Taking nitrate supplements makes more nitrite in your blood, and the more you take, the more nitrite you get.

Scientific Claim

Inorganic nitrate supplementation causes dose-dependent increases in plasma nitrite concentration in healthy adults, with higher doses leading to greater elevations (e.g., 24 mmol KNO3 caused a 4.0-fold increase in plasma nitrite compared to baseline).

Original Statement

“The rises in plasma nitrite concentration also showed dose dependency, albeit with a more moderate rise of a 4.0-, 2.0-, and 1.3-fold increase, respectively (Figure 1).”

From study:Inorganic Nitrate Supplementation Lowers Blood Pressure in Humans: Role for Nitrite-Derived NO

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 randomized crossover study with direct measurements of plasma nitrite after controlled doses of nitrate. The dose-response relationship is clearly demonstrated with statistical significance.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Inorganic Nitrate Supplementation Lowers Blood Pressure in Humans: Role for Nitrite-Derived NO

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2010 Aug

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Inorganic Nitrate Supplementation Lowers Blood Pressure in Humans: Role for Nitrite-Derived NO

Score: 50

DOI: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.110.153536

Similar Assertions

When nitrite levels in the blood go up after taking nitrate supplements, blood pressure tends to go down more. The higher the nitrite increase, the bigger the blood pressure drop.

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Taking nitrate supplements increases cGMP in the blood, which is a sign that nitric oxide is being produced and working in the body.

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When you drink beetroot juice in a cool room, your body produces more nitrite in your blood than when you drink it in a warm room.

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Taking nitrate supplements lowers blood pressure, and the more you take, the more your blood pressure goes down. The biggest drop was about 9 mm Hg for systolic and 6 mm Hg for diastolic blood pressure.

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Men tend to have bigger blood pressure drops than women when taking nitrate supplements, even though both groups get similar increases in nitrite levels in their blood.

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