Could Beetroot Juice Improve Muscle Power in Heart Failure Patients?
Consuming a diet high in nitrates—found in beetroot juice and leafy vegetables like spinach and arugula—improves muscle function in patients with heart failure, according to a recent study.
Previous research has suggested that consuming dietary nitrates can improve muscle performance in athletes, leading researchers to speculate about their possible benefits to patients with patients with heart failure.
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To test this hypothesis, researchers conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover study of 9 patients with heart failure. Individuals were given a glass of beetroot juice after fasting overnight. Each glass either contained 11.2 mmol of inorganic nitrate, or regular, unaltered juice.
Two hours after consumption of the juice, researchers measured participants’ muscle function using isokinetic dynamometry.
Overall, participants who consumed the juice containing the nitrates showed a 13% increase in muscle power, with the most benefit seen at the greatest movement speeds.
“In this pilot study, acute dietary NO3− intake was well tolerated and enhanced NO bioavailability and muscle power in patients with systolic heart failure. Larger-scale studies should be conducted to determine whether the latter translates into an improved quality of life in this population,“ they concluded.
—Michael Potts
Reference:
Coggan AR, Leibowitz JL, Spearie CA, et al. Acute dietary nitrate intake improves muscle contractile function in patients with heart failure. Circulation: Heart Failure. 2015;8:914-920.