Beetroot Juice and Microbiome Changes Offer New Hope for Healthy Aging

New research from the University of Exeter highlights the potential of beetroot juice to promote healthier aging. The study, published in July in *Free Radical Biology and Medicine*, demonstrates that consuming beetroot not only reduces blood pressure in older adults but also beneficially alters their oral microbiome, potentially redefining strategies for maintaining health during aging. While previous knowledge established that nitrate-rich vegetables like beetroot help lower blood pressure through the conversion of dietary nitrates into nitric oxide—relaxing blood vessels—the new findings reveal a more complex interaction. The research involved 39 young adults (18-30 years) and 36 seniors (67-79 years). After two weeks of beetroot juice intake, both groups experienced changes in their oral bacteria; however, only the older group saw a significant average blood pressure reduction of seven mmHg. Advanced gene sequencing uncovered that in older individuals, beetroot consumption suppressed harmful bacteria such as *Prevotella*, associated with inflammation and hypertension, while promoting beneficial bacteria like *Neisseria*, which facilitate nitrate conversion. Interestingly, som...