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Nitrate-Enriched Beetroot Juice Produces Reduction in Systolic BP in COPD

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Dec 20, 2023.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 20, 2023 -- For individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), dietary nitrate supplementation in the form of beetroot juice results in a sustained reduction in systolic blood pressure (SBP), according to a study published online Dec. 19 in the European Respiratory Journal.

Ali M. Alasmari, from the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London, and colleagues conducted a randomized trial involving stable COPD patients with home SBP measurement ≥130 mm Hg. Participants were randomly assigned to 70 mL of nitrate-rich beetroot juice (400 mg NO3) or an identical nitrate-depleted placebo juice once daily for 12 weeks (40 and 41 patients, respectively).

The researchers found that active treatment lowered SBP (Hodges-Lemman treatment effect mean difference, −4.5 mm Hg), improved 6-minute walk distance (+30.0 m), and improved measures of endothelial function (reactive hyperemia index [+0.34] and augmentation index [−7.61 percent]) compared with placebo.

"There is some evidence that beetroot juice as a source of nitrate supplementation could be used by athletes to improve their performance, as well as a few short-term studies looking at blood pressure. Higher levels of nitrate in the blood can increase the availability of nitric oxide, a chemical that helps blood vessels relax. It also increases the efficiency of muscles," lead author Nicholas Hopkinson, Ph.D., also of Imperial College London, said in a statement. "This is one of the longest-duration studies in this area so far. The results are very promising, but will need to be confirmed in larger, longer-term studies."

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

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Posted December 2023

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