The Effects Of Acute Beetroot Juice Intake On Glycemic And Blood Pressure Responses When Controlling For Medication In Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes

: PURPOSE: Physical inactivity and poor dietary choices contribute to the rise in cardiometabolic diseases in the United States. It remains critical to identify strategies that may mitigate the negative impact from these behaviors. Several studies have shown that consumption of dietary inorganic nitrate may improve vascular health and glucose regulation in animal models and some human studies. However, the improvements in glucose regulation have yet to be corroborated in humans with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the acute effects of beetroot juice (BRJ) on glycemic and hemodynamic responses in individuals with T2D while controlling for medication. METHODS: Seven participants with a clinical diagnosis of T2D were recruited into this study and were temporarily removed from blood pressure and glucose lowering medications. Hemodynamic measurements (pulsewave velocity) and an oral glucose tolerance test (gycemic response) were measured following consumption of either BRJ or denitrolized placebo condition. Saliva and blood samples were collected at baseline, two-, and four- hours post supplementation to measure changes in nitrate and nitrite concentrations. RESULTS: We detected significant improvements in total plasma glucose exposure (p = 0.022) and SVR change score (p = 0.009) in the BRJ condition compared to the placebo. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that BRJ consumption can improve oral glucose tolerance in individuals with T2D while controlling for medication, however future larger cohort randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm if BRJ is a viable treatment glucose control in individuals with T2D. Supported by: This research was funded by a UAB School of Education Pilot Grant to Gordon Fisher, Ph.D.