Beet Juice Helps Old Hearts Work Better
One Week of Daily Dosing With Beetroot Juice Improves Submaximal Endurance and Blood Pressure in Older Patients With Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
A single dose increased plasma nitrite but had zero effect on endurance.
Previous studies in healthy people showed acute benefits; here, even with the same biochemical trigger, the body didn’t respond—suggesting HFpEF patients need chronic adaptation.
Practical Takeaways
Older adults with heart failure can try 70ml of beetroot juice daily (like Beet It Sport Shot) for one week to see if they feel less winded during daily activities.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
A single dose increased plasma nitrite but had zero effect on endurance.
Previous studies in healthy people showed acute benefits; here, even with the same biochemical trigger, the body didn’t respond—suggesting HFpEF patients need chronic adaptation.
Practical Takeaways
Older adults with heart failure can try 70ml of beetroot juice daily (like Beet It Sport Shot) for one week to see if they feel less winded during daily activities.
Publication
Journal
JACC. Heart failure
Year
2016
Authors
Joel D. Eggebeen, D. Kim-Shapiro, M. Haykowsky, T. Morgan, S. Basu, P. Brubaker, Jack W Rejeski, D. Kitzman
Related Content
Claims (5)
If older adults with a specific type of heart condition drink beetroot juice every day for a week, their resting blood pressure may drop by about 14 points — which could be a meaningful improvement for their health.
Drinking beetroot juice with a specific amount of nitrate doesn’t make the body use less oxygen when older adults with a certain type of heart failure exercise lightly — so if they feel less tired, it’s probably because their blood flows better or their heart doesn’t have to work as hard, not because their muscles are using energy more efficiently.
Drinking beetroot juice every day for a week can help older adults with a certain type of heart condition ride a stationary bike longer before getting tired, which might make everyday activities easier for them.
Beetroot juice works in the body of heart failure patients — it raises levels of chemicals that help blood vessels relax — even if it doesn’t help them exercise better after just one drink.
Drinking one glass of beetroot juice won’t help older adults with a certain type of heart failure exercise better, even though it raises a chemical in their blood — they might need to drink it every day for a while before they see any benefit.