Q&A: Higher dietary nitrate intake linked to reduced risk for dementia
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Key takeaways:
- Each 50 mg higher intake of dietary nitrate from vegetable sources per day was linked to an 8% lower dementia risk.
- PCPs should discuss the importance of including more nitrate-rich vegetables in one’s diet.
Higher dietary nitrate intake from vegetables was associated with a reduced risk for dementia, according to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Tosca O.E. de Crom, MSc, a PhD student at Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and colleagues observed the association in a population-based study of 9,543 participants who were followed for a mean period of 14.5 years. The researchers conducted the analysis to determine the associations between total, vegetable and nonvegetable dietary nitrate intake with the risk for dementia.
Healio spoke with de Crom to learn more about the study findings, what primary care providers should know and more.
Healio: Why did you decide to research this subject?
de Crom: Dietary nitrate can be metabolized into nitric oxide, which is a free radical that positively affects cardiovascular health. Considering that cardiovascular health is also implicated in the development of dementia, we hypothesized that there may be a connection between dietary nitrate intake and the risk of dementia. Although this hypothesis has been proposed previously, there was limited direct evidence supporting it.
Considering the increasing global impact of dementia, it is crucial to understand how the intake of dietary nitrate affects the risk of developing dementia. This is particularly important because we can control and change our dietary nitrate intake. By studying this relationship, we have the opportunity to gain valuable insights into potential preventive measures for dementia in the future.
In summary, we decided to investigate the association of dietary nitrate intake with the risk of dementia and vascular brain health because this can shed light on the role of nitric oxide in brain function and offer valuable insights into preventive strategies for maintaining brain health.
Healio: Will you briefly describe your findings and their importance?
de Crom: Our study found that higher vegetable dietary nitrate intake was associated with a lower risk of dementia. More specifically, for every 50 mg per day higher intake in dietary nitrate from vegetable sources, an 8% lower risk of dementia was observed. Important to mention is that no such association was found for dietary nitrate intake from nonvegetable sources. Also, no association was found between dietary nitrate intake and vascular brain health.
Our finding could suggest that a diet rich in nitrate-containing vegetables may have a protective effect against dementia. These findings are important because they provide insight into potential dietary strategies for dementia prevention.
Healio: What are the clinical implications of your findings?
de Crom: Our findings suggest that promoting a diet high in nitrate-containing vegetables could be a valuable approach for reducing the risk of dementia. Incorporating nitrate-rich vegetables into dietary recommendations and interventions may thus have significant benefits in terms of dementia prevention. Further research is, however, needed to confirm these findings and determine optimal nitrate intake levels.
Healio: What should PCPs take away from your research?
de Crom: PCPs should be aware of the potential association between dietary nitrate intake and a lower risk of dementia. They could discuss the importance of including nitrate-rich vegetables in their patients' diets as part of a comprehensive dementia prevention strategy. However, it is crucial to consider that our findings are based on observational data, and further studies are required to establish causality and determine specific dietary recommendations.
Healio: Is there anything else you would like to add?
de Crom: In conclusion, our study supports the hypothesis that higher dietary nitrate intake, particularly from vegetable sources, is associated with a reduced risk of dementia. This research opens up avenues for future investigations into the underlying mechanisms and potential interventions related to nitrate intake and dementia risk. Additionally, it highlights the importance of a well-balanced diet, rich in vegetables, for overall brain health and dementia prevention.