Red beetroot juice may have positive effects on multiple pathways involved in long COVID.The aim of this pilot study was to explore the impact of beetroot juice supplementationon physical function, gut microbiota, and systemic inflammation in adults with long-COVID
A single-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial to test the effects of
14 days of beetroot juice supplementation on functional and biological outcomes in adults
with long-COVID.
Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive either daily oral supplementation with 200 mL
beetroot juice or placebo for 14 days. The primary endpoint was the change from baseline
to day 14 in the fatigue resistance test. Secondary outcomes included the distance walked
on the 6-min walk test, handgrip strength, and flow-mediated dilation. Secondary
endpoints also included changes from baseline in circulating inflammatory mediators,
metagenomic and fecal water metabolomic profiles. Partial least squares discriminant
analysis (PLS-DA) models were built to evaluate the differences in biological variables
associated with the interventions.
Dietary Supplement: Red Beetroot Juice
200ml/d for 14 days
Other: Placebo
200ml/d for 14 days
Inclusion Criteria:
- a certification of a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection
- a negative COVID-19 swab test at least four weeks prior to the screening visit
- meet the criteria for long-COVID diagnosis according to the World Health
Organization criteria
- report persistent fatigue
Exclusion Criteria:
- intolerance to beetroot juice or its derivatives
- clinical conditions and/or use of medications that may interfere with trial outcomes
(e.g., pregnancy or breastfeeding, diabetes, use of steroids or non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs, immunosuppressants, nitrates)
- participation in other intervention trials for long-COVID
Center for Aging and Geriatrics Research - UCSC
Rome 3169070, Italy
Francesco Landi, MD, Principal Investigator
Catholic University of the Sacred Heart