According to research, there is a supplement that can lower blood pressure and can also improve athletic performance. Monitoring and maintaining your blood pressure is one of the most effective methods to promote heart health as you age. Your blood pressure reading will provide you with two essential pieces of information in the form of two numbers—one above the other.
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The first number is your systolic blood pressure, which indicates how much pressure your blood puts on your artery walls when the heart contracts. The second, bottom figure is diastolic blood pressure, which indicates how much pressure your blood exerts while the heart is resting between pumping.
“Typically, more attention is given to systolic blood pressure (the first number) as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease in people over 50,” says the American Heart Association (AHA). “In most people, systolic blood pressure rises steadily with age due to the increasing stiffness of large arteries, long-term buildup of plaque, and an increased incidence of cardiac and vascular disease.”
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A recent study undertaken by Imperial College London and published in the European Respiratory Journal examined the impact of beetroot juice supplements on the blood pressure of people with chronic obstructive lung disease. This term refers to a collection of disorders that impede airflow and prevent breathing, such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
COPD patients are often more likely to develop hypertension due to the thickening of the airway walls, which can restrict the arteries around the lungs. The study’s 81 participants all had elevated systolic blood pressure of 130 mmHg or above (the optimum range is 90 to 120 mmHg). However, following a 12-week trial period, those who took daily nitrate-rich beetroot juice supplements experienced a 4.5 mmHg drop in systolic blood pressure.
“Higher levels of nitrate in the blood can increase the availability of nitric oxide, a chemical that helps blood vessels relax,” said the study’s lead researcher, Nicholas Hopkinson, in a press statement.
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While this may appear to be a little drop, the British Heart Foundation believes it is excellent news for your heart health. “For every 5 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure, the risk of developing major cardiovascular disease fell by around 10 percent,” according to their researchers. “Stroke and heart failure risk dropped by 13 percent, coronary heart disease by eight percent, and death from cardiovascular disease by five percent.”
The study also discovered that using beetroot juice supplements improved exercise ability in COPD patients. After the 12-week trial period, individuals were able to walk a larger distance in six minutes than the control group. The trial group walked an average of 98 feet farther than individuals who took the same nitrate-depleted placebo juice supplement.
This supports a previous study that found a relationship between beetroot juice and improved athletic performance. “Beetroot juice increases levels of nitric oxide (NO), which serves multiple functions related to increased blood flow, gas exchange, mitochondrial biogenesis and efficiency, and strengthening of muscle contraction,” according to a 2017 study in the scientific journal Nutrients.
“These biomarker improvements indicate that supplementation with beetroot juice could have ergogenic effects on cardiorespiratory endurance that would benefit athletic performance,” the study’s authors stated.
Aside from the benefits that beetroot juice supplements appear to bring to those with COPD, several other advantages apply to the general public. According to a 2021 study published in the journal Food Science & Nutrition, beetroot juice has excellent antioxidant and anti-tumor capabilities.
Though beetroot supplements are generally regarded as safe, you should see your doctor before starting any new dietary supplement routine.
