Dietary Nitrate and Muscle Power with Aging

Study of Beetroot Juice and Muscle Power in Older Adults

Age
65 years - 79 years
Gender
All
Phase
N/A
Dietary Nitrate and Muscle Power with Aging Connect with the study team

Brief description of study

The purpose of this study is to see if drinking beetroot juice (BRJ) is beneficial for aging subjects.

Detailed description of study

After you complete a screening visit, if you are determined to be eligible, your participation in the study would involve 6 separate outpatient visits at the Indiana Clinical Research Center at IU-Health University Hospital at 550 University Boulevard in Indianapolis, each 1 week apart.  For each visit you will fast for 12 hours.  On the first day you will drink beet juice and have your muscle function tested. Samples of your blood and muscle will also be obtained during this visit. Your muscle sample will be obtained by numbing the thigh muscle and making a small incision, and then inserting a needle into the muscle to obtain a small piece of muscle tissue.  This procedure is typically painless with only a small amount of pressure being felt.  This visit will take approximately 5 hours.  After this experiment is over, you would be given a 1 week supply of the beet juice to take with you and drink daily, and you will return 1 week later to provide a blood sample (12 hour fast required) .  This visit will take approximately 1 hour.  At this point, you will be given another 1 week supply of beet juice, then return to repeat the same experiment as before where you perform the exercise test and provide blood (12 hour fast required) and muscle samples (about 5 hours). After a 2 week “washout” period without drinking beet juice, the above described sequence of tests will then be repeated. During the study you will also wear an activity monitor which tracks how much physical activity you are doing.  In total, your participation in the study will last about 2 months.
Participants will be compensated up to $1000 for their participation.

Eligibility of study

You may be eligible for this study if you meet the following criteria:

  • Conditions: Healthy
  • Age: 65 years - 79 years
  • Gender: All

Inclusion:
  • Men and women age 65-79
  • In good health, as determined by a review of your medical history, physical examination, EKG, and routine blood and urine tests 
Exclusion:
  • Men and women <65 or >79 years of age
  • Unable to provide informed consent
  • Currently pregnant or lactating
  • Current smokers
  • Significant orthopedic limitations or other contraindications to strenuous exercise
  • Those taking phosphodiesterase inhibitors (e.g., Viagra, Levitra, or Cialis)
  • Those taking proton pump inhibitors, antacids, xanthine oxidase inhibitors, or on hormone replacement therapy
  • Those taking anti-coagulants (e.g., Coumadin) or on anti-platelet therapy
  • History of major metabolic disease (e.g., type I and type II diabetes, thyroid disorders), neuromuscular disease (e.g., cervical spondylotic radiculomyelopathy, lumbar spondylosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and acquired demyelinating polyneuropathies), cardiovascular disease (e.g., > stage II hypertension, heart failure, myocardial infarction/ischemia, significant myocardial or pericardial diseases (e.g. amyloidosis, constriction), moderate or severe valvular disease, renal disease, liver disease, or anemia

The purpose of this research study is to learn whether drinking beetroot juice is beneficial for older adults as they age.

Participants will complete 6 outpatient visits at the Indiana Clinical Research Center at IU-Health University Hospital in Indianapolis. Visits are about 1 week apart. Participants will fast for 12 hours before each visit.

At some visits, participants will drink beetroot juice and have muscle function testing. Participants will also provide blood samples. At 2 of the longer visits, participants will also provide a small muscle sample from the thigh. For this, the study team will numb the area, make a small cut, and use a needle to remove a small piece of muscle tissue. Participants will also wear an activity monitor to track physical activity during the study.

After the first long visit, participants will take home a 1-week supply of beetroot juice to drink daily, then return the next week for a shorter visit to give a fasting blood sample. They will then receive another 1-week supply of beetroot juice and return for another long visit that includes muscle testing and blood and muscle samples. After a 2-week break without beetroot juice, this same sequence of visits and testing will be repeated.

Participants will be compensated up to $1000 for taking part in the study.

Who can participate:
Adults ages 65–79 may be able to participate if they:

  • Are in good health based on their medical history and study health checks (physical exam, EKG, and routine blood and urine tests)

Study timeline and visits:
Participation lasts about 2 months. There is 1 screening visit and 6 outpatient study visits, each about 1 week apart, with a 2-week period in the middle without drinking beetroot juice.

Updated on 01 Oct 2026. Study ID: 1712579448

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