Here\u2019s a shot worth taking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
New research<\/a> suggests that drinking a small amount of a certain nutrient-packed vegetable juice twice daily may help lower blood pressure in older adults \u2014 no medications needed.<\/p>\n That\u2019s huge news for America\u2019s aging population, with nearly 70% of adults ages 65 and over<\/a> living with hypertension \u2014 a major risk factor for heart disease, the country\u2019s No. 1 killer<\/a>.<\/p>\n Incorporating nitrate-rich vegetables into your diet could help lower high blood pressure. rawpixel.com \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n For the study, researchers from the University of Exeter in the UK recruited 39 adults under 30 and 36 older adults in their 60s and 70s.<\/p>\n Each participant was instructed to drink a shot of beetroot juice \u2014 rich in dietary nitrates \u2014 twice a day for two weeks.<\/p>\n After that, they took a two-week break while using antiseptic mouthwash daily, then repeated the process with a placebo juice that had its nitrates stripped out.<\/p>\n At the end of each phase, researchers used gene sequencing to analyze the bacteria in participants\u2019 mouths.<\/p>\n They found that their oral microbiomes \u2014 the mix of bacteria living in the mouth \u2014 shifted after drinking the nitrate-rich juice, though the changes differed between age groups.<\/p>\n Changes in the oral microbiome might explain why beetroot juice can help lower blood pressure in older adults. Andrey Popov \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n Among older adults, the team observed a drop in bacteria linked to infections and a rise in those associated with better overall health.<\/p>\n Most importantly, the seniors also saw their blood pressure fall after drinking the nitrate-rich juice \u2014 a change that didn\u2019t occur with the placebo or in the younger group.<\/p>\n \u201cThis study shows that nitrate-rich foods alter the oral microbiome in a way that could result in less inflammation, as well as a lowering of blood pressure in older people,\u201d Dr. Andy Jones<\/a>, co-author of the study, said in a statement<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Beetroot is a rich source of nitrates, which the body converts into nitric oxide Jill Chen\/Stocksy \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n To understand why, let\u2019s back up.<\/p>\n Nitrates are molecules made of nitrogen and oxygen, naturally found in soil, water and certain foods, especially leafy greens and root vegetables. The human body also produces nitrates. <\/p>\n Once ingested, the body converts nitrates into nitric oxide \u2014 a molecule that helps regulate blood flow, lower blood pressure and deliver oxygen to muscles, among other benefits.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know a nitrate-rich diet brings health perks, and older people produce less of their own nitric oxide as they age,\u201d said Dr. Anni Vanhatalo<\/a>, lead author of the study.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a problem since older adults tend to have higher blood pressure, which raises their risk for heart attacks and strokes,\u201d she continued. <\/p>\n Researchers theorize that in seniors, an imbalance between good and bad oral bacteria may interfere with the body\u2019s ability to convert nitrates into nitric oxide \u2014 disrupting blood pressure control.<\/p>\n \u201cBy uncovering how dietary nitrate affects oral bacteria and blood pressure in older adults, the study opens up new opportunities for improving vascular health through nutrition,\u201d said Dr. Lee Beniston, associate director for industry partnerships and collaborative research at the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.<\/p>\n A growing number of Americans are affected by high blood pressure. Marcos Osorio\/ADDICTIVE STOCK \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n The new study isn\u2019t the first to find that daily beetroot juice can help lower high blood pressure.<\/p>\n A 2017 meta-analysis<\/a> showed that regularly drinking beet juice lowered both systolic and diastolic blood pressure across multiple studies.<\/p>\n