Beetroot juice may help stave off memory loss, small study hints

NCT ID NCT07329647

Recruiting now Symptom relief Sponsor: University of Coimbra Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This pilot study tests whether drinking beetroot juice daily for two weeks can improve memory and brain blood flow in 25 people with small vessel disease and diabetes. The juice is rich in nitrate, which the body can convert to nitric oxide, a molecule that helps blood vessels widen. Researchers will compare the effects of nitrate-rich beetroot juice against a placebo juice that has the nitrate removed.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: beetroot juice (dietary nitrate)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could point toward a simple dietary supplement to help slow memory loss in people with small vessel disease.
What could go wrong: This is a very small pilot study with only 25 participants, so results may not apply widely. The treatment is short-term (2 weeks), and any benefits might be small or temporary.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Cerebral Small Vessel Diseases cerebrovascular disorder diabetes mellitus

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

DIABETE MELLITUS SMALL VESSEL CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASE

Contacts and locations

Locations

Institute for Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS), University of Coimbra
RECRUITING

Coimbra, Portugal
Unidade de Saúde Local de Coimbra (ULS Coimbra)
RECRUITING

Coimbra, Portugal

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