In recent years beet has gained in popularity for its potential health benefits, which include reducing blood pressure and increasing the performance of physical exercise. Previous studies have also shown that physical activity can have positive effects on the brain, particularly among the adult population. Now, research from the Wake Forest University Department of Health and Exercise Sciences in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (USA) has found that these effects can be reinforced on the brain by simply drinking beet juice before exercising.
The results of the experiment showed that older adults who consumed beet juice prior to moderately intense exercise demonstrated greater connectivity in the brain regions associated with motor function compared to adults who did not.
The benefits of beet are given thanks to its high nitrate content; since, when consumed, nitrates are converted to nitric oxide, which science has shown can lower blood pressure and increase blood flow to the brain.
The study aimed to find out whether beet juice could increase the brain benefits of physical activity. For this, they had the participation of 26 adults of 55 years or more and with high blood pressure. None of the participants exercised regularly, and were taking up to two medications to help them lower their blood pressure.
In the experiment, all volunteers did 50 minutes of moderately intense exercise on a treadmill three times a week for 6 weeks. One hour before each session, half of the participants took a supplement of beet juice containing 560 milligrams of nitrates, while the remaining participants consumed a placebo.
After 6 weeks, the researchers measured the brain functioning of the participants using magnetic resonance imaging, finding that those who took the beet juice supplement before exercise showed a structurally stronger somatomotor cortex (a region of the brain that helps to control body movement) compared to participants who consumed placebo.
In addition, subjects who took the juice also showed greater connectivity between the somatomotor cortex and the insular cortex, a region of the brain associated with motor control, cognitive functioning, emotions, and other brain functions.
“We knew that many studies had shown that exercise has positive effects on the brain, but what was demonstrated in this brief study of hypertensive seniors was that, in comparison to exercise alone, adding a supplement of beet juice to exercise it turned out that brain connectivity looks a lot like what we see in younger adults, “explains W. Jack Rejeski, lead author of the paper.
That’s why we invite you to try our organic beetroot juice with orange and Rancho Natura cactus.
The study has been published in the journal Journals of Gerontology: Series A.
Vía EntérateMx