Low Carbohydrate, High Fat Diet Alters the Oral Microbiome without Negating the Nitrite Response to Beetroot Juice Supplementation.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether a low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) diet affects the oral microbiome's ability to convert dietary nitrate (from beetroot juice) into nitrite and influence plasma nitrite concentrations, which may impact exercise economy.
Results Summary
The study found that a LCHF diet altered the oral microbiome but did not impair nitrate-to-nitrite conversion, as plasma nitrite concentrations increased similarly in both LCHF and high-carbohydrate diet groups after beetroot juice ingestion. The results suggest the oral microbiome adapts to dietary changes while maintaining nitrate reduction capacity.
Population
Highly trained male race walkers (n = 24, LCHF n = 13, HCHO n = 11).
Effective Dosage
140 mL beetroot juice containing 8.4 mmol nitrate (single dose).
Duration
Acute (single dose following 5-day dietary intervention).
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A low carbohydrate, high fat (LCHF) diet | increase | fat oxidation | athletes | - | increases | #1 |
A low carbohydrate, high fat (LCHF) diet | decrease | sports performance | athletes | - | impairs | #2 |
Dietary nitrate supplementation | increase | exercise economy | - | - | can improve | #3 |
Dietary nitrate supplementation | increase | nitric oxide production | - | - | increase in | #4 |
LCHF diet | decrease | oral bacterial diversity | highly trained male race walkers | - | reduced | #5 |
LCHF diet | increase | genera Neisseria | highly trained male race walkers | +10% | changed the relative abundance of | #6 |
LCHF diet | increase | genera Fusobacteria | highly trained male race walkers | +3% | changed the relative abundance of | #7 |
LCHF diet | decrease | genera Prevotella | highly trained male race walkers | -9% | changed the relative abundance of | #8 |
LCHF diet | decrease | genera Veillonella | highly trained male race walkers | -4% | changed the relative abundance of | #9 |
HCHO diet | no change | oral microbiome | highly trained male race walkers | - | no significant changes observed following | #10 |
beetroot juice ingestion | increase | plasma nitrite concentrations | highly trained male race walkers | - | were higher for the LCHF diet compared to the HCHO diet | #11 |
nitrate supplementation | increase | plasma nitrate and nitrite concentrations | - | - | found an increase in | #12 |
A low carbohydrate, high fat (LCHF) diet in athletes increases fat oxidation but impairs sports performance, potentially due to impaired exercise economy. Dietary nitrate supplementation can improve exercise economy via an increase in nitric oxide production, which is initiated by the reduction of nitrate to nitrite within the oral cavity. This reaction is dependent on the presence of nitrate-reducing oral bacteria, which can potentially be altered by dietary changes, including a LCHF diet. This study explored the effect of a LCHF diet on the oral microbiome and subsequent changes to plasma nitrite concentration following nitrate supplementation. Following five days of LCHF or high carbohydrate (HCHO) control dietary intervention, highly trained male race walkers consumed 140 mL beetroot juice containing 8.4 mmol nitrate; they then provided (a) blood samples for plasma nitrate and nitrite analysis and (b) saliva samples for 16S rRNA sequencing of the oral microbiome. The LCHF diet (n = 13) reduced oral bacterial diversity and changed the relative abundance of the genera Neisseria (+10%), Fusobacteria (+3%), Prevotella (-9%), and Veillonella (-4%), with no significant changes observed following the HCHO diet (n = 11). Following beetroot juice ingestion, plasma nitrite concentrations were higher for the LCHF diet compared to the HCHO diet (p = 0.04). However, the absence of an interaction with the trial (pre-post) (p = 0.71) suggests that this difference was not due to the dietary intervention. In summary, we found an increase in plasma nitrate and nitrite concentrations in response to nitrate supplementation independent of diet. This suggests the oral microbiome is adaptive to dietary changes and can maintain a nitrate reduction capacity despite a decrease in bacterial diversity following the LCHF diet.