Research conducted at the University of Exeter has demonstrated that consuming beetroot juice can significantly reduce blood pressure in individuals over 60 years old through modifications to oral bacteria.
The study revealed that dietary nitrates found in beetroot juice suppress potentially harmful mouth bacteria whilst promoting the growth of beneficial microorganisms.
Scientists discovered this effect occurs when the body transforms dietary nitrates into nitric oxide, a compound that promotes blood vessel relaxation and widening.
The findings suggest a promising dietary approach for managing cardiovascular health in older adults, who naturally produce less nitric oxide as they age.
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|Nitric oxide promotes blood vessel relaxation
The research involved 75 participants divided into two age groups: 39 adults under 30 and 36 individuals in their sixties and seventies.
Over a fortnight, participants consumed beetroot juice shots, followed by a two-week interval where they used antiseptic mouthwash daily.
Subsequently, they received placebo juice stripped of nitrates for another two weeks.
Gene sequencing technology enabled researchers to examine the oral microbiome - the intricate community of microorganisms inhabiting the mouth - following each trial phase.
Results showed that whilst both age groups experienced changes to their oral bacteria after consuming the nitrate-rich beverage, the effects varied between younger and older participants.
The mechanism behind this blood pressure reduction involves the conversion of dietary nitrates into nitric oxide within the body. This substance plays a crucial role in cardiovascular health by helping blood vessels relax and expand.
Older adults typically experience reduced natural nitric oxide production, which often correlates with elevated blood pressure and increased risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes.
The Exeter team's analysis revealed that in the older participant group, consumption of the nitrate-rich juice led to a measurable decrease in blood pressure over the two-week trial period.
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|Older adults typically experience reduced natural nitric oxide production
The research particularly noted a reduction in bacteria that can trigger infections, alongside an increase in health-promoting bacterial species.
Professor Andy Jones from the University of Exeter stated: "This study shows that nitrate-rich foods alter the oral microbiome in a way that could result in less inflammation, as well as a lowering of blood pressure in older people."
He added: "This paves the way for larger studies to explore the influence of lifestyle factors and biological sex in how people respond to dietary nitrate supplementation."
Professor Anni Vanhatalo, also from Exeter, noted: "The good news is that if you don't like beetroot, there are many nitrate-rich alternatives like spinach, rocket, fennel, celery and kale."
The research appeared in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine.