dietary nitrate

Dietary nitrate is a naturally occurring inorganic compound found abundantly in certain vegetables (notably leafy greens and beets) and is also available as a dietary supplement. In the human body, dietary nitrate is converted by oral bacteria to nitrite, which can then be further reduced to nitric oxide—a key signaling molecule that regulates vascular tone and blood flow. This pathway bypasses the need for nitric oxide synthase enzymes and provides an alternative source of nitric oxide, especially under conditions where endogenous production may be impaired. Supplementation with dietary nitrate has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve endothelial function, reduce arterial stiffness, enhance exercise performance (by improving oxygen delivery and mitochondrial efficiency), and may have beneficial effects in metabolic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes[1][6][7]. The primary mechanism of action involves increased bioavailability of nitric oxide via the enterosalivary conversion of ingested nitrate.

Other names

nitrateinorganic nitratebeetroot extract