A new study has found that consuming beetroot juice daily can help improve blood pressure and endurance among seniors with heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF).
Characteristics of HFPEF are shortness of breath and fatigue during normal levels of exertion – also known as exercise intolerance. This occurs due to a reduction in oxygen to active skeletal muscles. HFPEF commonly occurs in senior women and is a common form of heart failure, increasingly becoming a common cardiovascular disorder.
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The researchers conducted a double-blinded, randomized safety study on 19 participants to determine what would improve exercise tolerance – a single dosage of juice or multiple days of juice.
To start, aerobic endurance and blood pressure were measured after the participants consumed a single dose of beetroot juice. Afterwards, participants were given daily dosages of beetroot juice for one week – blood pressure and exercise endurance was once again measured after the seven-day completion. The beetroot juice dosage was 2.4 ounces.
The researchers found that daily consumption of beetroot juice improved exercise endurance 24 percent after one week, whereas a single dose did not bring about any improvement. Beetroot juice also significantly lowered systolic blood pressure in both single and multiple dosages by five to 10 mmHg. Furthermore, there were no adverse effects reported by the participants.
Senior author Dalane Kitzman said, “Although larger trials need to be conducted, these initial findings suggest that one week of daily beetroot juice could be a potential therapeutic option to improve aerobic endurance in patients with HFPEF, which has implications for improving everyday activities and quality of life.”
Emily Lunardo studied medical sociology at York University with a strong focus on the social determinants of health and mental illness. She is a registered Zumba instructor, as well as a Canfit Pro trainer, who teaches fitness classes on a weekly basis. Emily practices healthy habits in her own life as well as helps others with their own personal health goals. Emily joined Bel Marra Health as a health writer in 2013.
