Drinking beetroot juice (about 1 cup) lowers blood pressure, with the biggest drop being about 5 mm Hg, and it works similarly to nitrate supplements.
Scientific Claim
Beetroot juice (250 mL containing 5.5 mmol nitrate) causes dose-dependent increases in plasma nitrite concentration and reductions in systolic blood pressure (peak reduction of 5.4±1.5 mm Hg) in healthy adults.
Original Statement
“After juice ingestion (5.5 mmol nitrate dose), plasma nitrate rose rapidly and remained elevated over the 3-hour time course compared with water control (Figure 5A). Plasma nitrite concentration also increased, peaking at 2.5 hours with a ≈1.6-fold rise above baseline levels and also remaining significantly elevated over the 3-hour time course compared with water control (Figure 5B). Although SBP decreased with a peak reduction of 5.4±1.5 mm Hg (SBP; Figure 5C) and endothelial dysfunction caused by IR injury prevented (Figure S3), there were no significant differences in DBP or HR between the limbs (Figures 5D and S1).”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
definitive
Can make definitive causal claims
Assessment Explanation
This is a controlled study comparing beetroot juice to water control with direct measurements showing statistically significant effects. The language 'causes' appropriately describes the observed effect.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Inorganic Nitrate Supplementation Lowers Blood Pressure in Humans: Role for Nitrite-Derived NO