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. 2014 Feb 23:2014:676235.
doi: 10.1155/2014/676235.

Effects of Nitrate Supplementation on Cardiovascular and Autonomic Reactivity in African-American Females

Vernon Bond  1 , Bryan H Curry  2 , R George Adams  2 , M Sadegh Asadi  3 , Kimani A Stancil  4 , Richard M Millis  5 , Georges E Haddad  5
Affiliations

Effects of Nitrate Supplementation on Cardiovascular and Autonomic Reactivity in African-American Females

Vernon Bond et al. ISRN Physiol. .

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that beetroot juice (BJ) decreases systolic blood pressure (SBP) and oxygen demand. This study tests the hypothesis that a beetroot juice (BJ) treatment increases heart rate variability (HRV) measured by the average standard deviation of normal-normal electrocardiogram RR intervals (SDNN) and the low frequency (LF), mainly sympathetic, fast Fourier transform spectral index of HRV. The subjects were 13 healthy young adult African-American females. Placebo control orange juice (OJ) and BJ treatments were given on separate days. Blood nitric oxide [NO], SBP and RR intervals were measured at rest and at constant workloads set to 40% and 80% of the predetermined VO2peak. Two hours after ingestion the BJ treatment increased [NO] and decreased SBP. BJ also increased SDNN at rest and at the 40% VO2peak workload, without significant effects on LF. SDNN was significantly greater after the BJ than after the OJ treatment, across the two physical activity conditions and SDNN was (negatively) correlated with SBP. These results suggest that BJ decreases SBP and increases HRV at rest and during aerobic exercise. Similar results in subjects with prehypertension or hypertension could translate to a dietary nitrate treatment for hypertension.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interests

The authors have no conflict of interests, financial or otherwise, to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Effects of beetroot juice treatment on blood nitric oxide level. Bars represent mean ± standard error measurements of blood nitric oxide (NO) concentration, expressed in nM units. The subjects were 13 healthy young adult females administered a placebo control orange juice and an isocaloric beetroot juice treatment on separate days. Asterisk (*) indicates a significant treatment-related difference at P < 0.0001.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effects of beetroot juice treatment on systolic blood pressure. Bars represent mean ± standard error measurements of systolic blood pressure, expressed in mm Hg, performed at rest (baseline) at constant aerobic exercise workloads set to 40% and 80% of the predetermined peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak). The subjects were 13 healthy young adult females administered a placebo control orange juice and an isocaloric beetroot juice treatment on separate days. Asterisk (*) indicates a significant treatment-related difference at P < 0.05.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Effects of beetroot juice treatment on heart rate variability. Bars represent mean ± standard error measurements of the average electrocardiogram RR (interbeat) interval, expressed in ms, performed at rest (baseline) at constant aerobic exercise workloads set to 40% and 80% of the predetermined peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak). The subjects were 13 healthy young adult females administered a placebo control orange juice and an isocaloric beetroot juice treatment on separate days. Asterisk (*) indicates a significant treatment-related difference at P < 0.05.
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