甜菜汁仅需两周即可降低老年人血压

埃克塞特大学的研究发现，每天两次饮用富含硝酸盐的甜菜根汁持续两周的老年人，其血压有所下降。同样的效果并未出现在年轻成年人身上，尽管甜菜根汁也改变了他们的口腔微生物组。

这项发表在《自由基生物学与医学》上的研究，是同类研究中规模最大的一项，旨在考察膳食硝酸盐如何影响年轻人和老年人的口腔细菌、一氧化氮生物学以及血管反应。

为什么口腔很重要

硝酸盐天然存在于许多蔬菜中，并在体内发挥着重要作用。甜菜根尤其富含硝酸盐，但它并非唯一的选择。菠菜、芝麻菜、茴香、芹菜和羽衣甘蓝也是很好的膳食来源。

关键步骤发生在硝酸盐进入血液之前。口腔中的某些细菌有助于将食物中的硝酸盐转化为最终支持一氧化氮生成的化合物。一氧化氮有助于血管舒张并维持正常功能，这对健康的血压调节至关重要。

当口腔细菌的平衡向错误的方向转变时，硝酸盐转化为一氧化氮的途径可能会变得效率降低。埃克塞特团队发现的证据表明，甜菜根汁改变了老年人的口腔微生物组，其方式似乎支持了这一途径。

为期两周的甜菜根汁测试

该试验招募了39名30岁以下的成年人和36名60多岁至70多岁的成年人，通过NIHR埃克塞特临床研究设施进行招募。研究得到了埃克塞特临床试验单元的支持，并由BBSRC工业合作奖资助。

参与者完成了两个独立的为期两周的阶段。在一个阶段中，他们饮用常规剂量的富含硝酸盐的甜菜根汁。在另一个阶段中，他们饮用去除了硝酸盐的安慰剂版果汁。两个阶段之间有两周的“洗脱”期，以便研究人员在测试下一种饮料之前重置条件。

随后，团队利用细菌基因测序研究了每种情况前后口腔中存在的微生物种类。

老年人的反应不同

两个年龄组在饮用富含硝酸盐的甜菜根汁后，口腔微生物组均显示出显著变化。然而，年轻和年长参与者的变化并不相同。

在老年人中，甜菜根汁与普雷沃氏菌的显著减少有关，研究人员将这组口腔细菌描述为在此背景下具有潜在危害。与此同时，与健康益处相关的细菌（包括奈瑟菌）变得更加丰富。

* *Draft:* 老年组在研究开始时的平均血压也高于年轻组。 * *Sentence 2:* "After the nitrate rich beetroot juice phase, their blood pressure fell." * *Key terms:* nitrate rich beetroot juice phase (富含硝酸盐的甜菜根汁阶段/摄入阶段), blood pressure fell (血压下降). * *Draft:* 在摄入富含硝酸盐的甜菜根汁阶段后，他们的血压下降了。 * *Sentence 3:* "That reduction was not seen after the placebo drink, and it was not observed in the younger adults." * *Key terms:* reduction (下降/降幅), placebo drink (安慰剂饮料), observed (观察到). * *Draft:* 这种下降在饮用安慰剂后未出现，在年轻成年人中也未观察到。 * *Heading:* "The Nitric Oxide Connection" * *Key terms:* Nitric Oxide (一氧化氮), Connection (联系/关联). * *Draft:* 一氧化氮的关联 * *Sentence 4:* "The results point to a possible reason beetroot juice may be especially useful later in life." * *Key terms:* results (结果), point to (指出/表明), especially useful (特别有用/特别有效), later in life (晚年/生命后期). * *Draft:* 结果指出了甜菜根汁在晚年可能特别有用的一个潜在原因。 * *Sentence 5:* "Older adults tend to produce less nitric oxide as they age, and reduced nitric oxide availability can affect blood vessel function." * *Key terms:* Older adults (老年人), produce less nitric oxide (产生更少的一氧化氮), availability (可用性/生物利用度), blood vessel function (血管功能). * *Draft:* 随着年龄增长，老年人产生的一氧化氮往往会减少，而一氧化氮可用性的降低会影响血管功能。 * *Sentence 6:* "Study author Professor Anni Vanhatalo, of the University of Exeter, said: 'We know that a nitrate-rich diet has health benefits, and older people produce less of their own nitric oxide as they age.'" * *Key terms:* Study author (研究作者), University of Exeter (埃克塞特大学), nitrate-rich diet (富含硝酸盐的饮食). * *Draft:* 埃克塞特大学的研究作者Anni Vanhatalo教授表示：“我们知道富含硝酸盐的饮食具有健康益处，而且老年人随着年龄增长，自身产生的一氧化氮会减少。” * *Sentence 7:* "'They also tend to have higher blood pressure, which can be linked to cardiovascular complications like heart attack and stroke.'" * *Key terms:* cardiovascular complications (心血管并发症), heart attack (心脏病发作/心肌梗死), stroke (中风/脑卒中). * *Draft:* “他们的血压往往也较高，这可能与心脏病发作和中风等心血管并发症有关。” * *Sentence 8:* "'Encouraging older adults to consume more nitrate-rich vegetables could have significant long term health benefits.'" * *Key terms:* Encouraging (鼓励), consume (食用/摄入), nitrate-rich vegetables (富含硝酸盐的蔬菜), significant long term health benefits (显著的长期健康益处). * *Draft:* “鼓励老年人多摄入富含硝酸盐的蔬菜可能会带来显著的长期健康益处。” * *Sentence 9:* "'The good news is that if you don't like beetroot, there are many nitrate-rich alternatives like spinach, rocket, fennel, celery and kale.'" * *Key terms:* alternatives (替代品/替代选择), spinach (菠菜), rocket (芝麻菜), fennel (茴香), celery (芹菜), kale (羽衣甘蓝). * *Draft:* “好消息是，如果你不喜欢甜菜根，还有许多富含硝酸盐的替代选择，如菠菜、芝麻菜、茴香、芹菜和羽衣甘蓝。” * *Sentence 10:* "The findings suggest that beetroot juice may not act only through the nutrients it delivers." * *Key terms:* findings (发现), act (起作用), nutrients (营养素). * *Draft:* 研究结果表明，甜菜根汁可能不仅仅通过其提供的营养素起作用。 * *Sentence 11:* "It may also work by changing the tiny ecosystem in the mouth that helps unlock those nutrients." * *Key terms:* tiny ecosystem (微生态系统), mouth (口腔), unlock (释放/解锁). * *Draft:* 它还可能通过改变口腔内的微生态系统来起作用，该系统有助于释放这些营养素。 * *Heading:* "Related Research Adds to the Picture" * *Key terms:* Related Research (相关研究), Adds to the Picture (补充了全貌/提供了更多证据). * *Draft:* 相关研究补充了全貌 * *Sentence 12:* "Follow up work and related studies have continued to strengthen the idea that oral bacteria are central to how nitrate affects the body." * *Key terms:* Follow up work (后续工作), strengthen (加强/巩固), oral bacteria (口腔细菌), central (核心/关键). * *Draft:* 后续工作和相关研究不断巩固了这一观点，即口腔细菌是硝酸盐如何影响身体的核心。 * *Sentence 13:* "A 2025 randomized, double blind, placebo controlled crossover study of 15 older adults with treated high blood pressure found that four weeks of nitrate rich beetroot juice selectively changed the oral microbiome, increasing Neisseria and decreasing Veillonella, while the intestinal microbiome did not significantly change." * *Key terms:* randomized, double blind, placebo controlled crossover study (随机、双盲、安慰剂对照交叉研究), treated high blood pressure (正在接受治疗的高血压), oral microbiome (口腔微生物组), Neisseria (奈瑟菌), Veillonella (韦荣氏球菌), intestinal microbiome (肠道微生物组). * *Draft:* 一项2025年针对15名接受治疗的高血压老年患者进行的随机、双盲、安慰剂对照交叉研究发现，饮用富含硝酸盐的甜菜根汁四周后，口腔微生物组发生了选择性改变，具体表现为奈瑟菌增加，韦荣氏球菌减少，而肠道微生物组没有显著变化。 * *Sentence 14:* "The same research program reported that nitrate intake affected nitrate metabolism but did not produce sustained improvements in blood pressure or vascular function in that treated hypertension group, showing that the response may depend on health status, medications, study design, and the bacteria present at baseline." * *Key terms:* research program (研究项目), nitrate metabolism (硝酸盐代谢), sustained improvements (持续改善), vascular function (血管功能), treated hypertension group (接受治疗的高血压组), baseline (基线). * *Draft:* 同一研究项目报告称，硝酸盐摄入影响了硝酸盐代谢，但并未在该接受治疗的高血压组中产生血压或血管功能的持续改善，这表明反应可能取决于健康状况、药物、研究设计以及基线时存在的细菌。 * *Sentence 15:* "A 2026 pilot study also highlighted the importance of the mouth in nitrate biology." * *Key terms:* pilot study (试点研究/初步研究), nitrate biology (硝酸盐生物学). * *Draft:* 一项2026年的试点研究也强调了口腔在硝酸盐生物学中的重要性。 * *Sentence 16:* "It found that chlorhexidine, an antiseptic mouthwash, disrupted nitrate processing and reduced gastric nitric oxide synthesis, while dietary nitrate supplementation partly preserved microbial function and nitric oxide related signaling during antiseptic use." * *Key terms:* chlorhexidine (氯己定), antiseptic mouthwash (抗菌漱口水), disrupted (干扰/破坏), nitrate processing (硝酸盐加工/代谢过程), gastric nitric oxide synthesis (胃内一氧化氮合成), dietary nitrate supplementation (膳食硝酸盐补充), preserved (保留/维持), signaling (信号传导). * *Draft:* 研究发现，氯己定（一种抗菌漱口水）会干扰硝酸盐的加工过程并减少胃内一氧化氮的合成，而膳食硝酸盐补充剂在使用抗菌剂期间部分保留了微生物功能和一氧化氮相关的信号传导。 3. **Review and Refine:** * *Check consistency:* "older group" -> 老年组, "older adults" -> 老年人. "nitrate * "raised similar questions": 提出了类似的问题. * "antibacterial mouth rinses": 抗菌漱口水. * *Draft:* 其他研究也就抗菌漱口水提出了类似的问题。 * *Sentence 2:* `A 2025 Scientific Reports study in rats found that a nitrate and antioxidant mouth rinse supported nitrate and nitrite reducing oral bacteria and was associated with lower blood pressure compared with chlorhexidine treatment.` * "A 2025 Scientific Reports study in rats": 2025年发表在《科学报告》（Scientific Reports）上的一项大鼠研究. * "nitrate and antioxidant mouth rinse": 硝酸盐和抗氧化剂漱口水. * "supported nitrate and nitrite reducing oral bacteria": 支持（或促进）了还原硝酸盐和亚硝酸盐的口腔细菌. "Reducing" here is a chemical term (reduction), modifying bacteria. * "was associated with lower blood pressure": 与较低的血压相关. * "compared with chlorhexidine treatment": 与氯己定治疗相比. * *Draft:* 2025年发表在《科学报告》上的一项大鼠研究发现，与氯己定治疗相比，一种含硝酸盐和抗氧化剂的漱口水支持还原硝酸盐和亚硝酸盐的口腔细菌，并与较低的血压相关。 * *Sentence 3:* `Because that study was conducted in animals, the findings cannot be directly applied to people, but they add to the broader evidence that oral bacteria can influence the nitrate pathway.` * "conducted in animals": 在动物身上进行. * "cannot be directly applied to people": 不能直接应用于人类. * "add to the broader evidence": 增加了更广泛的证据/进一步证实. * "oral bacteria can influence the nitrate pathway": 口腔细菌能够影响硝酸盐途径. * *Draft:* 由于该研究是在动物身上进行的，其发现不能直接应用于人类，但它们为口腔细菌能够影响硝酸盐途径这一观点增加了更多证据。 * *Heading 1:* `A Potential Nutrition Strategy for Healthy Aging` * "Potential Nutrition Strategy": 潜在的营养策略. * "Healthy Aging": 健康老龄化. * *Draft:* **健康老龄化的一种潜在营养策略** * *Sentence 4:* `Co-author Professor Andy Jones, of the University of Exeter, said: "This study shows that nitrate-rich foods alter the oral microbiome in a way that could result in less inflammation, as well as a lowering of blood pressure in older people.` * "Co-author Professor Andy Jones, of the University of Exeter": 埃克塞特大学的合著者安迪·琼斯教授. * "nitrate-rich foods": 富含硝酸盐的食物. * "alter the oral microbiome": 改变口腔微生物组. * "in a way that could result in": 以一种可能导致...的方式. * "less inflammation": 炎症减少. * "lowering of blood pressure": 血压降低. * *Draft:* 合著者、埃克塞特大学的安迪·琼斯教授表示：“这项研究表明，富含硝酸盐的食物改变口腔微生物组的方式可能会减少炎症，并降低老年人的血压。 * *Sentence 5:* `This paves the way for larger studies to explore the influence of lifestyle factors and biological sex in how people respond to dietary nitrate supplementation."` * "paves the way": 铺平道路. * "larger studies": 更大规模的研究. * "explore the influence of lifestyle factors and biological sex": 探索生活方式因素和生物学性别的影响. * "how people respond to dietary nitrate supplementation": 人们对膳食硝酸盐补充剂的反应. * *Draft:* 这为开展更大规模的研究铺平了道路，以探索生活方式因素和生物学性别如何影响人们对膳食硝酸盐补充剂的反应。” * *Sentence 6:* `The findings do not mean beetroot juice is a replacement for medication or other proven ways to manage blood pressure.` * "findings": 研究结果. * "beetroot juice": 甜菜根汁. * "replacement for medication": 药物的替代品. * "proven ways to manage blood pressure": 经证实的管理血压的方法. * *Draft:* 这些发现并不意味着甜菜根汁可以替代药物或其他经证实的血压管理方法。 * *Sentence 7:* `However, they do suggest that nitrate rich vegetables could be a practical addition to a heart healthy lifestyle, particularly for older adults.` * "practical addition": 实用的补充. * "heart healthy lifestyle": 心脏健康的生活方式. * *Draft:* 然而，它们确实表明，富含硝酸盐的蔬菜可以作为心脏健康生活方式的一种实用补充，特别是对于老年人而言。 * *Sentence 8:* `They also point to a more personalized future for nutrition.` * "point to": 指向/预示. * "personalized future for nutrition": 营养学的个性化未来. * *Draft:* 它们也预示着营养学将迎来更加个性化的未来。 * *Sentence 9:* `Two people can eat the same nitrate rich foods but respond differently, partly because their oral microbiomes may not process nitrate in the same way.` * "process nitrate": 处理/代谢硝酸盐. * *Draft:* 两个人可能食用相同的富含硝酸盐的食物，但反应却不同，部分原因是他们的口腔微生物组代谢硝酸盐的方式可能不同。 * *Heading 2:* `What Comes Next` * *Draft:* **下一步计划** (or 未来展望, but "What Comes Next" usually implies immediate future steps in research). Let's use "未来展望" or "后续研究". "下一步计划" fits the context of research steps well. * *Sentence 10:* `The Exeter researchers say larger studies are needed to understand why some people respond more strongly than others.` * "Exeter researchers": 埃克塞特大学的研究人员. * "respond more strongly": 反应更强烈. * *Draft:* 埃克塞特大学的研究人员表示，需要更大规模的研究来理解为什么有些人的反应比其他人更强烈。 * *Sentence 11:* `Future research may help reveal how lifestyle, sex, age, oral hygiene habits, and baseline microbiome differences shape the effects of dietary nitrate.` * "reveal": 揭示. * "lifestyle, sex, age, oral hygiene habits, and baseline microbiome differences": 生活方式、性别、年龄、口腔卫生习惯以及微生物组基线差异. * "shape the effects": 塑造/影响...的效果. * *Draft:* 未来的研究可能有助于揭示生活方式、性别、年龄、口腔卫生习惯以及微生物组基线差异如何影响膳食硝酸盐的效果。 * *Sentence 12:* `Dr. Lee Beniston FRSB, Associate Director for Industry Partnerships and Collaborative Research and Development at BBSRC, said:` * "Dr. Lee Beniston FRSB": 李·贝尼斯顿博士，皇家生物学学会会员（FRSB）. Usually keep FRSB as title or translate. Let's keep the title format standard. * "Associate Director for Industry Partnerships and Collaborative Research and Development": 产业合作与协作研发副主任. * "BBSRC": 生物技术与生物科学研究理事会. * *Draft:* BBSRC产业合作与协作研发副主任、皇家生物学学会会员李·贝尼斯顿博士表示： * *Sentence 13:* `"This research is a great example of how bioscience can help us better understand the complex links between diet, the microbiome and healthy aging.` * "bioscience": 生物科学. * "complex links": 复杂联系. * *Draft:* “这项研究是一个很好的例子，展示了生物科学如何帮助我们更好地理解饮食、微生物组与健康老龄化之间的复杂联系。 * *Sentence 14:* `By uncovering how dietary nitrate affects oral bacteria and blood pressure in older adults, the study opens up new opportunities for improving