Scientists from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences have found that drinking beetroot juice may help reduce blood pressure.
Their findings, published in Advances in Nutrition and led by Zahra Bahadoran and colleagues, add to growing evidence that this simple dietary addition could support heart health.
Blood pressure is measured using two numbers.
The top number, known as systolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats.
The bottom number, diastolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart is resting between beats and refilling with blood.
Research has shown that elevated systolic blood pressure, in particular, is strongly associated with a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
Why beetroot may help
Beetroot is naturally rich in nitrates, compounds that the body converts into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide helps relax and widen blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more easily.
This vasodilation effect can lead to lower blood pressure, which is why beetroot has been studied as a complementary treatment for hypertension.
Previous studies have already suggested that dietary nitrates from beetroot juice can reduce blood pressure. In the current analysis, researchers aimed to clarify the strength and consistency of this effect by systematically reviewing existing clinical trials.
What the study analysed
The researchers reviewed 22 previously published studies, which together included 47 beetroot intervention groups and 43 control groups, whose members did not consume beetroot juice.
They examined changes in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure after beetroot juice supplementation.
Key findings
The analysis showed that:
- Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly lower in the groups that consumed beetroot juice compared with the control groups.
- The blood-pressure-lowering effect was stronger when beetroot juice was consumed for more than 14 days.
- Higher daily intake, particularly around 500 millilitres per day, was associated with a greater reduction in blood pressure.
- In general, the more beetroot juice participants consumed, the larger the reduction in blood pressure.
These findings support the idea that beetroot juice can have a measurable and potentially meaningful effect on lowering high blood pressure.
One limitation of the review was the high level of variation (heterogeneity) among the included studies.
This variation was unavoidable because the studies involved different populations, used different doses of beetroot juice or supplements, lasted for different periods of time, and included participants with varying health backgrounds.
Despite these differences, the overall trend consistently showed a beneficial impact of beetroot juice on blood pressure.
While beetroot juice should not replace prescribed medication without medical advice, it may serve as a useful complementary strategy for people looking to support healthy blood pressure through diet.
As always, individuals with health conditions or those taking blood pressure medication should speak with a healthcare professional before adding large amounts of beetroot juice to their daily routine.
