Acute Effects of Beet Juice Consumption on Exercise Capacity in Heart Failure

Participants will complete up to four study visits. The first visit will involve completion of the informed consent process followed by a screening for study eligibility. The screening will consist of questionnaires pertaining to detailed medical history, diet, physical activity, and health-related quality of life (KCCQ). Anthropometric measures and a general health screening (including heart rate, resting blood pressure, and small blood (<15 mL) and urine samples will be collected). Volunteers meeting eligibility requirements will be scheduled for a screening maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test. Immediately prior to the exercise treadmill test, each subject will have a resting ECG and blood pressure to determine whether there are any abnormalities that would contraindicate exercise testing. Qualified subjects will then undergo a maximal cardiopulmonary exercise (CPX) test.

Following successful completion of the screening CPX test, volunteers meeting eligibility requirements will be scheduled for two testing visits, at least one week apart. At one visit, participants will consume a small cup of beet juice concentrate, and at the other, they will consume placebo. Treatment will be double-blinded and administered in random order.