Can drinking beetroot juice for 7 days reverse vascular aging?

Vascular aging and hardening can lead to heart attacks and strokes. A nutritionist cites research indicating that drinking one type of vegetable juice daily can "reverse" vascular aging, restoring youthful elasticity to blood vessels. Effectiveness is reportedly seen after just seven consecutive days, potentially lowering blood pressure without medication. The nutritionist also suggests pairing it with another ingredient to double its vascular protective and blood pressure-lowering effects.

How can one lower blood pressure without medication? Functional Medicine Nutritionist Lui Mei-bo stated on her Facebook page that maintaining good vascular elasticity to lower blood pressure is a long-term strategy for preventing chronic diseases. She specifically recommends the following daily vegetable juice, which not only helps protect blood vessels but can also "reverse" vascular aging and lower blood pressure:

What Juice Can "Reverse" Vascular Aging?

Lui cites a clinical study on postmenopausal women published in Frontiers in Nutrition, which observed the effects on vascular function from drinking beetroot juice daily for seven consecutive days. The experimental group participants drank 130-160g of raw beetroot juice daily (containing 400mg of nitrate, approximately 1/2 to 2/3 of a beetroot), while the control group drank a nitrate-depleted beetroot placebo. The study showed the following key findings:

• Compared to the placebo group, the group drinking beetroot juice showed significant improvement in resting vascular dilation capacity (measured by Flow-Mediated Dilation, FMD), with an average increase of 2.21 percent.
• On the 8th day, after stopping consumption, the FMD index did not show significant improvement. In other words, the protective effect of beetroot juice against acute vascular damage might not last beyond 24 hours.
• Beetroot juice can be part of a long-term dietary health regimen.

4 Heart-Protecting Benefits of Drinking Beetroot Juice

Lui explains that beetroot is rich in natural nitrates (NO₃⁻), which convert to nitrites (NO₂⁻) and finally to nitric oxide (NO) within the body. The nitric oxide produced through this process offers numerous benefits, including:

1. Relaxes smooth muscles, leading to vasodilation and lower blood pressure.
2. Improves blood flow and microcirculation, protecting endothelial cell function.
3. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, reducing atherosclerosis risk.
4. Enhances athletic performance.

Which Foods Are Rich in Natural Nitrates?

Lui reminds us that to supplement natural nitrates or increase nitric oxide production, we can regularly eat the following foods:

• Beetroot juice: Drinking it raw preserves its active enzymes and nitrates.
• Dark leafy greens: Such as arugula, spinach, beet greens, bok choy, etc.
• Consuming with foods rich in Vitamin C (like lemon) helps stabilize nitric oxide generation.

She shares some nutritious and delicious combinations: for example, adding beetroot to a "green smoothie," pairing it with celery and flaxseed for better effects; or blending beetroot, chickpeas, lemon, and spices into a sauce. Supplementing with beetroot powder before exercise can also enhance endurance.

Lui notes that beetroot juice is an excellent choice for both postmenopausal women and anyone needing cardiovascular care. It's important to note that high-temperature cooking destroys nitrates in beetroot, so raw or low-temperature preparation is recommended. Those with low blood pressure or taking blood pressure medication should consult a healthcare professional beforehand.

What Are the Risks of Vascular Aging?

According to Hong Kong's Department of Health information, as vascular tissue ages, becoming hard and thick, blood flow slows. If coronary arteries narrow or become blocked, it can lead to coronary heart disease. With age, fatty substances accumulate in the arterial intima. When accumulation reaches a certain point, it narrows the vessels, and the vessel walls lose elasticity and harden. This phenomenon is called atherosclerosis.

If an atherosclerotic plaque suddenly ruptures, its contents contact blood and form a thrombus, blocking the vessel. This can cause localized myocardial hypoxia, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and death. However, about 10 percent of patients have no symptoms and show few abnormalities during check-ups. Problems often only appear when the condition is very severe, leading to sudden death without warning. This often causes people to overlook the possibility of this type of heart disease.

The Department of Health reminds that generally, adults should maintain systolic and diastolic blood pressure below 120mmHg and 80mmHg, respectively. If systolic pressure consistently remains at 140mmHg or above, or diastolic pressure at 90mmHg or above, it is considered hypertension.