Dietary Nitrate Intake in Vegetarians and Omnivores (NO3)

University of Plymouth

Status: Completed

Conditions: Blood Pressure

Treatments: Other: Placebo mouthwash; Other: Chlorhexidine mouthwash

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03871777

15/16-469

Details and patient eligibility

About

Vegetarian diets are commonly associated with lower blood pressure levels. This has been related to greater consumption of inorganic nitrate, since vegetables are the main source of this anion. Dietary nitrate is reduced to nitrite by commensal bacteria in the mouth, which in turn leads to increased circulatory nitrite availability. Nitrite can form nitric oxide by several pathways promoting a reduction in the vascular tone and lower blood pressure.

Enrollment: 41 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 50 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy vegetarians (vegans and ovo-lacto vegetarians) following this dietary pattern for at least a year.
• Health omnivores

Exclusion criteria

• Smokers
• Individuals taking any medications or recreational drugs.
• Individuals with pre-existing medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia or dental conditions (gingivitis).
• Individuals using mouthwash or tongue scrapes were excluded from this study

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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41 participants in 2 patient groups

Vegetarians

Active Comparator group

Description:

Healthy vegetarians (vegans and lacto-ovo vegetarians) 18 and 50 years formed this arm.

Treatment:

Other: Chlorhexidine mouthwash

Other: Placebo mouthwash

Omnivores

Sham Comparator group

Description:

Healthy omnivores with similar characteristics of vegetarians (age, body mass index, gender and physical activity levels) formed this arm

Treatment:

Other: Chlorhexidine mouthwash

Other: Placebo mouthwash