Study Reveals Beetroot Juice Lowers Blood Pressure in Older Adults by Altering Oral Bacteria
A recent study conducted by the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom has found that drinking nitrate-rich beetroot juice twice daily for two weeks significantly reduced blood pressure in older adults. The study, published in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine, involved 39 adults under 30 and 36 older adults in their 60s and 70s. Participants consumed beetroot juice during one phase and a placebo during another, with a washout period in between. The research highlighted that beetroot juice altered the oral microbiome, particularly in older adults, leading to a decline in potentially harmful bacteria and an increase in beneficial ones. This change was linked to improved blood pressure regulation, as older adults typically produce less nitric oxide, a compound essential for blood vessel function. 
