Supplementation with a beetroot extract marketed as Sabeet by Sabinsa was associated with improved measures of carotid artery stiffness in postmenopausal women. The study investigated the interaction between beetroot supplementation and nitric oxide availability and measures of vascular health. The findings were published in the American Journal of Physiology, Heart and Circulation Physiology.

Menopause is associated with reduced nitric oxide availability, which can lead to arterial stiffness, a factor in the development of cardiovascular disease. This study sought to determine if a long-term dietary nitrate supplementation regimen could mitigate the problem. The research was conducted as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 20 postmenopausal women between the ages of 60 and 85. They were assigned randomly to receive either a nitrate-rich beetroot extract or a nitrate-depleted placebo over a 12-week period.

The nitrate-rich beetroot extract was linked to significant improvements in carotid artery stiffness parameters, including pulse wave velocity, beta-stiffness, elastic modulus, and the augmentation index. Arterial compliance increased by week 12.

Serum nitrate and nitrite concentrations were significantly elevated in the treatment group, confirming the bioavailability of nitric oxide, and these effects were observed without any changes in blood pressure, which remained stable across both groups.

The study is the first to examine the effects of long-term dietary nitrate supplementation on vascular health in postmenopausal women, Sabinsa reported, and the findings provide evidence that beetroot extract could be a suitable strategy to reduce CVD risk in this population.

“The results are promising, as they suggest that dietary nitrate supplementation could become an effective, non-pharmacological intervention to combat arterial stiffening in postmenopausal women,” said Thiago Alvares, PhD, principal investigator of the study. “With no significant change in blood pressure, beetroot extract provides a safe and natural way to improve vascular health.”

“Given the increase in cardiovascular disease risks among postmenopausal women, this study opens the door to innovative dietary interventions, with beetroot extract potentially becoming a recommended strategy for improving vascular function and reducing long-term cardiovascular risks,” said Shaheen Majeed, global CEO and managing director of Sami-Sabinsa.