None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Obesity prevalence is rising at an alarming rate, affecting more than 60% of the Australian population, with no trend of slowing down. Obesity is associated with increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and coronary heart disease, all of which lead to increased hospitalization, morbidity and mortality. The obesity epidemic is driven largely by our worsenning dietary habits (with diets high in fats and sugar) and sedentary lifestyles. Strategies to promote physical activity will not only promote weight loss in the obese, but will lead to significant benefits for the cardiovascular health. Beetroot juice is a nitrate source which represents an easy and effective way to increase nitric oxide generation and improve vascular health. Data are emerging suggesting that beetroot juice is not only a beneficial way to lower blood pressure and improve glucose metabolism; it has been shown to improve oxygen consumption during exercise, thereby increasing exercise tolerance and durability. This project aims to determine whether: 1) beetroot juice supplementation for 8 weeks in obese patients will improve exercise capacity, and 2) the mechanism(s) associated with this outcome. The results of this study will be the first to ascertain evidence of whether beetroot juice is an effective and cheap dietary supplementation to improve physical activity in obese patients. Such outcomes will be pivotal for the management of obesity and associated cardiovascular complications.
Interventions
Dietary nitrate supplementation in the form of beetroot juice, equivalent to 15mmol/L nitrate daily for 8 weeks. Overall intake will be approx. 250ml daily. Juice composition will be 72% beetroot and 28% apple juice.
Subjects otherwise will maintain their normal diet and exercise regimens.
The trial will be conducted at the John Hunter Hospital, NSW, Australia by the principal investigators:
1. A/Prof Aaron Sverdlov - Senior Consultant Cardiologist, Director of Heart Failure
2. A/Prof Doan Ng
Dietary nitrate supplementation in the form of beetroot juice, equivalent to 15mmol/L nitrate daily for 8 weeks. Overall intake will be approx. 250ml daily. Juice composition will be 72% beetroot and 28% apple juice. Subjects otherwise will maintain their normal diet and exercise regimens. The trial will be conducted at the John Hunter Hospital, NSW, Australia by the principal investigators: 1. A/Prof Aaron Sverdlov - Senior Consultant Cardiologist, Director of Heart Failure 2. A/Prof Doan Ngo - Senior Research Fellow, Associate Professor, University of Newcastle; Pharmacist Obese individuals (BMI greater or equal to 30kg/m2), aged ranging 20-60 years with no history of heart disease, or diabetes who are not on a regular exercise regime will be randomized into 2 groups: beetroot juice supplementation (Group A, 25 participants) vs. identical nitrate-depleted placebo (Group B, 25 participants) daily for 8 weeks. Subjects in both groups will be matched for age, gender and BMI. The active juice and the placebo will be provided by the investigators. Adherence will be monitored using food diary, provided to the participants.
Sponsors
John Hunter Hospital
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
20 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Males and females BMI greater or equal to 30kg/m2 20 to 60 years of age
Exclusion criteria
1. Unable to provide written informed consent to participate in this study 2. Individuals who are receiving current anti-platelet therapy, 3. Known diabetes mellitus and the use of medication that might affect blood pressure, glucose or lipid metabolism will be excluded 4. Known heart disease 5. Concomitant conditions potentially limiting exercise capacity (eg peripheral vascular disease, respiratory, neuromuscular or orthopaedic disease states).
Outcome results
None listed