Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
Food & Function
Volume
15
Issue
8
First Page
4065
Last Page
4078
PubMed ID
38546454
Publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
School
School of Medical and Health Sciences / Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute
RAS ID
69870
Funders
Austrian Science Fund
Abstract
The decline in vascular function and increase in blood pressure with aging contribute to an increased cardiovascular disease risk. In this randomized placebo-controlled crossover study, we evaluated whether previously reported cardiovascular benefits of plant-derived inorganic nitrate via nitric oxide (NO) translate into improved vascular function and blood pressure-lowering in 15 men and women (age range: 56-71 years) with treated hypertension. We investigated the effects of a single ∼400 mg-dose at 3 hours post-ingestion (3H POST) and the daily consumption of 2 × ∼400 mg of nitrate through nitrate-rich compared with nitrate-depleted (placebo) beetroot juice over 4 weeks (4WK POST). Measurements included nitrate and nitrite in plasma and saliva; endothelial-dependent and -independent forearm blood flow (FBF) responses to acetylcholine (FBFACh) and glyceryltrinitrate (FBFGTN); and clinic-, home- and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure. Compared to placebo, plasma and salivary nitrate and nitrite increased at 3H and 4WK POST following nitrate treatment (P < 0.01), suggesting a functioning nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway in the participants of this study. There were no differences between treatments in FBFACh and FBFGTN-area under the curve (AUC) ratios [AUC ratios after (3H POST, 4WK POST) compared with before (PRE) the intervention], or 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure or home blood pressure measures (P > 0.05). These findings do not support the hypothesis that an increased intake of dietary nitrate exerts sustained beneficial effects on FBF or blood pressure in hypertensive older adults, providing important information on the efficacy of nitrate-based interventions for healthy vascular aging. This study was registered under ClinicialTrials.gov (NCT04584372).
DOI
10.1039/d3fo03749e
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Comments
Fejes, R., Lutnik, M., Weisshaar, S., Pilat, N., Wagner, K. H., Stüger, H. P., . . . Neubauer, O. (2024). Increased nitrate intake from beetroot juice over 4 weeks affects nitrate metabolism, but not vascular function or blood pressure in older adults with hypertension. Food & Function, 15(8), 4065-4078. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3fo03749e