nitrate-rich diet on the blood pressure of younger adults or explore the impact of the nitrate-rich diet on other demographic groups.
- It also did not specify if the dietary nitrate supplementation was limited to vegetables or included other sources.
- The research did not address the potential role of other lifestyle factors, such as exercise and stress management, in conjunction with a nitrate-rich diet for blood pressure regulation.
- Encouraging older adults to incorporate more nitrate-rich vegetables into their diet could have significant long-term health benefits.
- Nitric oxide, a molecule that dilates blood vessels and lowers blood pressure, plays a crucial role in cardiovascular health and is essential for overall health and wellness.
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- Proper diet, including the consumption of nitrate-rich vegetables, is essential for maintaining cardiovascular health and overall health.
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