Drinking beetroot juice may help lower blood pressure in older adults, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Exeter, UK. The study, published in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine, suggests that the blood pressure-lowering benefits of nitrate-rich beetroot juice in older individuals may be linked to changes in their oral microbiome.
Nitrate, found naturally in vegetables, is essential for the body. In the study, participants in their 60s and 70s who consumed concentrated beetroot juice twice daily for two weeks showed reduced blood pressure. This effect was not observed in younger participants under 30.
Researchers found that older adults who consumed the nitrate-rich juice had a decline in harmful mouth bacteria like Prevotella and an increase in beneficial bacteria such as Neisseria. These changes improve the body’s ability to convert nitrate into nitric oxide, which is vital for maintaining healthy blood vessels and regulating blood pressure.
Professor Andy Jones highlighted the potential for further research, while Professor Anni Vanhatalo added that other nitrate-rich vegetables like spinach, kale, celery, and fennel offer similar benefits.
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