The Impact of Inorganic Nitrate-Rich Beetroot Juice on Microvascular Blood Flow, Cognitive Function, and Other Hemodynamic Outcomes in Postmenopausal Women

Background: Inorganic nitrate found in beetroot and green leafy vegetables has been demonstrated to reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors, including reducing blood pressure (BP) and the stiffness of blood vessels by increasing levels of nitric oxide (NO). The most beneficial effects of inorgani...

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Main Authors: Begum Celik, Jeremy Spencer, Daniel Lamport, Noa Argomaniz, Charlotte Mills
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-01-01
Series:Proceedings
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/91/1/123
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author Begum Celik
Jeremy Spencer
Daniel Lamport
Noa Argomaniz
Charlotte Mills
author_facet Begum Celik
Jeremy Spencer
Daniel Lamport
Noa Argomaniz
Charlotte Mills
author_sort Begum Celik
collection DOAJ
description Background: Inorganic nitrate found in beetroot and green leafy vegetables has been demonstrated to reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors, including reducing blood pressure (BP) and the stiffness of blood vessels by increasing levels of nitric oxide (NO). The most beneficial effects of inorganic nitrate have been observed in young, healthy populations, whereas its impact on at-risk populations, such as postmenopausal women, is currently unknown. Objective: the primary aim of the trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of nitrate-rich beetroot juice in enhancing microvascular blood flow and cognitive function in postmenopausal women. Methods: We conducted a double-blind, three-armed, randomised, and controlled crossover trial with 24 postmenopausal women (aged 45 or older and having not had a period for over one year). The interventions were beetroot juice (BJ), nitrate-depleted BJ (NDJB), or NDBJ supplemented with potassium nitrate (0.4 g) to concurrently test if betalains, as well as nitrate, play a role in the vascular and cognitive effects. Cognitive tasks (episodic memory: Rey auditory verbal learning test; executive function: Stroop task, digit span backward and forward) and microvascular function (Laser Doppler Imaging (LDI) with iontophoresis; endothelium-independent and -dependent) were measured in participants before and 2.5 h after ingestion of the intervention. In addition, BP was measured in triplicate every 15 min from the baseline for 2.5 h. Results: The baseline characteristics of the participants recruited to date are as follows (mean and standard deviation)—age (years): 60 ± 5, BMI (kg/ m<sup>2</sup>): 23.8 ± 3.1, systolic BP (mmHg): 120 ± 14, and diastolic BP (mmHg): 75 ± 8. Early results indicated no significant difference between the groups with respect to SBP or DBP. A statistical analysis of the full data set, including endothelium-dependent and -independent microvascular function and cognitive tests, will be presented. Discussion: the results of this trial will help shed further light on the impact of dietary nitrate and the phytochemicals present in beetroot on human vascular and cognitive function.
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spelling doaj-art-574e8da5a54541e6a1a937144ca724972025-08-20T02:42:29ZengMDPI AGProceedings2504-39002024-01-0191112310.3390/proceedings2023091123The Impact of Inorganic Nitrate-Rich Beetroot Juice on Microvascular Blood Flow, Cognitive Function, and Other Hemodynamic Outcomes in Postmenopausal WomenBegum Celik0Jeremy Spencer1Daniel Lamport2Noa Argomaniz3Charlotte Mills4Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition, School of Chemistry, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AP, UKHugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition, School of Chemistry, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AP, UKDepartment of Psychology, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AL, UKDepartment of Nutritional Sciences, School of Life Course and Population Sciences, Faculty of Life Science and Medicine, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UKHugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition, School of Chemistry, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AP, UKBackground: Inorganic nitrate found in beetroot and green leafy vegetables has been demonstrated to reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors, including reducing blood pressure (BP) and the stiffness of blood vessels by increasing levels of nitric oxide (NO). The most beneficial effects of inorganic nitrate have been observed in young, healthy populations, whereas its impact on at-risk populations, such as postmenopausal women, is currently unknown. Objective: the primary aim of the trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of nitrate-rich beetroot juice in enhancing microvascular blood flow and cognitive function in postmenopausal women. Methods: We conducted a double-blind, three-armed, randomised, and controlled crossover trial with 24 postmenopausal women (aged 45 or older and having not had a period for over one year). The interventions were beetroot juice (BJ), nitrate-depleted BJ (NDJB), or NDBJ supplemented with potassium nitrate (0.4 g) to concurrently test if betalains, as well as nitrate, play a role in the vascular and cognitive effects. Cognitive tasks (episodic memory: Rey auditory verbal learning test; executive function: Stroop task, digit span backward and forward) and microvascular function (Laser Doppler Imaging (LDI) with iontophoresis; endothelium-independent and -dependent) were measured in participants before and 2.5 h after ingestion of the intervention. In addition, BP was measured in triplicate every 15 min from the baseline for 2.5 h. Results: The baseline characteristics of the participants recruited to date are as follows (mean and standard deviation)—age (years): 60 ± 5, BMI (kg/ m<sup>2</sup>): 23.8 ± 3.1, systolic BP (mmHg): 120 ± 14, and diastolic BP (mmHg): 75 ± 8. Early results indicated no significant difference between the groups with respect to SBP or DBP. A statistical analysis of the full data set, including endothelium-dependent and -independent microvascular function and cognitive tests, will be presented. Discussion: the results of this trial will help shed further light on the impact of dietary nitrate and the phytochemicals present in beetroot on human vascular and cognitive function.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/91/1/123beetrootnitrateNOmicrovascular reactivityLDIcognition
spellingShingle Begum Celik
Jeremy Spencer
Daniel Lamport
Noa Argomaniz
Charlotte Mills
The Impact of Inorganic Nitrate-Rich Beetroot Juice on Microvascular Blood Flow, Cognitive Function, and Other Hemodynamic Outcomes in Postmenopausal Women
Proceedings
beetroot
nitrate
NO
microvascular reactivity
LDI
cognition
title The Impact of Inorganic Nitrate-Rich Beetroot Juice on Microvascular Blood Flow, Cognitive Function, and Other Hemodynamic Outcomes in Postmenopausal Women
title_full The Impact of Inorganic Nitrate-Rich Beetroot Juice on Microvascular Blood Flow, Cognitive Function, and Other Hemodynamic Outcomes in Postmenopausal Women
title_fullStr The Impact of Inorganic Nitrate-Rich Beetroot Juice on Microvascular Blood Flow, Cognitive Function, and Other Hemodynamic Outcomes in Postmenopausal Women
title_full_unstemmed The Impact of Inorganic Nitrate-Rich Beetroot Juice on Microvascular Blood Flow, Cognitive Function, and Other Hemodynamic Outcomes in Postmenopausal Women
title_short The Impact of Inorganic Nitrate-Rich Beetroot Juice on Microvascular Blood Flow, Cognitive Function, and Other Hemodynamic Outcomes in Postmenopausal Women
title_sort impact of inorganic nitrate rich beetroot juice on microvascular blood flow cognitive function and other hemodynamic outcomes in postmenopausal women
topic beetroot
nitrate
NO
microvascular reactivity
LDI
cognition
url https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/91/1/123
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