Research suggests that beetroot juice lowers blood pressure in older adults. Its nitrate content improves blood flow and decreases inflammation.
Previous research has suggested that beetroot juice, also known simply as beet juice, may help lower blood pressure. The juice is rich in nitrates that help relax blood vessels, which allows blood to flow more freely.
For a 2025 study, the research team wanted to dig deeper, exploring how exactly beetroot juice might improve blood pressure and who might benefit most.
They recruited two groups. One included 39 people ages 18-30, and the other involved 36 people aged 65-79. The participants had no active oral disease and blood pressure at or below 140/90, which is considered high.
The participants were assigned either a placebo beetroot juice or a nitrate-rich beetroot juice. They drank about 2.5 ounces twice daily—once in the morning and once in the evening—for three two-week periods. In between juice periods, they rinsed with mouthwash twice daily for two weeks.
Researchers tested participants’ oral microbiomes, heart rate, blood pressure, plasma, salivary nitrate, and nitrite levels before each juice and mouthwash period.
Compared to a placebo, nitrate-rich beetroot juice had a greater effect on blood pressure, but only in one group with high blood pressure: older adults. In this group, blood pressure decreased by about 4 mmHg on average, the researchers reported.
“Individuals with elevated blood pressure showed greater reductions,” study author Anni Vanhatalo, PhD, a professor of human physiology at the University of Exeter Medical School, told Health.
Results from oral microbiome testing also revealed a link between blood pressure decrease and fewer inflammatory oral bacteria.
One key group that appeared to be suppressed, Prevotella species, may interfere with the production of nitric oxide. This molecule helps relax blood vessels and regulate blood pressure.
This finding suggests potential clinical implications for high blood pressure. It also has implications for inflammatory conditions like COVID-19, pneumonia, and cognitive impairment, the researchers noted.
Beetroot juice might sound appealing if you have high blood pressure. Before you run out to buy some, know that the study was small. The positive effects were also limited to people older than 65.
If you’re younger than 65, there’s no reason not to give beetroot a shot if you’re curious, said experts. The juice is nutritious, packed with nitrates and folate, vitamin C, and potassium. It also has plant compounds that may decrease inflammation and regulate blood pressure.
“The polyphenols found in beetroot help nitric oxide from being oxidized, leaving more for the body to use,” Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, a preventive cardiology dietitian at Entirely Nourished, told Health.
It’s also relatively safe for most people. However, some may have stomach discomfort if they drink too much, said Vanhatolo. Routhenstein warned that people prone to calcium oxalate kidney stones may also want to limit their intake.
Experts cautioned that beetroot juice isn’t a silver bullet and shouldn’t be your only strategy for lowering blood pressure.
“I think beetroot juice is a viable way to lower blood pressure, but it should not replace core lifestyle strategies,” Veronica Rouse, RD, owner of The Heart Dietitian, told Health. You may follow the DASH diet, limit sodium, exercise, maintain a healthy weight, and manage sleep and stress.
