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Differential effect of beetroot bread on postprandial DBP according to Glu298Asp polymorphism in the eNOS gene: a pilot study

Abstract

Our objective was to investigate whether the presence of Glu298Asp polymorphism in the endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) gene differentially affects the postprandial blood pressure response to dietary nitrate-rich beetroot bread. A randomised, single-blind, controlled, crossover acute pilot study was performed in 14 healthy men (mean age: 34±9 years) who were retrospectively genotyped for Glu298Asp polymorphism (7GG; T carriers 7). Volunteers were randomised to receive 200 g beetroot-enriched bread (1.1 mmol nitrate) or control bread (no beetroot; 0.01 mmol nitrate) on two separate occasions 10 days apart. Baseline and incremental area under the curve of blood pressure and NOx (nitrate/nitrite) were measured for a 6-h postprandial period. A treatment × genotype interaction was observed for diastolic blood pressure (P<0.02), which was significantly lower in T carriers (P<0.01) after consumption of beetroot bread compared with control bread. No significant differences were observed in the GG group. The beneficial diastolic blood pressure reduction was observed only in the T carriers of the Glu298Asp polymorphism in the eNOS gene after consumption of nitrate-rich beetroot bread. These data require confirmation in a larger population group.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Rada Mihaylova and Dr Kim Jackson for help with cannulation during study days. The study was supported by the Reading Endowment Trust Fund and Eccentricities Ltd who supplied the intervention breads.

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Correspondence to J A Lovegrove.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest. TWG is the managing director of Eccentricities Ltd and supplied the breads for the intervention study.

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This work was presented at the Nutrition Society Summer Meeting at Newcastle University, UK in July 2013.

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Hobbs, D., George, T. & Lovegrove, J. Differential effect of beetroot bread on postprandial DBP according to Glu298Asp polymorphism in the eNOS gene: a pilot study. J Hum Hypertens 28, 726–730 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2014.16

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