title: Nitrate-rich beetroot juice selectively lowers ambulatory pressures and LDL cholesterol in uncontrolled but not controlled hypertension: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dietary nitrate has been shown to increase nitrate/nitrite levels in multiple populations, with potential blood pressure lowering effects. However, there are few reports among hypertensives.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to assess the effect of daily nitrate in subjects with controlled hypertension vs. uncontrolled hypertension.
  
  
  METHODS
  On day 0, hypertensives wore an ambulatory BP monitor (ABPM) for 24 h and fasting blood was taken. Subjects then consumed concentrated beetroot juice (12.9 mmol nitrate) for 14 consecutive days. On day 14 subjects consumed their last nitrate dose after fasting blood was drawn and again had an ABPM for 24 h.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to baseline ABPM, 11 subjects had controlled BP while 8 had uncontrolled BP. There were similar, significant increases in serum nitrate/nitrite in both groups. We observed little change in BP variables among controlled hypertensives. However, there were reductions in BP variables in uncontrolled hypertensives where decreases in nighttime DBP (-6 ± 4.8 mmHg), arterial stiffness (-0.08 ± 0.03 ambulatory arterial stiffness index) and LDL (-0.36 ± 0.42 mmol/L) reached significance (p = 003, 0.05 and 0.046, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results support the existing data suggesting an anti-hypertensive effect of nitrate-containing beetroot juice, but only among those with uncontrolled hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory and Sleep Diagnostics Department, Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland. conorkerley@gmail.com.|School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. conorkerley@gmail.com.|Acute Stroke Unit, Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown, Dublin, Ireland. conorkerley@gmail.com.
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Kerley
authors.affiliation: Acute Stroke Unit, Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dolan
authors.affiliation: Respiratory and Sleep Diagnostics Department, Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cormican
mesh_terms: D027461:Beta vulgaris / Q000737:chemistry*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009566:Nitrates / Q000737:chemistry*; D010865:Pilot Projects
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D009566:Nitrates
keywords: Blood pressure; Dietary nitrate; Hypertension; Nitric oxide; Nitrite