Beetroot juice may do more than add color to your smoothie. It could help lower blood pressure in older adults by changing the bacteria in your mouth.
Researchers at the University of Exeter found that drinking a concentrated “shot” of beetroot juice twice a day for two weeks reduced blood pressure in adults in their 60s and 70s. The same effect wasn’t seen in younger participants. The study, published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine, is the largest of its kind to explore how dietary nitrate affects blood pressure through changes in the oral microbiome.
“We know that a nitrate-rich diet has health benefits, and older people produce less of their own nitric oxide as they age. They also tend to have higher blood pressure, which can be linked to cardiovascular complications like heart attack and stroke,” said study author Professor Anni Vanhatalo of the University of Exeter. “Encouraging older adults to consume more nitrate-rich vegetables could have significant long-term health benefits. The good news is that if you don’t like beetroot, there are many nitrate-rich alternatives like spinach, rocket (arugula), fennel, celery and kale.”
The researchers recruited 39 adults under 30 and 36 adults in their 60s and 70s. Participants took either nitrate-rich beetroot juice or a placebo version with the nitrate removed for two weeks, separated by a “washout” period. Using bacterial gene sequencing, the team analyzed changes in the participants’ oral microbiome.
They found that beetroot juice decreased levels of Prevotella, a bacterium linked to inflammation, and increased bacteria like Neisseria that are associated with better vascular health. These changes were most pronounced in older adults.
“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,” said co-author Professor Andy Jones of the University of Exeter. “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.”
While more research is needed, the findings support including more nitrate-rich vegetables such as leafy greens, celery and beets as part of a healthy diet for blood pressure management and healthy aging.
The research was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Industrial Partnership Award with DuPont Nutrition Biosciences, now International Flavors & Fragrances, along with additional support from the Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust.