More Beetroot Powder Didn't Lower Blood Pressure More
No Difference between the Efficacy of High-Nitrate and Low-Nitrate Vegetable Supplementation on Blood Pressure after 16 Weeks in Individuals with Early-Stage Hypertension: An Exploratory, Double-Blinded, Randomized, Controlled Trial
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
The low-nitrate group had more digestive side effects than the high-nitrate group.
Common belief: more plant fiber = more gas. But here, the 50 mg group (less nitrate) had up to 11% GI issues, while the 400 mg group had fewer—suggesting the low-dose powder may contain more indigestible fillers.
Practical Takeaways
If you’re taking beetroot powder for blood pressure, focus on reducing salt first—your nitrate supplement won’t work if you’re eating 4,000 mg of sodium daily.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
The low-nitrate group had more digestive side effects than the high-nitrate group.
Common belief: more plant fiber = more gas. But here, the 50 mg group (less nitrate) had up to 11% GI issues, while the 400 mg group had fewer—suggesting the low-dose powder may contain more indigestible fillers.
Practical Takeaways
If you’re taking beetroot powder for blood pressure, focus on reducing salt first—your nitrate supplement won’t work if you’re eating 4,000 mg of sodium daily.
Publication
Journal
Nutrients
Year
2024
Authors
Dandan Li, E. Jovanovski, A. Zurbau, J. Sievenpiper, D. Miličić, Ahmed El-Sohemy, V. Vuksan
Related Content
Claims (10)
Drinking beetroot juice every day with at least 397 mg of nitrate can lower high blood pressure as much as common blood pressure pills do.
Eating more nitrate-rich vegetables for 16 weeks doesn’t lower blood pressure or make arteries stiffer in people with early high blood pressure—so it doesn’t help these heart health markers in the short term.
People with early high blood pressure who take vegetable powder every day mostly stick with it and don’t feel sick, but some get a little gassy, bloated, or have loose stools—so it’s doable, but might upset your tummy a bit.
If you have slightly high blood pressure and aren’t taking medicine, taking a high dose of nitrate from vegetable powder for 16 weeks doesn’t lower your blood pressure any more than taking a low dose—so more nitrate doesn’t help here.
Eating more nitrate-rich vegetables for 16 weeks didn’t make arteries stiffer or more flexible in people with early high blood pressure—whether they ate a lot or just a little.