Research links related to health benefits of beetroot extract
The research papers cited below support the idea of beetroot as a nutritional superfood with many far reaching health benefits. The research has been organized into into three families of benfits; supporting healthy renal function & blood presure, improving athletic performance and as a therapy for managing oxidative stress & inflamation.
Supports healthy blood pressure
After a three week routine of daily beetroot supplementation lowered systolic blood pressure in older adults. Consistant supplementation is required to maintain the lower Blood Pressure test results.
Jajja A, Sutyarjoko A, Lara J, Rennie K, Brandt K, Qadir O, Siervo M. Beetroot supplementation lowers daily systolic blood pressure in older, overweight subjects. Nutr Res. 2014 Oct;34(10):868-75. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2014.09.007. Epub 2014 Sep 28. PMID: 25294299. (Learn More)
Beets & beetroot extract can be an important part of an overall nutritional strategy to combat hypertension -> beetroot supplementation is a cost-effective strategy that might reduce blood pressure in different populations. This easily found and cheap dietary intervention could significantly decrease the risk of suffering cardiovascular events and, in doing so, would help to diminish the mortality rate associated to this pathology. beetroot supplementation should be promoted as a key component of a healthy lifestyle to control blood pressure in healthy and hypertensive individuals.
Bonilla Ocampo DA, Paipilla AF, Marín E, Vargas-Molina S, Petro JL, Pérez-Idárraga A. Dietary Nitrate from Beetroot Juice for Hypertension: A Systematic Review. Biomolecules. 2018 Nov 2;8(4):134. doi: 10.3390/biom8040134. PMID: 30400267; PMCID: PMC6316347. (Learn More)
Raw beetroot juice had more effect than cooked beets in lowering systolic blood pressure and improving endothelial function and systemic inflammation.
Asgary S, Afshani MR, Sahebkar A, Keshvari M, Taheri M, Jahanian E, Rafieian-Kopaei M, Malekian F, Sarrafzadegan N. Improvement of hypertension, endothelial function and systemic inflammation following short-term supplementation with red beet (Beta vulgaris L.) juice: a randomized crossover pilot study. J Hum Hypertens. 2016 Oct;30(10):627-32. doi: 10.1038/jhh.2016.34. Epub 2016 Jun 9. PMID: 27278926. (Learn More)
Bailey JC, Feelisch M, Horowitz JD, Frenneaux MP, Madhani M. Pharmacology and therapeutic role of inorganic nitrite and nitrate in vasodilatation. Pharmacol Ther. 2014 Dec;144(3):303-20. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2014.06.009. Epub 2014 Jun 30. PMID: 24992304. (Learn More)
"This is the first evidence of durable blood pressure reduction with dietary nitrate supplementation in a relevant patient group. These findings suggest a role for dietary nitrate as an affordable, readily-available, adjunctive treatment in the management of hypertensive patients." ->
Kapil V, Khambata RS, Robertson A, Caulfield MJ, Ahluwalia A. Dietary nitrate provides sustained blood pressure lowering in hypertensive patients: a randomized, phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Hypertension. 2015 Feb;65(2):320-7. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.114.04675. Epub 2014 Nov 24. PMID: 25421976; PMCID: PMC4288952. (Learn More)
beetroot can also be an important nutitional strategy for Athletes
“These results suggest that acute dietary nitrate supplementation with 0.5 L of beetroot extract improves cycling economy, as demonstrated by a higher Power Output for the same VO2 and enhances both 4- and 16.1-km cycling time trial performance.”
Muggeridge DJ, Howe CC, Spendiff O, Pedlar C, James PE, Easton C. A single dose of beetroot juice enhances cycling performance in simulated altitude. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2014 Jan;46(1):143-50. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3182a1dc51. PMID: 23846159. (Learn More)
Porcelli S, Ramaglia M, Bellistri G, Pavei G, Pugliese L, Montorsi M, Rasica L, Marzorati M. Aerobic Fitness Affects the Exercise Performance Responses to Nitrate Supplementation. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2015 Aug;47(8):1643-51. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000000577. PMID: 25412295. (Learn More)
Additional interesting research papers
Gupta KJ, Lee CP, Ratcliffe RG. Nitrite Protects Mitochondrial Structure and Function under Hypoxia. Plant Cell Physiol. 2017 Jan 1;58(1):175-183. doi: 10.1093/pcp/pcw174. PMID: 28007968. (Learn More)
Domínguez R, Cuenca E, Maté-Muñoz JL, García-Fernández P, Serra-Paya N, Estevan MC, Herreros PV, Garnacho-Castaño MV. Effects of Beetroot Juice Supplementation on Cardiorespiratory Endurance in Athletes. A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2017 Jan 6;9(1):43. doi: 10.3390/nu9010043. PMID: 28067808; PMCID: PMC5295087. (Learn More)
Senefeld JW, Wiggins CC, Regimbal RJ, Dominelli PB, Baker SE, Joyner MJ. Ergogenic Effect of Nitrate Supplementation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2020 Oct;52(10):2250-2261. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002363. PMID: 32936597; PMCID: PMC7494956. (Learn More)
Research is ongoing as a therapy for oxidative stress & inflamation
Asgary S, Afshani MR, Sahebkar A, Keshvari M, Taheri M, Jahanian E, Rafieian-Kopaei M, Malekian F, Sarrafzadegan N. Improvement of hypertension, endothelial function and systemic inflammation following short-term supplementation with red beet (Beta vulgaris L.) juice: a randomized crossover pilot study. J Hum Hypertens. 2016 Oct;30(10):627-32. doi: 10.1038/jhh.2016.34. Epub 2016 Jun 9. PMID: 27278926. (Learn More)
El Gamal AA, AlSaid MS, Raish M, Al-Sohaibani M, Al-Massarani SM, Ahmad A, Hefnawy M, Al-Yahya M, Basoudan OA, Rafatullah S. Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) extract ameliorates gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity associated oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in rodent model. Mediators Inflamm. 2014;2014:983952. doi: 10.1155/2014/983952. Epub 2014 Oct 22. PMID: 25400335; PMCID: PMC4221885. (Learn More)
Tan D, Wang Y, Bai B, Yang X, Han J. Betanin attenuates oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction in kidney of paraquat-treated rat. Food Chem Toxicol. 2015 Apr;78:141-6. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2015.01.018. Epub 2015 Feb 7. PMID: 25662031. (Learn More)
Clifford T, Howatson G, West DJ, Stevenson EJ. The potential benefits of red beetroot supplementation in health and disease. Nutrients. 2015 Apr 14;7(4):2801-22. doi: 10.3390/nu7042801. PMID: 25875121; PMCID: PMC4425174. (Learn More)