Beetroot – Your best shot at a healthier heart

A new study by scientists at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, has shown that drinking just two nitrate-rich 7cl concentrated beetroot shots can have a significant effect on cardiovascular health in the ageing population.

In a randomised and placebo controlled study, 13 heathy adults aged 64 years consumed either two Beet It Sport shots (containing 400mg of natural dietary nitrate each) or a nitrate depleted placebo shot containing no nitrate. Those who drank the nitrate rich shot were found to have reduced blood pressure by an average of 6.6mmHg (Public Health England (NHS England)) recognises that reducing blood pressure by 5 mmHg in all adults with hypertension reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease events by 10%).

Participants also had a reduced blood clotting time and improved blood circulation. Overall the findings suggest that drinking just two concentrated beetroot shots can protect against the development of cardiovascular disease.

The new study supports the use of natural dietary nitrate as a safe, well-tolerated and potentially powerful prevention strategy in Cardiovascular Disease in the older adult population. Once dietary nitrate is consumed it interacts with enzymes in saliva to produce Nitric Oxide. Nitric Oxide prevents blood clotting and improves healthy blood flow to and from the heart, but as we get older production of Nitric Oxide decreases, which increases the risk of heart disease.

Fortunately, Nitric Oxide production can be increased naturally by drinking just two Beet It Sport shots, which contain a total of 800mg of natural dietary nitrate. It is the only beetroot-related product on the market to guarantee the optimum amount of nitrate needed to impact positively on heart health. You would have to drink around 800ml of normal beetroot juice to get a similar amount of nitrate – a challenging ask for even the most ardent beetroot lover!

Authors of the report concluded: “Drinking two concentrated beetroot shots has anti-thrombotic and anti-adhesive properties which preserve cardiovascular health with advancing age. Regular consumption of concentrated beetroot juice could be a key component of lifestyle interventions to preserve heart health with advancing age.”

The findings are among a growing body of research, using the Beet It Sport Shot, regarding nitrate-rich concentrated beetroot juice and health benefits in the ageing population.

Further information on nitrate rich BEET IT can be found at www.beet-it.com

The following have used Beet It

• Drinking beet juice before exercise makes the brain of older adult’s work more efficiently, mirroring the functions of a younger brain, according to a 2016 study out of Wake Forest University: Beet root juice: an ergogenic aid for exercise and the aging brain, Journals of Gerontology: Medical Sciences.

• Increased time to fatigue in older adults following dietary nitrate supplementation. Positive outcomes of dietary nitrate supplementation on cardiovascular health (reduced BP and MAP, increased blood flow and improved endothelial function, and reduced RRI) and cerebrovascular health (increased CBF), according to a 2017 Systematic review of 12 studies out of Auckland University: Performance and health benefits of dietary nitrate supplementation in older adults: a systematic review, Nutrients.

• Daily dose of beetroot juice significantly improved exercise endurance and blood pressure in elderly patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, according to a 2016 study out of Wake Forest University: One week of daily dosing with beetroot juice improves submaximal endurance and blood pressure in older patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction. Journal of the American College of Cardiology

• Drinking beetroot juice for 3 weeks was associated with beneficial effects on daily systolic blood pressure in older, overweight subjects, according to a 2014 study out of Newcastle University: Beetroot supplementation lowers daily systolic blood pressure in older, overweight subjects, Nutrition Research.

• Drinking beetroot juice was associated with a significant reduction in blood pressure in adults, according to a 2013 review paper out of Newcastle University. Inorganic nitrate and beetroot juice supplementation reduces blood pressure in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis, Journals of Nutrition.

• Drinking beetroot juice reduced resting blood pressure and improved VO2 kinetics during walking in older adults, according to a 2013 study out of the University of Exeter: Effects of short-term dietary nitrate supplementation on blood pressure, O2 kinetics, and muscle and cognitive function in older adults, American Journal of Physiology. Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology.

• Drinking beet juice increased the blood flow to the brain in older adults, according to a 2010 study out of Wake Forest University: Acute effect of a high nitrate diet on brain perfusion in older adults, Nitric Oxide.