Nitrate Derived From Beetroot Juice Lowers Blood Pressure in Patients With Arterial Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Study answer

What this study found

Nitrate derived from beetroot juice lowered systolic blood pressure in adults with arterial hypertension, but diastolic blood pressure was not significantly affected overall. The benefit was more evident for clinic blood pressure than for 24-hour ambulatory monitoring. Across the included trials, the pooled evidence was based on 7 studies and 218 participants, and the certainty of evidence was moderate. The authors concluded that longer-term studies are needed to determine whether the effect is sustained and to better characterize safety.

Study & population

Systematic review and meta-analysis of 7 randomized controlled trials including 218 adults with arterial hypertension or elevated blood pressure.

Intervention

The active intervention was nitrate derived from beetroot juice, delivered as beetroot juice in doses ranging from 70 to 250 mL and nitrate doses from 6.2 to 12.8 mmol, depending on the trial.

Key limitation

The evidence base was small, with only 7 short-term trials and 218 participants in total.

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Original abstract