Beetroot Juice: A Natural Boost for Cardiovascular Health in Postmenopausal Women?

NCT06598488 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 730456
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 14
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aims to explore the effects of short-term beetroot juice (BRJ) supplementation on cardiovascular health in post-menopausal women. The primary focus is to determine whether BRJ, rich in nitrates that increase nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, can reduce blood pressure at rest and during exercise, as well as improve oxygen uptake during maximal exercise. Given the increased cardiovascular risk in post-menopausal women due to the loss of estrogen's protective effects, this research seeks to provide a novel, non-pharmacological intervention to enhance cardiovascular function during exercise in this population.

Conditions

Post-menopause

Keywords

Beetroot juice

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Blood pressure

  After 4 days of intervention

• Blood pressure reactivity

  After 4 days of intervention

• Maximal oxygen consumption

  After 4 days of intervention

Study Arms (2)

Nitrate rich beetroot juice

EXPERIMENTAL

4 days of nitrate rich beetroot juice ingestion (Beet it)

Dietary Supplement: Beetroot juice

Nitrate depleted beetroot juice

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

4 days of nitrate depleted beetroot juice ingestion (Beet it)

Dietary Supplement: Beetroot juice placebo

Interventions

Beetroot juice DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Beetroot juice will be consumed 2 times a day for 4 days before testing plus one shot on experimental testing day 1,5 hours before arrival.

Nitrate rich beetroot juice

Beetroot juice placebo DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Beetroot juice will be consumed 2 times a day for 4 days before testing plus one shot on experimental testing day 1,5 hours before arrival.

Nitrate depleted beetroot juice

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: Up to 65 Years
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Females under the age of 65
• Self-reported absence of menstrual cycle for \>1 year
• BMI \<30 kg/m2.
• Able to walk on a treadmill and cycle on a stationary bike without problems.
• Proficient in Norwegian and able to provide informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• Current or recent (last 5 years) regular smoker or user of nicotine products
• Addictions to alcohol or illegal drugs
• Allergy or intolerance (s) to nitrate or BRJ supplement.
• Diagnosed with cardiovascular disease (e.g., previous acute myocardial infarction or stroke, peripheral artery disease, heart failure), renal, or respiratory (e.g., asthma, sleep apnea).
• Regular usage of nitrate supplements, including beetroot juice
• Hormone replacement therapy.
• Uncontrolled high blood pressure (e.g., resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure \>160/110 mmHg)
• Problems with very low blood pressure (e.g., severe dizziness upon standing)
• Diagnosed with diabetes (type 1 or type 2).
• Using blood pressure or glucose-lowering medications
• Close family (parents, siblings, children) history of sudden cardiac death at an early age (\<55 for men, \<65 for women)
• Judgment by a medical provider that exercise poses an undue burden or risk.
• Cognitive or psychiatric impairment
• Lack of proficiency in Norwegian language oral or writing skills that will hamper the ability to participate in the interventions and fill out questionnaires.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Western Norway University of Applied Sciences: lead

Study Sites (1)

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

Bergen, 5063, Norway

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 13, 2024
• First Posted: September 19, 2024
• Study Start: September 9, 2025
• Primary Completion: December 16, 2025
• Study Completion: December 16, 2025
• Last Updated: March 10, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

NO (1)