NCT05624125: BEET PAD

BEETroot Juice to Reverse Functional Impairment in PAD

Recruiting now NA Last updated 15 April 2026

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Beetroot juice in Peripheral Artery Disease in 210 participants. Currently enrolling.

Timeline

25 January 2023

Primary endpoint
1 April 2028

1 October 2028

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	Northwestern University
Phase	NA
Status	Recruiting now
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	quadruple
Primary purpose	treatment
Enrollment	210
Start date	25 January 2023
Primary completion	1 April 2028
Estimated completion	1 October 2028
Sites	4 locations across United States

Drugs / interventions tested

• Beetroot juice — full drug profile →
• Placebo

Conditions studied

• Peripheral Artery Disease — all drugs for Peripheral Artery Disease →

Sponsor

Northwestern University

Who can join

50 and older, any sex, with Peripheral Artery Disease. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

The BEET PAD Trial is a multi-centered double-blind randomized clinical trial designed to determine whether beetroot juice, compared to placebo, improves six-minute walk distance at four month follow-up in people with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD). Investigators hypothesize that by simultaneously increasing lower extremity perfusion, gastrocnemius muscle mitochondrial activity, and myofiber health and regeneration, beetroot juice will significantly improve walking performance in people with PAD. The primary aim is to determine whether beetroot juice significantly improves six-minute walk distance at 4-month follow-up in people with PAD, compared to placebo. Preliminary evidence suggests that beetroot juice has both acute and chronic effects on walking performance in PAD. The primary outcome will measure the combined acute and chronic effect of beetroot juice (i.e. the maximal effect) on change in 6-minute walk at 4-month follow-up. In secondary aims, investigators will distinguish between acute and chronic effects of beetroot juice on six-minute walk and delineate biologic pathways by which beetroot juice improves walking performance in PAD, by measuring change in gastrocnemius muscle perfusion (MRI arterial spin labeling) and gastrocnemius muscle health. The trial will assess the durability of beetroot juice effects on six-minute walk. Nitrate in beetroot juice is metabolized to nitrite and subsequently to NO, attaining peak nitrite levels 2.5 hours after ingestion. The trial will determine whether a higher peak or a greater increase in plasma nitrite at 2.5 hours after beetroot juice consumption at baseline has a greater effect on six-minute walk at 4-month follow-up, compared to a lower peak or a smaller increase, respectively.

Publications & conference data

2 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Role of PTEN-Induced Protein Kinase 1 as a Mitochondrial Dysfunction Regulator in Cardiovascular Disease Pathogenesis.
   Gwon JG, Lee SM. · · 2024 · cited 9× · PMID 38486493 · DOI 10.5758/vsi.230116
2. Community-based recruitment with ankle brachial index testing to identify peripheral artery disease participants for randomized clinical trials.
   McDermott MM, Cetlin MD, Domanchuk KJ, Xu S, et al · · 2026 · PMID 42035974 · DOI 10.1016/j.ahj.2026.107450