To get the greatest cognitive benefit from exercise, older folks may want to drink a little beet juice first.
That’s what investigators concluded, based on a small study of older people with high blood pressure. There were 26 sedentary volunteers over 55. None was taking more than two drugs for hypertension.
Beet Juice First:
During the six-week study, the volunteers each drank 2.3 ounces of a beet juice beverage, Beet It Sport Shot, before they exercised. Half of these older people took a high-potency drink with 560 mg of nitrate. The other half got the same drink, but with almost no nitrate. The second beverage served as a placebo.
The volunteers drank the “shot” an hour before exercise. Then they spent 50 minutes sessions on a treadmill walking at moderate intensity three times a week. On the other days of the week, when they did not exercise, they simply drank the beet juice whenever they wished.
The Results:
The researchers found that combining exercise with nitrate-containing beet juice first improved oxygenation of the brain and strengthened the network of neuronal connections in the cortex. They measured these connections with MRI images before and after the six weeks’ intervention. After the exercise, the older volunteers who took beet juice first demonstrated more neuroplasticity than those who drank the placebo beverage before exercising.
Petrie et al, Journals of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, Apr. 19, 2017
Scientists have found beets and beet juice fascinating lately. You can read more about the benefits of beet juice for athletes here. Here is information on beet juice and its ability to reduce blood pressure.
