Why was the Pharaohs Ihnton dead

 

## A Common Vegetable Reduces Blood Pressure in Two Weeks by Modifying the Oral Microbiome

 Two Weeks by Modifying the Oral Microbiome

**A breakthrough study from the University of Exeter reveals that consuming a common vegetable’s juice can significantly reduce high blood pressure in older adults in just two weeks. This rapid benefit is linked not just to the vegetable’s composition, but to its ability to positively alter the delicate ecosystem of the oral microbiome, offering new avenues for nutritional management of cardiovascular health.**

## A Common Vegetable Reduces Blood Pressure in Two Weeks by Modifying the Oral Microbiome

## A Common Vegetable Reduces Blood Pressure in Two Weeks by Modifying the Oral Microbiome

### Understanding the Silent Threat: Hypertension in Aging

 

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is one of the most pervasive chronic health conditions globally, posing a major risk factor for debilitating cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes, particularly as individuals age. While pharmacological interventions are crucial, there is a growing emphasis on natural and dietary solutions.

 

• Recent research has spotlighted dietary nitrates, abundant in certain leafy
•  green and root vegetables, as potent vasodilators. However, a new study,
•  published in the journal *Free Radical Biology and Medicine* and funded by
•  the Biotechnology 

and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), has provided compelling evidence of how quickly and effectively a regular dose of **beetroot juice** can combat hypertension, specifically in the over-60 demographic.

 

### The Science Behind the Root: Beetroot and Nitrates

 

The vegetable identified in the study is the humble **beetroot** (also known as beets or beet greens). Beetroot is exceptionally rich in dietary nitrates.

 

For dietary nitrates to exert their blood pressure-lowering effects, a vital biological process must occur: the nitrates must first be converted into **nitric oxide (NO)**. Nitric oxide is a critical signaling molecule that causes blood vessels to relax and widen (vasodilation), thereby improving blood flow and reducing arterial stiffness.

 

1. Crucially, this conversion process is not solely handled by internal organs; it
2.  begins in the mouth. Specific bacteria residing in the oral cavity metabolize
3.  the ingested nitrates into nitrites, which are then swallowed and converted
4.  into therapeutic nitric oxide in the body.

 

Professor Annie Vanhatalo of the University of Exeter explains that as people age, their natural ability to produce nitric oxide diminishes, making them more susceptible to hypertension. Furthermore, the efficiency of the nitrate-to-nitrite conversion process in the mouth can decline, hindering the vascular benefits of nitrate-rich foods.

 

### Detailing the Exeter Study: Methodology and Findings

 

Toinvestigate the efficacy of dietary nitrates across different age groups, the Exeter researchers conducted a rigorous intervention study.

 

**The Study Protocol:**

The research involved two cohorts:

1.  **Younger Adults:** 39 participants under the age of 30.

2.  **Older Adults:** 36 participants in their 60s and 70s.

 

Both groups consumed a daily dose of nitrate-rich beetroot juice for two consecutive weeks. Following a two-week washout period—during which participants were instructed to use an antiseptic mouthwash daily to disrupt their oral bacteria—the groups were given a nitrate-depleted placebo juice for another two weeks.

 

**Key Results:**

Using genomic sequencing to analyze the complex ecosystem of microorganisms (the microbiome) in the participants’ mouths, researchers observed a significant shift in oral flora after the consumption of the nitrate-rich juice in both groups.

 

However, the most significant health benefit was observed exclusively in the **older cohort**.

 

Theolder adults showed a noticeable reduction in blood pressure after the two-week period of consuming the high-nitrate juice. This clinical improvement was directly correlated with the changes observed in their oral microbiome.

 

### The Oral Microbiome Connection: Targeting Good Bacteria

 

The findings highlight a novel mechanism through which nutrition impacts cardiovascular health. In the elderly participants, the beetroot juice intervention resulted in two key microbial changes:

 

1.  **Reduction of Harmful Bacteria:** There was a decreased proportion of bacteria commonly associated with infections and chronic inflammation.

2.  **Increase of Beneficial Bacteria:** Simultaneously, the proportion of bacteria known to be health-promoting and efficient at metabolizing nitrates increased.

 

• Professor Andy Jones, also from the University of Exeter, noted that this
•  study clearly demonstrates that nitrate-rich foods modify the oral microbiome
•  in a way that can reduce inflammation, alongside decreasing blood pressure
•  in older individuals.

 

This confirms the hypothesis that by optimizing the microbial ecosystem in the mouth, older individuals can better access the vascular benefits of dietary nitrates, thereby mitigating the risk factors associated with advanced age and chronic hypertension.

 

### Practical Dietary Recommendations

 

The research offers strong encouragement for dietary intervention as a tool for managing aging-related hypertension. Professor Vanhatalo emphasizes that encouraging seniors to consume more nitrate-rich vegetables could yield substantial long-term health benefits.

 

1. While beetroot juice proved highly effective in this study, the key is the
2.  nitrate content, meaning consumers have several alternatives if the taste of
3.  beetroots is unappealing.

 

**Excellent Nitrate-Rich Alternatives Include:**

 

*   Spinach

*   Arugula (Rocket)

*   Fennel

*   Celery

*   Kale

 

Dr. Lee Beniston, co-director of Industrial Partnerships at BBSRC, concluded that this research provides a fantastic example of how bioscience can enhance our understanding of the intricate links between diet, the microbiome, and healthy aging.

 By revealing the mechanism through which dietary nitrates influence oral bacteria and blood pressure in the elderly, the study opens exciting new avenues for improving vascular health through simple nutritional choices.