Beetroot Juice Supplements Lower BP and Energize COPD Patients

Beetroot, the purple marvel among vegetables is widely known for its nutritious profile rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Beetroot juice is popularly consumed among athletes. Have you ever wondered why?

Beetroot juice is a great source of nitrate supplement which improves athlete’s performance. This potential health benefit of nitrate content in beetroots is now tapped to lower blood pressure (BP) and subsequently promote exercise capacity among COPD patients in a recent study.

What is COPD?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a deadly lung disease that affects 400 million people globally. People with COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, have trouble breathing and are significantly less able to engage in physical exercise. Additionally, it raises the risk of strokes and heart attacks.

Since there is no known cure for COPD, it is crucial to support patients in managing their condition to the best of their abilities and lowering their chance of developing cardiovascular disease.

How Beetroot Juice Supplements Favor COPD Patients?

Beetroots are a rich source of dietary nitrate supplements. Consuming beetroot increases nitrate levels in the blood and can increase the availability of nitric oxide, a chemical that helps blood vessels relax, thereby decreasing BP.

Additionally, it also increases the efficiency of muscles, requiring less oxygen to do the same work.

Stabilized blood pressure and improved muscular function work together to maintain health and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Dietary Nitrate Supplementation Improves Exercise Performance and Decreases Blood Pressure in COPD Patients

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Clinical Trial of Beetroot Juice Nitrate Supplements Exhibit Positive Results

In the study, a nitrate-rich concentrated beetroot juice supplement was compared against a placebo consisting of the same beetroot juice but without any nitrate.

The study comprised COPD patients whose systolic blood pressure was greater than 130 mmHg. The researchers also measured the distance that patients could walk in six minutes at the start and finish of the trial.

The study involved random assignment of participants to receive either a 12-month course of nitrate-rich beetroot supplement – 70 milliliters of concentrated beetroot juice containing 400 milligrams of nitrate once daily.

Researchers discovered that the nitrate-rich supplement group exhibited an average 4.5 mmHg decrease in systolic blood pressure in comparison to the placebo group. Additionally, for patients receiving nitrate-rich beetroot juice, there was an average increase in walking distance of about 30 meters in six minutes.

The research implies that beetroot juice has the potential to be a safe supplementary treatment for people with COPD. It can relieve symptoms, prevent the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and enhance the overall health of COPD patients (2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Dietary nitrate supplementation enhances the benefit of pulmonary rehabilitation in people with COPD

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To sum up, COPD is a progressive lung disease with structural and functional limitations of daily activities. Beetroot juice as a dietary nitrate supplement can relieve symptoms and improve the health of COPD patients.

Disclaimer: The content on this page is meant to be an informative resource and is not meant to replace advice from a medical professional. It is always best to consult a healthcare provider with any concerns

References:

1. Dietary Nitrate Supplementation Improves Exercise Performance and Decreases Blood Pressure in COPD Patients – (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4411191/)
2. Dietary nitrate supplementation enhances the benefit of pulmonary rehabilitation in people with COPD – (https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/52/suppl_62/PA4045)

Source-Medindia