Want Lower Blood Pressure? This Juice May Help, Study Finds Out

Drinking nitrate-rich beetroot juice can significantly lower blood pressure in older adults, and the effect may be driven by changes in the oral microbiome, according to new research from the University of Exeter. The study, published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine, is the largest of its kind and sheds light on how diet influences vascular health through oral bacteria.

Nitrate, naturally found in vegetables like beetroot, spinach, and celery, is a essential for producing nitric oxide a compound that supports healthy blood vessels. As people age, their bodies produce less nitric oxide, which contributes to rising blood pressure and increased cardiovascular risk. Previous studies have shown that nitrate-rich diets can reduce blood pressure, but this new study focused on whether the effect is mediated by changes in oral bacteria.

Researchers recruited 75 participants 39 adults under 30 and 36 adults aged 60 to 70 through the NIHR Exeter Clinical Research Facility. Each participant drank a concentrated beetroot juice "shot" twice daily for two weeks, followed by a two-week washout period. They also consumed a placebo version of the juice, with the nitrate removed, for two weeks. The team used bacterial gene sequencing to analyze the oral microbiome before and after each treatment period.