Dietary nitrate reduces resting metabolic rate: A randomized, crossover study in humans
Open accessAbstract
Background Nitrate, which is an inorganic anion abundant in vegetables, increases the efficiency of isolated human mitochondria. Such an effect might be reflected in changes in the resting metabolic rate (RMR) and formation of reactive oxygen species. The bioactivation of nitrate involves its active accumulation in saliva followed by a sequential reduction to nitrite, nitric oxide, and other reactive nitrogen species.Objective We studied effects of inorganic nitrate, in amounts that represented a diet rich in vegetables, on the RMR in healthy volunteers.Design In a randomized, double-blind, crossover study, we measured the RMR by using indirect calorimetry in 13 healthy volunteers after a 3-d dietary intervention with sodium nitrate (NaNO₃) or a placebo (NaCl). The nitrate dose (0.1 mmol · kg⁻¹ · d⁻¹) corresponded to the amount in 200-300 g spinach, beetroot, lettuce, or other vegetable that was rich in nitrate. Effects of direct nitrite exposure on cell respiration were studied in cultured human primary myotubes.Results The RMR was 4.2% lower after nitrate compared with placebo administration, and the change correlated strongly to the degree of nitrate accumulation in saliva (r² = 0.71). The thyroid hormone status, insulin sensitivity, glucose uptake, plasma concentration of isoprostanes, and total antioxidant capacity were unaffected by nitrate. The administration of nitrite to human primary myotubes acutely inhibited respiration.Conclusions Dietary inorganic nitrate reduces the RMR. This effect may have implications for the regulation of metabolic function in health and disease.
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Larsen et al. demonstrated that acute intravenous infusion of nitrite enhanced plasma nitrite levels but did not affect oxygen consumption (VO2) or resting metabolic rate (RMR) in humans.
“Larsen et al., recently demonstrated that acute intravenous infusion of nitrite enhanced the plasma levels of nitrite, whereas it did not affect the oxygen consumption (VO2) or the resting metabolic rate (RMR) in humans.”
From NO-Rich Diet for Lifestyle-Related Diseases (2015) · cites this paper as [126]
Dietary nitrate significantly reduced VO2 and RMR by improving mitochondrial respiratory chain function and enhancing efficient O2 consumption, suggesting that biologically active nitrogen oxide, including S-nitrosothiols produced in the stomach, might be an important molecule for transfer of biological NO activity for cardiopulmonary function.
“Instead, dietary nitrate significantly reduced the VO2 and RMR by improving the mitochondrial respiratory chain function and enhancing efficient O2 consumption, suggesting that rather than direct nitrite infusion to enhance the plasma nitrite levels, biologically active nitrogen oxide (including the S-nitrosothiols produced in the stomach) might be an important molecule for the transfer of bi”
From NO-Rich Diet for Lifestyle-Related Diseases (2015) · cites this paper as [126]
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- Authors
- Larsen, F. J., Schiffer, T. A., Ekblom, B., Mattsson, M. P., Checa, A., Wheelock, C. E., Nyström, T., Lundberg, J. O., & Weitzberg, E.
- Affiliations
- Karolinska Institutet (SE)
- ORCID
- Venue
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2014-04
- Volume
- 99
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 843-850
- ISSN
- 0002-9165 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2139516871
- Cited by
- 92
- References
- 40
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 6
- FWCI
- 9.22
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nitric Oxide and Endothelin Effects
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activities
- Keywords
- dietary nitrate, sodium nitrate, resting metabolic rate, nitrite, nitric oxide, mitochondrial respiration, myotubes, reactive oxygen species, isoprostanes, antioxidant capacity, thyroid hormones, insulin sensitivity, vegetables
- MeSH terms
- Administration, Oral, Adult, Basal Metabolism, Calorimetry, Indirect, Cells, Cultured, Diet, Double-Blind Method, Female, Humans, Infusions, Intravenous, Male, Nitrates, Nitrites, Saliva, Biomarkers, Down-Regulation, Oxidative Stress, Muscle Fibers, Skeletal, Cross-Over Studies, Cell Respiration, Quadriceps Muscle, Adult Stem Cells
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