Dietary nitrate, aging and brain health: the latest evidence

Abstract

Purpose of reviewWith an increasing population age, cognitive decline and age-associated neurodegenerative diseases are becoming increasingly prevalent and burdensome in society. Dietary supplementation with inorganic nitrate, which serves as a nitric oxide precursor, has been suggested as a potential nutritional strategy to improve brain health in older adults. In this review, we discuss recent findings in this area.Recent findingsA number of studies have emerged in the past 12–18 months exploring the effects of dietary nitrate supplementation on cognitive function, with typically (although not exclusively) null findings emerging. This research is characterized by small, acute/short-term studies, although observational studies and longer-duration randomised controlled trials are beginning to emerge. From the limited research reporting benefits of nitrate supplementation on cognitive function, one important discovery has been the identification of a potential pathway through which nitrate could impact cognitive health, involving modulation of the oral microbiome, which warrants further investigation.SummaryDespite some promising early findings, there is currently insufficient evidence to recommend increased dietary nitrate intake for the purpose of improving brain health. However, longer-term, larger-scale trials in potentially responsive groups are warranted to provide definitive evidence in this area.

Knowledge and beliefs about dietary inorganic nitrate in a representative sample of adults from the United Kingdom

“…However, with emerging evidence, a new perspective has begun to emerge which suggests that increased intake of nitrate may confer certain health benefits (4,8,9) . Indeed, it has now been demonstrated that consumption of dietary nitrate in the form of vegetables/vegetable-derived products can improve markers of cardiovascular (e.g., reduced blood pressure and improved endothelial function) (10)(11)(12)(13)(14) , brain (e.g., improved cognitive function and modulated cerebral blood flow) (15)(16)(17)(18)(19) , and oral (e.g., modified oral microbiome and increased resilience against oral acidification) health (20)(21)(22) . Similarly, nitrate has been shown to improve exercise capacity/performance across a range of population groups (23)(24)(25) , making it a popular ergogenic aid amongst athletes (3,26) .…”

Mitochondria-Targeted Antioxidants, an Innovative Class of Antioxidant Compounds for Neurodegenerative Diseases: Perspectives and Limitations

“…Neurodegenerative diseases elicit the progressive degeneration or death of neural cells, provoking either movement disorders, such as in ataxias, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS), or cognitive impairments (dementias), such as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and Parkinson’s Disease (PD). These are pathologies with increasing incidence in developed countries, accompanying a progressive aging of the population [ 1 , 2 , 3 ].…”

From nitrate to NO: potential effects of nitrate-reducing bacteria on systemic health and disease

“…Nitrite is further reduced to NO and exerts its biological activity after being swallowed into the GT [ 31 ]. Recent studies have described that DN supplementation can improve cognitive ability [ 21 , 32 , 33 ], skeletal muscle function [ 34 , 35 ], cardiovascular function [ 36 , 37 ] and other physiological functions closely related to human health [ 7 , 38 – 40 ], and provide some evidence that the bacteria with nitrate reductase are the intermediary of the potential mechanism [ 41 ]. One of the mechanisms by which these floras affect human health is their involvement in the production of the signaling molecule NO, which is involved in most physiological activities in the human body (e.g., participation in metabolism and maintenance of cardiovascular homeostasis, dilation of blood vessels, inhibition of atherosclerotic angiopathy, etc.).…”