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Drinking beet juice may be helpful for people trying to improve their heart health, according to a study.
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Researchers found that drinking the juice twice a day lowered blood pressure in older adults.
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The effects appear to stem from the relationship between the nitrates in beets, how they influence blood pressure, and the oral microbiome.
If left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to a number of health problems, ultimately increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart failure, according to the American Heart Association. While medications can help, simple lifestyle changes can also go a long way in lowering your blood pressure. So when a study found that drinking beet juice lowers blood pressure, we had to question it. Below, find out what the study found, how a cardiologist and registered dietitian interpret the results, and whether you should start drinking beet juice as part of your heart-healthy lifestyle.
Meet the experts: Padma Shenoy, MD, cardiologist with Manhattan Cardiology and LabFinder.com contributor, and Elizabeth Adrian, RDN, nutritionist and founder of City to Sea Nutrition.
In the small, randomized, double-blind, crossover study, which was published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine, researchers have linked beetroot juice consumption to lower blood pressure in older adults. During three two-week trial periods (with two-week breaks between each), study participants were instructed to either drink high-nitrate beet juice or a placebo beet juice twice a day, or to rinse their mouth with mouthwash twice a day for 30 seconds, except for the last day, which prompted a final drink or rinse. The beet juice and placebo drinkers did not use mouthwash during the juice drinking periods. Participants were divided into two demographics—younger adults (ages 18 to 30) and older adults (ages 67 to 79). There were 42 young adults and 36 older adults, making a combined small cohort of 78 people.
The aim was to analyze how bacterial changes in the oral microbiome can influence blood pressure levels. So the researchers monitored both all the time. Participants were not receiving medication for any pulmonary, cardiovascular, or metabolic conditions, and did not have ulcerative colitis, kidney disease, or active oral disease or dentures. People who smoked and people with stage 2 hypertension or those who used antibiotics three months before the study were also excluded.
Testing began after an overnight fast and avoidance of vigorous exercise, alcohol and caffeine for 24 hours. Other than drinking the assigned drink (70 milliliters of beet juice or placebo in the morning and evening, or that 30-second rinse twice a day), participants continued with all other habits as normal.
After the three studies were compared, the researchers concluded that drinking beetroot juice may help lower blood pressure in older adults (the blood pressure-lowering effect was not seen in the younger group). According to Padma Shenoy, MD, a cardiologist with Manhattan Cardiology and LabFinder.com contributor, this was “probably by changing the composition of the bacteria in the mouth.”
More specifically, the researchers found that drinking beet juice led to “a decrease in certain bacteria (such as Prevotella) and an increase in others (such as Neisseria and Rothia) that are better at converting dietary nitrate into nitric oxide, a compound that helps relax blood vessels,” explained Elizabeth Adrian, RDN, nutritionist and founder of City Nutritionist.
How does beet juice lower blood pressure?
What happened in the study seems to be based on the relationship between nitrates, blood pressure and the oral microbiome. Nitrates are chemicals found naturally in the environment, vegetables and canned meats. With the help of the aforementioned bacteria that live in the mouth, dietary nitrates are converted into nitric oxide, which can improve heart health by relaxing blood vessels and increasing blood flow, Dr. Shenoy said. In fact, nitrates are commonly found in blood pressure medications, she added. “That’s why diets high in nitrate-rich vegetables like spinach, arugula, and beets are consistently associated with better vascular health,” Adrian concluded.
The question mark hanging over these findings is the role of the oral microbiome, but it appears to have one. “We’re still learning about the link between the oral microbiome and blood pressure, but it’s possible that certain bacteria in the mouth convert nutrients into substances that lower blood pressure,” explained Dr. Shenoy.
You may have previously heard of concerns about excessive nitrate consumption and the potential cancer risk associated with it. These concerns are largely related to processed foods (such as meats and cheeses) and water sources with added nitrates, which aim to prevent bacterial growth and improve the taste and color of the food. Nitrates that occur naturally in vegetables are considered safe to eat (and are found in some of the healthiest foods, such as green leafy vegetables, beets, and celery).
Should you try it?
“According to this study, only older adults experienced a slight decrease in blood pressure from beetroot juice consumption, and more studies are needed to explore the responders,” said Dr. Shenoy. “Eating more vegetables like beetroot can help with heart health, but it’s important to remember that it’s only part of a healthy lifestyle. More research is needed to support strong recommendations to eat beetroot as a blood pressure-lowering therapy.”
While it doesn’t sound like drinking beet juice will hinder your efforts to lower your blood pressure, Dr. Shenoy emphasized that it’s just one tool in your toolbox. “Other components of a heart-healthy lifestyle include a varied diet, limiting sodium intake and regular exercise,” she said. The combination of these healthy choices—plus personalized recommendations from your doctor—will have the greatest effect on your blood pressure and overall heart health.
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