University of Exeter researchers found that nitrate-rich beetroot juice reduced blood pressure in older adults after two weeks, with the effect tied to changes in oral bacteria involved in nitric oxide production.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A short daily regimen of nitrate-rich beetroot juice lowered blood pressure in older adults in a University of Exeter study, offering new evidence that the mouth’s bacterial environment may help determine how the body responds to heart-supporting foods.
The research, published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine, found that adults in their 60s and 70s experienced a blood pressure reduction after drinking concentrated beetroot juice twice a day for two weeks. Adults younger than 30 did not experience the same drop, even though researchers observed some comparable changes in their oral microbiome.
The study focused on the biological link between dietary nitrate, oral bacteria and nitric oxide, a molecule that helps blood vessels relax. Because the body tends to produce less nitric oxide with age, researchers said older adults may benefit more from nitrate-rich vegetables than younger adults.
The trial included 75 participants. Thirty-nine were between 18 and 30 years old, while 36 were in their 60s and 70s. Participants were recruited through the NIHR Exeter Clinical Research Facility and completed a two-part crossover study. In one phase, they consumed nitrate-rich beetroot juice twice daily for two weeks. In the other phase, they drank a matching placebo with the nitrate removed. The two phases were separated by a two-week washout period.
Researchers analyzed participants’ oral bacteria before and after each phase using bacterial gene sequencing. The study was funded through a BBSRC Industrial Partnership Award and supported by the Exeter Clinical Trials Unit.
The most notable results appeared in the older group. After consuming nitrate-rich beetroot juice, older participants showed a reduction in Prevotella bacteria and an increase in Neisseria bacteria. That bacterial shift was associated with lower blood pressure.
The researchers said the findings are important because oral bacteria play a direct role in processing nitrate. Nitrate from vegetables such as beetroot is converted by bacteria in the mouth into nitrite. That nitrite can then support nitric oxide production, which helps maintain vascular function by relaxing blood vessels.
Professor Anni Vanhatalo of the University of Exeter said the results highlight why nitrate-rich foods may be particularly relevant later in life.
“We know that a nitrate-rich diet has health benefits, and older people produce less of their own nitric oxide as they age,” Vanhatalo said.
She said helping older adults increase their intake of nitrate-rich vegetables could have meaningful long-term health implications.
The study did not prove that the bacterial changes caused the blood pressure reduction. Instead, researchers found a correlation between the altered oral microbiome and improved blood pressure in older participants.
The findings fit into a broader field of research examining how the oral microbiome affects cardiovascular health. Dr. Joseph Mercola, in his book “The Surprising Cause of High Blood Pressure,” has also described nitric oxide as critical for blood vessel relaxation.
Other studies have produced related but not identical findings. A 2025 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study involving 15 older adults with treated hypertension found that four weeks of nitrate-rich beetroot juice increased Neisseria and reduced Veillonella in the mouth. However, that study did not find a sustained blood pressure benefit, suggesting that medication use, health status and baseline oral bacteria may affect individual response.
Researchers have also examined whether common oral hygiene products interfere with nitrate metabolism. A 2026 pilot study found that chlorhexidine mouthwash disrupted nitrate processing, while dietary nitrate partly preserved microbial function. A 2025 rat study found that a nitrate and antioxidant mouth rinse supported beneficial oral bacteria and was associated with lower blood pressure compared with chlorhexidine treatment. Researchers cautioned that animal findings cannot be directly applied to humans.
NaturalNews.com has reported on the relationship between beetroot juice, nitrate-rich foods and blood pressure. A March 2026 article stated, “Beetroot juice significantly lowers blood pressure in older adults… by reshaping the oral microbiome to boost beneficial nitrate-converting bacteria.”
The Exeter team said the results support further research into how diet, age, sex and lifestyle factors shape the body’s response to nitrate supplementation.
“This paves the way for larger studies to explore the influence of lifestyle factors and biological sex in how people respond to dietary nitrate supplementation,” said Professor Andy Jones, a co-author of the study.
Dr. Lee Beniston of BBSRC said the research “opens up new opportunities for improving vascular health through nutrition.”
The study’s authors emphasized that beetroot juice should not be treated as a replacement for blood pressure medication. Instead, they said nitrate-rich vegetables may be a practical addition to a heart-healthy lifestyle, particularly for older adults.
Larger studies will be needed to determine why some people respond more strongly than others and whether longer-term intake produces sustained cardiovascular benefits. The current findings suggest that the benefits of beetroot juice may depend not only on the nutrients it contains, but also on the bacteria in the mouth that help convert those nutrients into compounds the cardiovascular system can use.
Source: Natural News