Beetroot juice, exercise and heart function in women planning pregnancy
What it found
In a 12-week randomised trial in 32 women, exercise and beetroot juice together were linked to a small drop in standing diastolic blood pressure and a rise in standing cardiac output.
The control group also improved, and the study was too small to be sure of the effects.
What they found
Studies in people
Blood pressure changes
The exercise plus beetroot juice group had a drop in standing diastolic blood pressure of 7 mmHg. The control group also had a drop of 8 mmHg. Standing systolic blood pressure did not change in any group.
Heart output and resistance
Exercise alone was linked to a rise in standing cardiac output and a fall in standing total peripheral resistance. Exercise plus beetroot juice was linked to a rise in cardiac output, but beetroot juice alone did not change these measures.
Home blood pressure
Daily home readings showed systolic and diastolic blood pressure fell in the exercise and beetroot juice groups over 12 weeks. When the two were combined, there was no change. The control group's systolic pressure rose.
Weight and activity
All groups gained weight and had an increase in BMI over the 12 weeks. Physical activity levels did not change in any group.
Adherence and acceptability
About 91% of women finished the study. Daily blood pressure and weight records were kept on 81% and 78% of days. More than half of those given beetroot juice did not drink all of it, citing forgetfulness and taste.
What the authors conclude
“Exercise and beetroot juice in combination showed a signal towards improving cardiovascular parameters.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say that exercise and beetroot juice together showed a signal towards improving cardiovascular parameters.
- They note that the control group also improved, suggesting that home measurement and regular recording are interventions in themselves.
- They call for further investigation in adequately powered studies to see if improving cardiovascular parameters before pregnancy can alter the occurrence of hypertensive conditions during pregnancy.
How it was done
Pre-eclampsia is a serious pregnancy condition, and better heart and blood vessel function before pregnancy might lower the risk. The authors wanted to see if exercise and beetroot juice could improve these measures in women planning to conceive.
They randomly assigned 32 women aged 18 to 45 who were planning pregnancy to one of four groups for 12 weeks: exercise, beetroot juice, both, or no intervention. Blood pressure was measured at home daily, and heart output and blood vessel resistance were measured in the clinic before and after.
What it can’t tell you
- This was a small feasibility study with 32 women, so it was not powered to show true changes in cardiovascular parameters.
- The trial ran during the COVID-19 lockdown when gyms were closed, which affected the exercise intervention.
- The study cannot show whether these changes would affect pregnancy outcomes like pre-eclampsia.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- There are no conflicts of interest.
- Authors work at
- Imperial College London, London; Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, London; Charles University in Prague, Czechia
The paper
- Title
- Beetroot juice, exercise, and cardiovascular function in women planning to conceive
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Osman MMA, Mullins E, Kleprlikova H, Wilkinson IB, Lees C (2024). Beetroot juice, exercise, and cardiovascular function in women planning to conceive. Journal of hypertension. doi:10.1097/HJH.0000000000003562Free full textPubMed 37728100DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error