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Effect of Nitrate-rich Beetroot Juice on Exercise Performance in Heart Failure Patients

Single Dose of Nitrate-rich Beetroot Juice Does Not Improve Steady State Oxygen Consumption or Six-minute Walk Distance in Patients With Systolic Heart Failure.

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02223403
Enrollment
12
Registered
2014-08-22
Start date
2012-10-31
Completion date
2014-05-31
Last updated
2014-08-22

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Systolic Heart Failure

Keywords

Nitrate-rich beetroot juice, heart failure, exercise performance, oxygen consumption

Brief summary

Nitrate-rich beetroot juice supplementation has demonstrated reduced oxygen consumption and submaximal exercise performance in healthy adults. Investigation for similar effects in patients with heart failure has not previously been conducted. This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial. Following ingestion of the active agent or placebo, subjects with systolic heart failure underwent submaximal steady state exercise with gas exchange analysis followed thirty minutes later by a six minute walk test. Second testing sessions were performed ten days. There were no significant differences in the treatment and placebo arms in average oxygen consumption or six minute walk distance. In conclusion, in patients with heart failure who have ingested a single dose of nitrate-rich beetroot juice concentrate, there is no significant difference with regard to oxygen consumption during submaximal steady state exercise or six minute walk testing distance. Further study is warranted to determine the true efficacy of nitrate consumption in this population with adjustments in acute or chronic dosing, exercise duration, or intensity.

Interventions

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTnitrate-rich beetroot juice

3 ounces of nitrate-rich beetroot juice ingested orally once 90 minutes before exercise interventions of steady state treadmill exercise followed 30 minutes later by six minute walk

3 ounces of nitrate-deplete beetroot juice ingested orally once 90 minutes before exercise interventions of steady state treadmill exercise followed 30 minutes later by six minute walk

Sponsors

Brooke Army Medical Center
Lead SponsorFED

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Local institutional beneficiaries between the ages of 18 and 80 * Documentation of left ventricular systolic dysfunction with ejection fraction \< 40% by any modality within the past six months * Documentation of New York Heart Association class II or III status.

Exclusion criteria

* \> 80 years of age * Unable to adequately or safely perform treadmill exercise * Pulmonary disease deemed significant enough to be a limitation to exercise * Greater than moderate stenotic or regurgitant valvular heart disease * Presence of atrial fibrillation or other uncontrolled arrhythmias * Uncompensated heart failure * Continuously paced rhythms * Pregnant females * Chronic nitroglycerine use (oral isosorbide di or mono-nitrate, or topical nitroglycerine) * Phosphodiesterase inhibitor (sildenafil or tadalafil) use within a week

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
steady state exercise oxygen consumption10 minutesSubjects performed steady state treadmill walking at a pre-determine submaximal workload. Oxygen consumption was measured for the last 10 minutes.
six minute walk distancesix minutessubjects walked at their chosen pace for six minutes on a pre-determined course. Total distance was recorded.

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026