The purpose of the study is to assess vascular function in African Americans, Hispanic and Caucasian Americans to better understand racial differences in cardiovascular health. The investigators will further investigate the affect of Beetroot juice on the vascular function of all participants.
African Americans and Hispanic individuals have the highest incidence of type 2 diabetes, which increases their risk of all cardiovascular diseases. One of the hallmarks of type 2 diabetes is vascular dysfunction, caused by a lack of nitric oxide bioavailability. Vascular function and blood flow responses to exercise have been shown to improve after nitrate supplementation (beetroot juice), However, whether nitrate supplementation will improve vascular function in African American and Hispanic individuals remains unknown. The investigators will perform a randomized, placebo-controlled study in healthy African American, Hispanic and Caucasian subjects. They will be studied before and 90 minutes after consuming Beetroot juice (high nitrate supplement) or Placebo, with at least 1-week washout period between the two visits (Kenjale AA et al., J Appl Physiol 2011).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
90
high nitrate supplement
placebo
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas, United States
RECRUITINGForearm blood flow
Blood flow of the brachial artery will be measured continuously at rest, during 3 min of handgrip exercise and for up to 1 min after the cessation of handgrip exercise.
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 2 year
Flow mediated vasodilation
The subjects will lay supine with arm extended on a side table. Resting brachial artery diameter and velocity will be measured at rest for 2 min. Following this, a pneumatic cuff will be inflated on the forearm to supersystolic pressure (220-240 Torr) for 5 min and once the cuff is released, brachial artery diameter and velocity will be measured for up to 3 minutes after cuff deflation. FMD% will be calculated as (highest diameter after cuff deflation - baseline brachial artery diameter)/ baseline diameter \* 100
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 2 year
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