Dietary Nitrate Lowers Blood Pressure in Older Adults, Study
September 9, 2025
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3 min
7 Key Takeaways
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1
Beetroot juice lowers blood pressure in older adults.
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2
The study involved young and older adults.
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3
Nitrate supplementation increased plasma nitrite significantly.
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4
Oral microbiome shifted after supplementation.
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5
Only older adults showed meaningful BP reductions.
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6
Changes in oral microbiota were noted post-supplementation.
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7
No conflicts of interest were reported by the researchers.
A recent study by researchers at the University of Exeter Medical School, led by Anni Vanhatalo, investigated the effects of dietary nitrate from beetroot on blood pressure in older adults. Conducted as a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial involving 39 young adults and 36 older adults, the study revealed that dietary nitrate intake significantly lowered brachial and central blood pressure in older adults, correlated with increased plasma nitrite levels and changes in oral microbiome composition. Notably, younger participants did not exhibit similar blood pressure changes.
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