title: The potential benefits of red beetroot supplementation in health and disease.
abstract: In recent years there has been a growing interest in the biological activity of red beetroot (Beta vulgaris rubra) and its potential utility as a health promoting and disease preventing functional food. As a source of nitrate, beetroot ingestion provides a natural means of increasing in vivo nitric oxide (NO) availability and has emerged as a potential strategy to prevent and manage pathologies associated with diminished NO bioavailability, notably hypertension and endothelial function. Beetroot is also being considered as a promising therapeutic treatment in a range of clinical pathologies associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. Its constituents, most notably the betalain pigments, display potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and chemo-preventive activity in vitro and in vivo. The purpose of this review is to discuss beetroot's biological activity and to evaluate evidence from studies that specifically investigated the effect of beetroot supplementation on inflammation, oxidative stress, cognition and endothelial function.
authors: Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumberland Building, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK. tom.clifford@northumbria.ac.uk.
authors: Tom
authors: T
authors: Clifford
authors: Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumberland Building, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK. glyn.howatson@northumbria.ac.uk.|Water Research Group, School of Environmental Sciences and Development, Northwest University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa. glyn.howatson@northumbria.ac.uk.
authors: Glyn
authors: G
authors: Howatson
authors: Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumberland Building, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK. d.j.west@northumbria.ac.uk.
authors: Daniel J
authors: DJ
authors: West
authors: Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumberland Building, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK. e.stevenson@northumbria.ac.uk.
authors: Emma J
authors: EJ
authors: Stevenson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D027461:Beta vulgaris; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004727:Endothelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D055951:Functional Food; D006801:Humans; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D014675:Vegetables
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts